Blackboard Collaborate
Blackboard Collaborate is a web conferencing system that facilitates real-time online teaching and learning. Blackboard Collaborate is available to all UIC Blackboard users. Instructors and TAs can create individual (and repeat) web conferencing sessions on their own without requesting a session to be created or activated. All session links and recordings are located under Course Tools > Blackboard Collaborate.
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AVAILABLE TO: Faculty | Students | Staff
FUNDING: University
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Answers
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Find Answers to Common Questions
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- Blackboard Collaborate – Knowledge Base Article
- Should I use Blackboard Collaborate or Zoom? – Knowledge Base Article
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Features
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Highlights
- Audio communication via a microphone, headset, or telephone
- Video communication via webcam
- Application and desktop sharing with participants
- Group collaboration of whiteboard space
- Moderated chat functionality
- Participants can raise hand, indicate yes or no, participate in polling activities, etc.
- Instructors can create and manage their web conferences directly
- Guest speakers can join and lead sessions by using a public link
- Recordings of sessions are archived
Applicability
Blackboard Collaborate sessions can also be made available for public attendance.
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Requirements
For users who wish to participate with audio, their system must have a sound card, speakers, and a microphone. For users that want to share video, they must have a webcam installed on their system. Users who wish to participate in conferences who do not have these peripherals installed on their systems can still communicate during a collaboration session through the use of the text chat tool.
Accessibility
Blackboard Collaborate offers accessibility features that allows users to easily navigate and read the Collaborate web interface. The web interface supports screen readers for all available creator and viewer interfaces. The web interface also support keyboard access, allowing you to use the tab key to access all available functions. All sessions fully support adding and displaying captions. For additional information on Blackboard Collaborate’s accessibility features, please visit Blackboard Collaborate’s Accessibility Conformance Report (WCAG Edition).
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Getting Started
Login into Blackboard and go into your Original View course or Ultra View course.
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Original View Course
The following steps will guide you in using Blackboard Collaborate in an Original View course:
- Add a tool link to the navigation panel on the left side of your course by selecting the plus with a circle around it, selecting Tool Link and then naming the tool, selecting the tool, and enabling it available to users before clicking Submit.
- Click on the Blackboard Collaborate tool link to open it.
- You can choose to use your course room or schedule a session by selecting Create Session.
- Course Room – select the three dots in a circle to open the options: Join course room, Anonymous dial in, Edit setting, View reports, and Lock course room.
- Create session – once you select this option, you will need to edit the following information:
- Event Details: Session name, Enable guest access (if needed), Start and end time or No end (open session), Repeat session, and Early entry.
- Session Settings: Default attendee role, Recording, Moderator permissions, Participant permissions, and Enable session telephony.
- Attendance reporting: Share attendance information with LMS, Late After, Absent After, and Required time in session.
- Once you have updated all the settings for the create session, you will need to select Create.
Once you create a new session, students will be able to use the Collaborate tool link to open the screen where they can select the Course Room or Scheduled Session.
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Ultra View Course
The following steps will guide you in using Blackboard Collaborate in an Ultra View course:
- Under the Details & Actions section on the left side of the course site, you will see Blackboard Collaborate.
- You can select to join the session in the course room by clicking on the linked text or you can select the three dots to the right of the tool to open the options: Get course room guest link, Edit course room settings, View room report, Manage all sessions, View all recordings, and Disable course room.
- Select Manage all sessions to open the screen where you can see your course room and create new sessions.
- Create session – once you select this option, you will need to edit the following information:
- Event Details: Session name, Enable guest access (if needed), Start and end time or No end (open session), Repeat session, and Early entry.
- Session Settings: Default attendee role, Recording, Moderator permissions, Participant permissions, and Enable session telephony.
- Attendance reporting: Share attendance information with LMS, Late After, Absent After, and Required time in session.
- Once you have updated all the settings for the create session, you will need to select Create.
Once you create a new session, students will be able to use the chevron next to Join Session (under the Details & Actions section) to select the Course Room or Scheduled Session from the drop down menu.
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Tutorials
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- Video – Blackboard Collaborate User Interface Tour (3:14 minutes)
- Get Started with Collaborate – Blackboard Help
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- Blackboard Collaborate with the Ultra Experience – Blackboard Help
- What are the best practices for Blackboard Collaborate? – Knowledge Base Article
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Recorded Webinars
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