Blackboard Collaborate offers a Web Conferencing service as a virtual learning environment to facilitate real-time online learning. Blackboard Collaborate sessions are led by Moderators. Moderators have control over what functions are available or unavailable to Participants, what content is covered, and how that content is delivered.
Recommended System Requirements
• Windows XP/Vista/7/8• Internet Browser
• RAM: 256 MB
• Hard Drive: 20 MB free disk space
• Internet connection
• Soundcard with headphones/speakers and microphone (headset recommended)
• Webcam (optional)
1. Check system requirements
Ensure the following to prepare for your session:
• A stable and reliable internet connection
• Speakers or headphones to hear audio from the Collaborate session
• A microphone or headset to speak during the session
• The appropriate permissions to install and save files to your computer
2. Download Launcher
To use Blackboard Collaborate, you will need the Blackboard Collaborate Launcher.
Download the Launcher from: http://tinyurl.com/meeting-collab
• Select Windows from the dropdown menu
• Click the Download button
Or follow these steps:
• Access Blackboard Collaborate within your course under the Course Management menu
• Select Course Tools > Blackboard Collaborate
• Choose a room to join and click Join Room to view Room Details
• Then click Join Room
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3. Install Launcher
Once you have downloaded the Launcher, you will need to install it onto your computer.
• Click ok when asked to Run the Installer
• Open the BlackboardCollaborateLauncher-Win.msi
file in your browser’s Downloads folder to begin the installation.
• Depending on your browser, the downloaded file will appear in different locations:
ĔFirefox Mozilla - top right ĔInternet Explorer - bottom ĔGoogle Chrome - bottom left
• Click Run on the screens pictured to the right to allow Blackboard to install software on your computer.
Note: Check the box if you would like the app to launch automatically with the collaborate files.
• A new window may pop up if this is your first time using Blackboard Collaborate
Continue the installation process by proceeding through the following pop-up windows:
• Click next at the welcome window
• Click Install when prompted to start installation
• Wait for the status bar to load, indicating the installation is complete
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6. Test connection and settings
To avoid issues during your first Blackboard Collaborate session, test your equipment,
connection, and settings to ensure that you have installed everything properly.
5. Set up Blackboard Collaborate
When Blackboard Collaborate opens for the first time, you will have to set up a few options:
• Click accept on the first screen to agree to participation terms on Blackboard Collaborate
• Select connection speed
ĔThis is dependent on your internet setup ĔIf you are moderating a Blackboard Collaborate
session, it is recommended that you connect via ethernet and select Cable/DSL to prevent internet connection issues during your session
4. open Blackboard Collaborate
Open the meeting.collab file in your browser’s
Downloads folder to join the Collaborate session.
Note: When you complete the download for the launcher, the icon will update to the purple icon to the right. You can access the Collaborate session by clicking this Meeting icon.
Alternatively, you can launch the Collaborate session from your course site by clicking Join Room.
navigating Blackboard Collaborate
Here are the different areas within Blackboard Collaborate. See the appropriate letter to learn more about a panel.
a. audio & Video Panel B. Participants Panel
C. Chat Panel D. action Bar
e. Whiteboard F. Record Button
a. audio & Video Panel
The Audio panel lets you participate in audible conversation during a session.
• Edit your audio input and output settings by clicking the audio Setup Wizard icon
• Turn your audio and webcam on and off by toggling the Talk and Video buttons.
a B
C
D e
F
Blackboard Collaborate overview
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C. Chat Panel
The Chat panel is where you can send and receive text messages.
• Send text messages to one Participant, selected Participants, Moderators, everyone in this room or everyone in all rooms
• Filter messages by time-stamp, printed messages, and saved messages to track session communication
B. Participants Panel
The Participants panel provides a list of all
Participants and Moderators in the session and their current activities (e.g. speaking, typing, sharing). Interactive tools within the Participants Panel:
a. Show an emotion
ĔReact to the session in real-time with emoticons
b. Step away from the session
ĔUse this to indicate when you are busy at any time during the session
c. Raise your hand
ĔThe Participants Panel will show who raised their hand and the order in which they raise it
d. Respond to poll
ĔParticipants can respond to Yes/No and Multiple Choice questions quickly with live polls
D. action Bar
The Action Bar has three useful buttons that you can use to make your Blackboard Collaborate session more interactive. Each of these buttons will affect the large main screen in Blackboard Collaborate.
a. Whiteboard
ĔCollaborate interactively as a group with text, shapes, and images
b. application Sharing
ĔShare any application on your desktop to show others what you are working on, or to lead others through a tutorial
c. Web Tour
ĔBrowse the web as a group
a b c d
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F. Record Button
When you first start your Blackboard Collaborate session, you will be prompted to record the session unless you have set your session to automatically begin recording.
The Recording Panel lets you start and stop recording by toggling the Record button.
Recordings are automatically saved when you exit a session, and are available about one hour later.
e. Whiteboard Panel
The Whiteboard panel is the main presentation window on the right and allows group collaboration. This window can be changed to show Application Sharing or Web Tour using the Action Bar.
In the Whiteboard Panel, you can:
• Load presentations (moderators only)
• Use the tools on the Whiteboard to draw or write
• Dynamically modify all the objects and images on the Whiteboard
• Print the Whiteboard screens or save them to a file to review later
There are many tools that make the Whiteboard Panel very versatile and useful for all forms of communication. The tools are shown with their expanded menu to the right and are listed below:
a. Select objects b. Pointers c. Draw d. Text
e. Filled Shape f. outlined Shape g. Lines
h. Place Screen Capture i. Place Image
a b c d e f g h i
