How to Turn Chat on in Blackboard Collaborate

This guide will demonstrate how to use the chat tool to interact with participants.

Accessing the Collaborate Panel

To chat with session participants, you would need to open the Collaborate Panel. To open the Collaborate Panel, click on the purple button in the bottom right corner, and then click on the Chat button (indicated by the chat bubble icon) to initiate a chat.

After opening a chat room, you will see a screen similar to the one above. Previous messages will appear on the top, while messages can be composed using the text entry field at the bottom.

Recording a Session

You can easily record a Session Blackboard Collaborate Ultra so that participants can review the Session at a later time or it can be viewed by someone who was unable to attend the Session.

Only those with moderator access can turn on recordings in sessions; those with participant or presentersession roles cannot. Anyone in the course can access the recordings with an unlimited number of views.

Starting Recording

To start recording a Session, click on the Session Menu button in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

Starting Recording, Part 2

After opening the Session Menu, click on the Start Recording link to begin recording.

Stopping Recording

To stop recording a Session, open the Session Menu again, and select Stop Recording from the menu.

Viewing a Recording

To view a Collaborate Ultra recording, go to the your Collaborate link in Blackboard and click on it--this will take you to the Blackboard Collaborate screen--this is the same scree where your Session are listed.

1. Click on the Menu button to open the menu
2. Click on Recording in the left-hand menu.
3. Click on the View Recording link in the list of recordings that are available.

If you do not see your recordings, click on Filter By and Select Recordings in a Range and enter a date range to see your recordings.

Sharing Audio

This guide will demonstrate how to share audio to participants in a Blackboard Collaborate session. For the best audio experience, we recommend working individually in a quiet environment with a headset microphone. If you are experiencing problems with your audio, you canswitch to your telephoneto listen to the session audio, or you canadjust your audio and video settingsto select the correct input and adjust volume levels..

Sharing Audio, Part 1

Once you are in a Collaborate session, click the Share Audio Button (microphone icon) to share your audio.

Sharing Audio, Part 2

After clicking the Share Audio button, the button will turn green, and the bar in the microphone represents your speaking volume level. When you are finished, click the Share Audio button again to mute your audio.

Sharing Video

This guide will demonstrate how to share video using Blackboard Collaborate. If you experience issues, you can change your audio and video settings to select the proper input. Note: Some integrated webcams have a slider that covers the camera. If you are not getting video, check to see if the webcam cover is open. Blackboard Collaborate allows up to five simultaneous cameras.

Sharing Video, Part 1

To start sharing video, click on the Share Video button at the bottom of the screen.

Sharing Video, Part 2

A preview of the video will pop up. When you are ready, click the Share Video button to begin sharing.

Sharing Video, Part 3

Your video will now appear as a thumbnail in the bottom left corner of the screen, while participants' video will appear in the center of the screen. When you are finished, click the Share Video button to stop sharing your video.

Editing Audio/Video Settings

This guide will demonstrate how to change the audio and video settings within a Blackboard Collaborate session.

Accessing the Collaborate Panel

To change the Audio and Video settings in Collaborate, you will need to open the Collaborate Panel. To open the Collaborate Panel, click on the purple button in the bottom right corner.

Accessing the Audio and Video Settings

To access the Audio and Video Settings:

1. Click on the gear icon to open the My Settings tab in the Collaborate Panel.
2. Click on Audio and Video Settings to expand this section if it is not already expanded.

Modifying Audio and Video Settings

1. Set up your camera and microphone: Select this option to set up or change your cameras and microphones.
2. Use your phone for audio: Click this option to generate a telephone number and PIN to listen to the session audio using your telephone.
3. Speaker Volume: Use the slider to adjust your speaker volume.
4. Microphone Volume: Use the slider to adjust your microphone

Setting up your Microphone

The steps below will explain how to select and set up your microphone for Blackboard Collaborate:

1. The purple bar represents the volume level of the currently selected microphone as you speak.
2. Use the dropdown menu to select the available microphones.
3. If the purple bar is not moving when you speak, click the No - I need help button for support assistance.
4. If the microphone is working, click the Yes - It's working button to proceed to the next step.

Setting up your Webcam

The steps below will explain how to select and set up your webcam for Blackboard Collaborate:

1. A preview of your video feed will appear here.
2. Use the dropdown menu to choose from available webcams.
3. If you are having problems, click the No - I need help button.
4. If everything is working, click the Yes - It's working button to return to the session.

Setting your Status and Sending Feedback

Blackboard Collaborate allows participants in the room to send feedback to other participants in the room. The feedback is shown to other users for 30 seconds on avatar thumbnails in the main collaboration window, as well as in the Participants list. In addition, users can indicate themselves as being either present or away.

Sending your Status

To send your status to participants, click on the green checkmark that appears on the My Settings button.

Selecting a Status

You would then be able to select from the available statuses shown in the image above:

1. Away: Use this option to indicate that you have stepped away from the room.
2. Leave Session: Use this option to leave the session. You will need to log back in to rejoin the session.
3. Happy
4. Surprised
5. Agree
6. Faster
7. Sad
8. Confused
9. Slower
10. Disagree

Participants' statuses can be viewed in their thumbnail on the main screen for 30 seconds or can be viewed from the Participants List.

Enabling Microphone and Camera Use in Web Browsers

If your webcam or microphone is blocked or disabled by your web browser, you will need to enable those tools in order to use Blackboard Collaborate. This guide will detail how to enable these tools in your web browser.

If you are using a computer that you do not have administrative rights to, you may need to check with whomever manages your computer to change the web browser settings.

How to Turn Chat on in Blackboard Collaborate

Source: https://www.southplainscollege.edu/instructional-technology/faculty/blackboard/collaborate/interface.php

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