The Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing interface has six components:

You can access the majority of the functionality of Blackboard Collaborate using the menus.

The main menu bar

The main menu bar contains the following:

• File menu: Contains commands such as New, Open, Save and Print for whiteboard files, multimedia files, files for transfer, quizzes, the participants list , chat conversations, session plans and the Exit command that closes a Collaborate session.
• Edit menu: Contains commands such as Cut, Copy, Paste and Select All.
• View menu: Contains commands that allow you to change your window layout and switich between content modes e.g. Whiteboard, Application Sharing and Web Tour.
• Tools menu: Contains sub-menus to access Blackboard Collaborate tools e.g. Application Sharing, Breakout Rooms, Chat, Timer, Video and the Whiteboard.
• Window menu: Enables you to access the following features and windows: File Transfer Library, Activity, Session Plan, Closed-Captioning, Quiz Manager, Notes, Multimedia Library and Graphing Calculator.
• Help menu: Gives you access to diagnostic tools, documentation and general information about Blackboard Collaborate.

Drop-down menus

In addition to the menus in the main menu bar, Blackboard Collaborate contains a number of drop-down menus, including;

• Options menus: Most of the main modules in the interface have their own options menus to give you quick access to commands specific to those modules. To open an options menu, click the down-arrow-and-list icon. N.B. These commands are often replicated in the main menus.

• Participant interaction menus: In the PARTICIPANTS panel there are 2 drop-down menus that allow you to select your feedback responses (emoticons) and responses to polling.

The Whiteboard is the default mode of the Blackboard Collaborate content area. It is used to give presentations, e.g. PowerPoint slides, and for collaboration between participants who are able to draw, write and display images on the Whiteboard. The Whiteboard and the other two content modes, Application Sharing and Web Tour, can be accessed from the Collaboration toolbar.

Content area modes

• Whiteboard mode
• Application Sharing mode
• Web Tour mode

More detailed information can be found on the Blackboard Collaborate Content Area page.

The PARTICIPANTS panel is used by the moderator to manage a session. Participant's permissions can be granted and revoked, they can be invited to and removed from the session as well as sent to breakout rooms and/or polled for their input.

The panel has the following components:

The moderator’s name displays at the top of the panel and in the participants list below it. Your permissions and current activity are displayed alongside your name. The PARTICIPANTS panel displays the moderators in the session followed by the participants.

Global permissions

Moderators you can adjust permission for all participants at once using the global permissions displayed at the top of the list, turning them on or off by clicking each icon.

Individual permissions

Permissions can also be adjusted individually using the permission icons next to each participant's name.

Raising and lowering your hand

Moderators and participants can raise their hands at any time during the session to indicate to the moderator that they want to participate. The participants list will indicate who has raised their hand and in what order.

To raise your hand:

• In the PARTICIPANTS panel, click the  button.

To lower your hand:

• In the PARTICIPANTS panel, click the button.

As a moderator, you can lower other people's hands, either individually or globally in the options menu.

Stepping away

The step-away feature enables you to indicate that you are temporarily unavailable.

To step away:

• In the PARTICIPANTS panel, click the button .

The step-away feature enables you to indicate that you are temporarily unavailable. You can still see and hear the session but others won't expect you to interact in the session.

Stepping back

To step back:

• In the PARTICIPANTS panel, click the button.

The audio/video features of Blackboard Collaborate allows up to 6 moderators and other participants to transmit and receive live video and/or audio simultaneously via your computer’s webcam, microphone and speakers/headphones. Other participants can still watch and listen to a session until a broadcast slot becomes available. N.B. Moderators should ask particiants to only click the Talk or Video buttons to activate their webcam and/or microphone when it is specifically required and then turn them off again when they have finished broadcasting.

The AUDIO & VIDEO window has the following features:

When a participant is transmitting video and/or audio the blue video activity indicatorand/or audio activity indicator  displays next to their name in the participants list.

Status indicators

The state of video activity and permissions can be monitored using the indicators displayed in the participants list. The colour of the indicator icons changes if there are delays in the transmission or receipt of video.

• Amber = moderately delayed.
• Red = significantly delayed. This probably means that there is a problem with the network and a user showing this staus may well be disconnected from the session.

Transmitting video

To transmit video to everyone in the room:

• In the AUDIO & VIDEO panel, click the Transmit Video button .

When activated, your video button  displays as a blue camera.

Stopping video transmission

To stop video transmission:

• In the AUDIO & VIDEO panel, click the video button again

Transmitting audio

To transmit audio to everyone in the room:

• In the AUDIO & VIDEO panel, click Talk

To turn your microphone off, again click Talk.

When audio is transmitting, a blue microphone displays on your Talk button.

The CHAT panel allows you to exchange messages with other participants. It has the following components:

Viewing chat messages

When someone is typing a Chat message a blue chat activity icon appears next to their name in the participants list. In the example below, Ethel and Lisa are typing messages.

You can monitor the chat activity (and permissions) by viewing the indicators displayed in the participants list. New chat messages display at the bottom of the Chat panel.

Conversation tabs

When chatting you can be involved in more than one chat conversation at a time. By default when a session begins, there are two conversation tabs: one for messages sent to everyone (in the main room) and one for private messages between moderators.

When a new private conversation is started by you or by someone else a new conversation tab is added to the bottom of the chat panel.

When a participant submits a new chat message to a conversation a new message icon displays in its tab. In the example below, there is a new message in the conversation with Lisa.

Adding emoticons to your chat message

Emoticons are graphic elements that can insert into any chat session to make your conversations more expressive and fun. You can add them to your chat messages by selecting them from the chat emoticon menu.

Adding external links to your chat message

You can include HTTP links in your chat messages either by typing them or copying and pasting them in. You can also drag and drop them from a browser window or an email message. Recipients of your messages will be able to click the links to open the link in your default browser.