Bb Collaborate Virtual Classroom and Web Conferencing
Bb Collaborate Participant Interface and Basic Moderator Controls
The Blackboard Collaborate participant interface has 4 main areas.
1. Audio & Video Panel 2. Participants Panel 3. Chat Panel
4. The main content area of the screen is the Whiteboard
The Audio & Video Panel
Clicking this arrow allows you to minimize the Audio & Video Panel. The minimized panel looks like this: Click the arrow again to restore it to its full size. The Audio & Video Panel
Clicking this Icon opens the Audio Setup Wizard You can access the Audio Setup Wizard at any time during the session to make adjustments to your Microphone and Speaker settings. The Audio & Video Panel
If you wish to speak to everyone in the session, press the Talk button. It is recommended that you use a headset, if possible, when using the TALK feature. After you press the Talk button, your Microphone will remain live until you press the talk button again. While your microphone is live, the Talk button looks like this: When you are finished speaking, make sure to deactivate the Talk button by pressing it a second time. The Audio & Video Panel
If you plan to use the Talk feature, please use a headset to avoid creating audio problems during the session. Hello World! Why is a headset recommended?
If you don t use a headset The sound from the speakers is picked up by the microphone and broadcast back to all of the other participants in the session
All of the participants, including the original speaker, hear a delayed echo of the original speaker s words, and other distorted sounds. Hello World! If you don t use a headset it affects everyone in the session
If you are listening to the audio through If the Talk button is turned off the sound from your speakers isn t broadcast back to the other participants. your external speakers Make sure to turn off the Talk button when you aren t actually speaking.
This button allows you to Preview your video without transmitting it to the other participants in the session. The word Preview appears across the video image to remind you that you are not yet transmitting video to the other participants. The Audio & Video Panel
Press the Video button to begin transmitting video from your webcam to the other participants in the session. While you are transmitting video the Video button will look like this: To deactivate the video transmission press the video button a second time. The Audio & Video Panel
These slider bars allow you to adjust the volume level of your speakers and microphone The Audio & Video Panel
The Audio & Video Panel The Audio & Video Panel can be undocked, repositioned, and resized.
To reposition the Audio & Video Panel click here and drag in the direction you wish to move the panel, then release the mouse button. To return the panel to the docked position, click the X icon in the upper right-hand corner of the panel. To resize the Audio & Video Panel, position your mouse pointer over the corner or edge of the video panel, and then click and drag. The Audio & Video Panel
The Participants Panel
The Show Emotion button allows you to choose from a list of emoticons. The emotion you choose shows up next to your name in the participants panel. The Participants Panel
The Step Away from the Session button allows you to indicate that you have momentarily stepped away from your computer. An indication that you are Away displays next to your name. Press the button again to turn off the Away indicator. The Participants Panel
The Raise Hand button allows you to raise a (virtual) hand during the session. When you press the button, a raised hand indicator appears next to your name in the Participants panel. The numbers below the names indicate the order in which the participants raised their hands. Press the button again to lower your hand. The Participants Panel
Clicking the Vote button displays a menu of voting options When you vote, an indicator appears next to your name to show which way you voted Yes and No are default voting options, but the session moderator has the ability to change the choices that appear on this list. The Participants Panel
The Chat Panel
The Chat panel allows for group text chat. Text entered here is visible to all of the participants in the session. The participant text discussion displays in the main portion of the Chat Panel. Click on this text entry field, and begin typing. Hit ENTER on you keyboard to submit what you have typed. Clicking the emoticon drop down allows you to enter an emoticon in your chat message. The Chat Panel
In the Participants Panel, if you RIGHT-CLICK on another participant s name, you have an option to Send a Private Chat to that participant. The Chat Panel
A Private Chat will appear on a separate tab in the Chat panel. This private chat tab is not visible to other participants it is a side conversation between two individuals. The Supervised indicator here means that the session moderator also has access to your private chat. Switch back to the main Chat room by clicking the Room tab. The Chat Panel
The Chat Panel The Chat Panel can be undocked, repositioned, and resized.
To reposition the Chat click here and drag in the direction you wish to move the panel, then release the mouse button. To return the panel to the docked position, click the X icon in the upper right-hand corner of the panel. To resize the Chat panel, position your mouse pointer over the corner or edge of the video panel, and then click and drag. The Chat Panel
The Whiteboard
The session moderator has the most control over what happens on the White Board. This is where the content that the moderator wishes to display will appear to the session participants. Participants can be granted access to a variety of controls that allow them to interact with the whiteboard area. The Whiteboard
The White Board Tools can be accessed on the toolbar along the left side of the White Board area. If the Moderator has chosen to not allow access to these tools, they will be greyed out on the toolbar, and Participants will not be able to make use of them. The Whiteboard
The Pointer allows you to draw attention to items in the Whiteboard area. Clicking the Pointer tool allows you to choose from a number of different pointer icons. When the Pointer tool is selected, just click within the Whiteboard area to place the pointer. Clicking again will move the pointer to a new location. The Whiteboard
The Draw tool allows you to draw and write free-hand within the Whiteboard area. When the tool is selected, a toolbar appears which allows you to set the color, opacity, and weight of the line that is created. When the tool is selected, click and drag with the mouse to draw. The Whiteboard
The Text tool allows you to insert text into the Whiteboard area. When the tool is selected, a toolbar appears which allows you to make changes to the font. When the tool is selected, click in the Whiteboard area you wish to add text to, adjust the font settings, and begin typing. The Whiteboard
These Drawing tools allow you to draw a straight line, circle, or rectangle within the Whiteboard area. When the tool is selected, a toolbar appears which allows you to set color, opacity, and weight of the shape that is created. When the tool is selected, click and drag with the mouse to draw. The Whiteboard
The Select tools allows you to select an existing object or objects within the Whiteboard area. When the object is selected it can be deleted, moved, or resized. With this tool is selected, click on a single object you wish to select. Or click and drag to create a box around multiple objects you wish to select. Delete a selected object with the delete key on your keyboard. To move an object, click on the selected object and drag. To resize, click on one of the resize handles and drag. The Whiteboard
The Screen Shot tools allows you to take a screenshot of material on your computer screen and share it to the Whiteboard area. When you click this tool, a resizable box appears on the screen. You can position the box over the portion of your screen you wish to capture. The captured image will be placed on the whiteboard, where all participants can see it. The Whiteboard
These Insert Clipart tool opens a clip art gallery toolbar, which allows you to select images and symbols to insert into the Whiteboard area. The Whiteboard Click on the image you wish to insert, and then place it in the Whiteboard area with another click.
Basic Moderator Controls
Moderators have access to a number of controls that basic session participants do not see. During a session, a moderator can promote a participant to moderator status and grant them access to these controls, if they wish. These controls appear across the top of the moderator s Whiteboard area. Basic Moderator Controls
The Whiteboard area has three different modes: 1. Whiteboard 2. Application Sharing 3. Web Tour The Moderator uses these three buttons to shift between the three modes. Basic Moderator Controls
In Whiteboard mode moderators have access to all of the controls mentioned earlier, even if they have opted to not allow those tools for the rest of the participants. Basic Moderator Controls
The Moderator can create new pages in the whiteboard, or delete a whiteboard page using these controls. The Moderator can move between Whiteboard pages using these controls. Basic Moderator Controls
A PowerPoint presentation uploaded with the Load Content button will create a presentation within the Whiteboard area. The Load Content button allows the moderator to load pages into the Whiteboard and upload other files. Basic Moderator Controls
The Record button allows the moderator to create a recording of the Blackboard Collaborate session Basic Moderator Controls
Application Sharing mode allows moderators to share a live broadcast of their computer desktop or a particular application on their computer. Basic Moderator Controls
In this example, the moderator is sharing their desktop, and is working in Microsoft Word. The participants see a live broadcast of the actions the moderator is performing on their desktop Basic Moderator Controls
Web Tour mode allows the moderator to take the participants to web pages they wish to have them view. The main content area acts as a web browser. Each participants computer loads the web pages separately in Web Tour. It is not a live broadcast of the moderator s screen. The participants can interact with the web page independent of the moderator. Basic Moderator Controls
The Options Menu, accessed from the participants pane, allow the moderator to control what privileges are granted to the session participants. For example, if you wanted to only make the chat feature available for a portion of the session, you can turn it on and off from this pane. Basic Moderator Controls
Access the Participants Options Menu next to a participant s name in the participants pane to add or remove privileges from that individual participant. Basic Moderator Controls
Additional information and resources related to using Blackboard Collaborate at ICC can be found at: http://icc.edu/innovation/resources/collaborate/ Questions?
Bb Collaborate Virtual Classroom and Web Conferencing