For the latest COVID-19 information, please go to our  coronavirus page. 

nau logo

campus

IN > OIEI > ID&S > Step-by-Step Tutorials

Collaborate Ultra

Collaborate Ultra is the new version of Blackboard's live (synchronous online) conferencing tool. You can use Collaborate Ultra for remote office hours or live meetings in your online class. Follow these steps to set up a session. This tool is highly integrated with Blackboard.

  1. Log into Bb Learn and enter your class.
  2. In the upper right, make sure Edit Mode is ON
  3. There are two ways to create access to Collaborate Ultra. Do either one of these:
    1. Add a Link to the Course Menu
      • In the Course Menu on the left, click the + button to add a Tool Link.
      • From the pull-down list, select Blackboard Collaborate Ultra or the entire Tools Area.
      • Check the box to make the link Available to Users.
    2. Create an Icon Link in the Course Content Area
      • In the Course Content area, go to the Tools menu, select More Tools, and then select Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
      • If Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is not listed under More Tools, go to the Course Menu on the left side of the screen, select Customization/Tool Availability, and check the box next to Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
      • Enter a description (optional), set the availability options, and hit the Submit button. There will now be an icon with a link that students can click to access your Collaborate session.
        collaborate iconCollaborate Ultra
  4. Click on the Collaborate Ultra link. If you get an error that says you need to install Flash, you can download it here. (Enabling Flash allows the app to control your computer's camera and microphone.)

    sessions page

  5. Students can enter the Course Room anytime. This is a general use session that is pre-built. You can also create sessions that open and close at specified times using the Create Session button. The scheduled sessions have additional options such as attendance tracking.

  6. Watch this video for an overview of the Collaborate Ultra interface.


  7. Controls are in three places:

    session menu

    toolbar

    Chat, Attendees, Share Content and My Settings icons


What's different in the new version?


Best Practices

Technical best practices

Organizational best practices

Pedagogical best practices


Live Demo

Try it now! Click this link to join an open Collaborate room. You will need to manually turn on your mic and camera, as they will start out muted. Have a friend join from another location using the same link. You will have moderator privileges.

Test the following: