Collaborate Ultra for Instructors

To get started with Collaborate Ultra, instructors need to add the tool to the course menu. Choose your space and join. Follow the steps below to start using Collaborate Ultra. 

Information about the Blackboard Collaborate mobile app can be found on the Blackboard Help site and the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra New Features page.

Add Collaborate Ultra tool to course

Collaborate Ultra is the new web conferencing tool, you will need to replace any existing Collaborate tool in the course menu.

1. Login to eCampus.

2. Select the desired course.

3. On the upper left side of the page, inside the course menu, click the Add Menu Item icon. The Add Menu Item icon is circle with a plus sign inside it.

4. Click Tool Link. This will open a dialog box.

5. Type Collaborate Ultra in the Name section.

6. For Type, select Blackboard Collaborate Ultra from the drop-down menu.

7. Click the Checkbox to make the Course Link available to users.

8. Click Submit. 

Choosing a space

Collaborate Ultra allows instructors to use the general course room and create individual rooms. The Course Room is an open collaborate session dedicated to your course. It provides you and your students a launch point for classes or impromptu meetings. You do not need to create your Course Room. It will automatically appear in each course.

You manage student access to the Course Room making it available or unavailable by following the steps below.

1. Click Collaborate Ultra from the Course Menu.

2. Click the Session Options icon. The Session Options icon is a circle with an ellipsis inside.

3. Click Unlock/Lock course room.

Scheduled sessions

You may use Scheduled Sessions exclusively or in conjunction with your Course Room. This allows sessions to be supervised and instructors may run multiple sessions at once.

1. Click Collaborate Ultra from the Course Menu.

2. Click Create Session.

3. This will open the Session Settings window.

4. Name the session, choose the session settings and details.

5. Click Save.

Join a session

Collaborate Ultra is based on modern web technologies, you do not need to install Java or anytime type of launcher.

1. Click Collaborate Ultra from the Course Menu.

2. Click the Session Options icon on either the Course Room, or the Scheduled Session to join. The Session Options icon is a circle with an ellipsis inside.

3. Click Join Session.

4. Once entering the session, you will be asked to select your audio and video devices. Followed by a guided tour of the Collaborate Ultra features and new user interface.

Create Large Scale Sessions for 250-500 Participants

By default, sessions support up to 250 attendees. Instructors can set up their session to support up to 500 attendees.

1. Click Collaborate Ultra from the Course Menu.

2. Click Create Session.

3. This will open the Session Settings window.

4. Name the session, set the Event Details and choose the session settings.

5. Under the Session Settings, Large scale session (250+) select Allow 250+ attendees to join.

6. Click Save.

This option makes the session a webinar that supports up to 500 attendees. Not all features are available in webinar mode. These features are turned off:

• Participant permissions: Participants can't share audio, video, post chat messages, or draw on whiteboards and files. Moderators can choose to turn chat on DURING a session. Moderator permissions don't change.

• Breakout groups: Breakout groups aren't available while in webinar mode.

Need help?

If something isn't working, you can check the Collaborate Ultra service status to see any outage announcements. For audio or visual issues, try Blackboard's troubleshooting steps for audio/visual issues. 

For technical support, contact the ITS Service Desk.