Blackboard Collaborate Known Issues

Issue:

You get an error when accessing your Blackboard Collaborate link from your module that states ‘Unable to launch Class Collaborate Scheduler’.

Cause:

The password autofill function on your browser

Resolution:

Please follow the steps below to troubleshoot this error.

• Turn editing on
• Next to the Collaborate link click to Edit the link
• Click the ‘Show more…’ option under the Activity name

• Next, check if the Shared secret field has any passwords auto filled.

• If is has, please delete and save the page. This will allow the scheduler to launch.
• Click to save this change

An alternative resolution:

• Go to ‘Add an activity or resource’ and then click the External tool

• Next, you will need to choose ‘Blackboard Collaborate Ultra’ from the Preconfigured tool drop-down.

• Give the link a title e.g. Online Class
• Click to save

If you need further assistance with this error, please contact the moodle helpdesk.

Issue:

Mac OS 10.15 Catalina users may experience issues starting appshare while using Collaborate. When clicking on the Share Application Screen in an Ultra session, the screen does not load as it should.

Reason:

Privacy settings for screen recording are not enabled for the browser.

Resolution/Workaround:

1. Select the Apple in the upper left hand corner of the screen
2. Select System Preference
3. Select Security & Privacy – Note:  You will need to unlock this window to make changes by clicking on the lock in the bottom left corner of this window
4. Select the Privacy tab at the top of the dialog box
5. Scroll down on the left hand side of the screen to Screen Recording
6. Check the box next to Google Chrome or whichever browser you are running
7. You will then be prompted to restart your browser
   
8. Launch your Collaborate Ultra session again and start appshare

Issue:

It is not possible for Mac users to select to include computer audio when using the share entire screen option via the Share Application/Screen function. This can make it difficult to manage playing multiple video and audio clips to students in a session.

Resolution/Workaround:

1. It’s possible to add each video/audio in separate Chrome tabs. When you want to play each clip you will need to go to Share Application/Screen and select chrome tab and tick the computer audio box before you share. You will have to do this step for each clip in their separate tab. This could be quite laborious and affect the flow of a class.
2. An alternative is to have numbered links to the clips in the chat function so that when you want to watch a video you guide student to the relevant link in the chat and they can access the clip on their own computers and then come back to the room when they have finished watching to continue the session.
3. Using Teams will enable you to share your entire screen with computer audio so that you can present a slideshow and click on links from your slides to access tabs with your video/audio clips to play to students as you would in an in person class.

Issue:

Please be aware that for some sites the videos will not display to others in the online room due to the sites security settings, it will just show a blank screen (although it may play audio). Please do check the sites you intend to use first with your eLearning Advisor if you are unsure.

Reason:

Some pay per view sites may have security features that do not allow screensharing

Resolution/Workaround:

1. Sharing the links to the videos in the chat function
2. For multiple videos – add the links into a Moodle page in the order of viewing and then share the link with students before the session and also via the chat function