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Blackboard Collaborate

Blackboard Collaborate

Overview

What is Blackboard Collaborate?

Blackboard Collaborate is an online, collaborative learning platform well-suited for the education industry and corporate learning needs. It includes features such as screen and application sharing, web conferencing, and integration with Blackboard Learn.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Synchronous Environment: Users appreciate the software's synchronous environment, with many reviewers stating that it allows for real-time …
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Collaborate with Ease

8 out of 10
October 03, 2016
Incentivized
We use Blackboard Collaborate for meetings and for tutoring students, one-on-one or in groups. Our department, the instructional …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

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Pricing

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Classroom

$300.00

Cloud
per year

Department

$9000.00

Cloud
per year

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Product Details

What is Blackboard Collaborate?

Blackboard Collaborate is an online, collaborative learning platform well-suited for the education industry and corporate learning needs. It includes features such as screen and application sharing, web conferencing, and integration with Blackboard Learn to provide a complete learning management system (LMS).

Blackboard Collaborate offers a browser-based web conferencing tool to facilitate interaction between instructors and students. It has a classroom chat feature that offers a messaging platform for students to share images, text, audio, and video. It also supports live captioning to meet the accessibility needs for deaf and hard of hearing students with its Blackboard Live Closed Captioning Service feature.

Its interactive Whiteboard feature is used for conducting presentations using PowerPoint slides for engaging multiple participants with a single presentation. However, Whiteboard content can be added or edited directly from Blackboard Collaborate without opening PowerPoint. And despite being browser-based, Blackboard Collaborate does offer some features through its Blackboard Collaborate ™ Mobile app.

Blackboard Collaborate Video

Blackboard Collaborate: A one click virtual classroom

Blackboard Collaborate Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Blackboard Collaborate is an online, collaborative learning platform well-suited for the education industry and corporate learning needs. It includes features such as screen and application sharing, web conferencing, and integration with Blackboard Learn.

Reviewers rate Support Rating highest, with a score of 8.9.

The most common users of Blackboard Collaborate are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(118)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Synchronous Environment: Users appreciate the software's synchronous environment, with many reviewers stating that it allows for real-time interaction and feedback. This feature is particularly beneficial in online and hybrid courses where students can ask questions and receive immediate responses from instructors.

Video Option: The video option is highly regarded by users, who believe it adds a personal touch to the learning experience. Many reviewers mentioned that seeing their professors' faces humanizes the online course and makes it more engaging, especially for 100% online courses.

Record Option: The record option is praised for its usefulness in accommodating various needs such as students who cannot attend classes, those with special needs, enrichment/supplement sessions, and content reviews. Several users found this feature valuable for creating training materials or reviewing sessions at a later time.

Challenging Login Process: Several users have found the login process of Blackboard Collaborate to be challenging, particularly for those who are not computer literate. They mention that it is time-consuming and requires several steps, leading to frustration.

Compatibility Issues with Java: Some users have experienced compatibility issues with Blackboard Collaborate due to its reliance on an updated version of Java. This has caused difficulties for students and parents, as well as frustrations related to browser and operating system compatibility.

Cumbersome Access to Recorded Sessions: Users have reported that accessing recorded sessions in Blackboard Collaborate can be cumbersome, especially for professors who are not proficient with computers. They suggest the need for more customizable options on professors' webpages and expanding the range of acceptable file formats for presentations.

Users commonly recommend Blackboard Collaborate for the following reasons:

  1. Users find the platform easy to use and convenient due to its user-friendly interface and lack of software installation requirements.

  2. Many reviewers praise Blackboard Collaborate for its effectiveness in facilitating web conferencing or virtual classrooms, highlighting its seamless experience for online meetings, presentations, and interactive discussions.

  3. Users appreciate the range of features and functionality offered by Blackboard Collaborate, including screen sharing, chat capabilities, breakout rooms, and collaborative whiteboarding. These features enhance collaboration and engagement during virtual sessions.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 30)
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Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Blackboard Collaborate to provide students with digital spaces for online classes. Often times we pair Blackboard Collaborate with other platforms in order to provide an in-depth classroom experience for students. We started using Blackboard Collaborate early since the beginning of the pandemic, and after we entered normal classes we kept on using it for online collaborations with other schools, and for certain school meetings.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Blackboard is being used by the whole Campus of the University, and it is helping students to catch up on their course work and also be punctual on all their assignments as well as their lectures.
Mariann Hawken | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Blackboard Collaborate is primarily used as a web conferencing tool for teaching & learning in higher education, but we have also used it for technical support, academic success, conferences, presentations, training, virtual office hours, and more. Collaborate is a dynamic platform that supports learner engagement and content sharing. Faculty use it for online instruction as well as hybrid learning. In some cases, it's also been used for hyperflex teaching where students can choose whether to attend in person or online.
Akhilesh Arya | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
In this difficult time of COVID-19, it is hard for the students to present in all the classes in person. Blackboard Collaborate is the virtual classroom solution that address all the problems faced by faculty and students during online classes. We are using this tool in our organization to provide live classroom sessions to our students. Not all the departments are using this tool. Every department is using the tools according to their convenience, but in the department of computer science, we are using this tool for online classes as well as for department meetings.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Blackboard Collaborate was used by many professors and teaching assistants at our university to conduct classes, review and study sessions, lectures, presentations, etc. Blackboard is already used for most if not all of the courses offered here so it’s easy to transition to using another product with the same login credentials to ensure simplicity and ease of access.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Instructors have many options to choose from for doing online instruction, but Blackboard Collaborate is the easiest to use in our LMS. With the advent of COVID-19, all of our classes had to pivot to online last spring on very short notice. Blackboard Collaborate allowed us to do that relatively easily.
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
This feature was used across the entire organization. Before March 2020, it was used by a few departments that wanted to be "ahead" with using technology, but starting in March it was rolled out to everyone.
Becca Guler | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
This program is used in academic support services for online tutoring and academic coaching, which are increasingly needed as more and more degree programs are offering online-only options and the number of students outside a commuting radius increases.
While Skype and Google Hangouts are useful for video chat, they aren't designed for academic purposes and lack many of the tools available in Bb Collaborate.
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Blackboard Collaborate is generally used across our e-school. Teachers use the software to present live and recorded lessons to our students across the state of Florida. It allows us to deliver instruction in a more interactive method, reaching all types of learners and incorporating audio, video, and interaction.
Joseph Axenroth | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We've been using Blackboard Collaborate since back when it was Elluminate (then Blackboard Collaborate, and now Blackboard Collaborate Ultra). The Ultra version is browser-based and very simple to use. It is typically used for office hours for our online instructors, handling virtual training sessions our team administers to our faculty, and other times people on our campus may want to meet virtually. Collaborate is also an easy way to have a guest speaker join a classroom remotely.

Collaborate Ultra is integrated with our LMS (Blackboard, though they support other integrations), so essentially there is no setup involved for the faculty member. Students just click a link, type in their name, and they are able to join the session, simple as that. Smartphones and tablets are also supported.

The Collaborate team has been aggressively working on making the tool more and more accessible.
October 03, 2016

Collaborate with Ease

Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Blackboard Collaborate for meetings and for tutoring students, one-on-one or in groups. Our department, the instructional department, is the only department that uses it. Many of our employees work remotely, so being able to communicate in a virtual setting is a beneficial alternative to email. Also, we tutor our students remotely, and using Skype, email, or phone is not conducive to what we need to do.
Carly Pietrzyk, PhD | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Blackboard Collaborate is utilized by my company for teachers to hold office hours for students within the online courses provided by the company. It is also used to hold virtual department meetings. This addresses our need for communication between teachers and students, teachers and other teachers, and teacher and management staff.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Collaborate is a excellent online and remote classroom training tool that allows students to connect to class via a remote session. Features like: whiteboard, sync across devices, ability to make timed quizzes, and the ability to upload assignments and docs are some nice features.
Mallory Rice | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I have used it both as a continuing education student, and as a site-manager for classes that my colleagues teach. Blackboard Collaborate makes it easy to connect students with professors and teaching assistants. As a student, the features make it easy for our professor to screen share, draw, and do presentations for us. On top of that, it is easy to work and coordinate with other students who are also using Collaborate.
Brandon Cluff | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I used Blackboard Collaborate when I was going to community college. It was used with online classes which I usually took during intermission. It makes the online experience more like an actual classroom and it makes it a lot easier to interact with classmates and the instructor. It really helps visual learners, like myself.
T. Alex Manly | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Currently, we enable the Blackboard Collaborate tool in courses only upon request due to the complexity of its interface. However, with the upcoming implementation of the new UI, we are going to be opening up the tool to all courses system wide. The new UI is so much easier to understand and use, and I am confident that the adoption rate is going to drastically increase.
Currently, some instructors use it for virtual office hours, some use it for lecture capture and still others use it for remote lecturing back to their class when they are off campus. Some of our organizations use it for web conferencing as well. With the greater availability of the tool next semester, I figure the use cases will at least be the same but more likely new ideas for using it will come about.
Laura Abercrombie | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Currently at Polk State College, Blackboard Collaborate is used as a synchronous learning environment in online and hybrid courses. Students are able to interact with professors while they (the students and/or the professors) are off campus and at odd hours. Students participate in guided online course orientations, study sessions, and workshops via Blackboard Collaborate.
Bridget Powell | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I can't answer as to how it's used organization-wide, as we are a large state university. However, our small department uses it primarily for meetings where we need to share something visual, usually a course. It's very helpful, because it allows us to control access to our courses by being able to demo them rather than grant guest access.
Christine Paige | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I have used Blackboard Collaborate at a previous institution as well as the current institution I am at. My current school uses Blackboard Collaborate across our whole campus as a tool for meetings of various groups. We are a distributed institution so it is very heavily used. We also use it with our students since we are primarily an online college.
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