Blackboard Class – Tools and Features

by | Aug 8, 2025 | Blackboard Class

 

There are many tools and features in Blackboard Class. In this guide, we explore the various icons and menus to give you a clear idea of what Class can allow you to do during an online session.

Understanding the Class Menus

 

Main Toolbar

The Main Toolbar will be at the top of your Class page and may look different depending on what your instructor has enabled in the class. The graphic below illustrates what you may see when all options are enabled:

Blackboard Class Page. Icons along the top navigation bar are numbers 1-9 from left to right: Chat, People, Raise hand, Reactions, More, Share, Poll, Camera, Mic

Share and Poll are options that your instructor may not have available for use during a Class session. If this is the case, they will not appear in the toolbar, and the Learner Resources will move from the More options to the Main Toolbar.

For more details on each item, click the icons to jump to that section!

  1. Blackboard Class Chat IconChat: Opens the chat window in the bottom-left corner of the page.
  2. Blackboard Class People IconPeople: Shows the list of people in the session in the bottom-left corner of the page. This replaces the Chat window.
  3. Blackboard Class Raise Hand IconRaise Hand: Creates a visual notification to alert the presenter that you have a question or wish to comment.
  4. Blackboard Class Reactions IconReactions: Visual emojis will appear based on your selections. Click to open the reactions menu and then select the emote you wish you react with.
    Click to expand

    Reaction menu with a wide array of emotes to select. Click Reaction to view menu. First Row: Clap, Thumbs up, Thumbs down, Heart, Cry-Laughing, Surprised, Roll Eyes, Party Popper. Second Row: Yes Check Mark, No X Mark, Go Slower, Go Faster, Need Break, Question

  5. Blackboard Class More IconMore: Extra tools that are available. When the Toolbar is full, Learner Resources will be moved into this tool menu. Click More to access those tools.
  6. Blackboard Class Share IconShare: If the instructor has enabled this tool, it will allow you to share your screen or an application with the Class session.
  7. Blackboard Class Poll IconPoll: If the instructor has launched a poll, it will appear beneath this tool icon. Click Poll to re-open the poll window if it is closed manually.
  8. Blackboard Class Camera IconCamera: Allows you to control your webcam settings within Class. Click the icon to disable or enable your webcam, or click the drop-down arrow to change camera settings.
  9. Blackboard Class Mic IconMic: Allows you to control your microphone settings within Class. Click the icon to disable or enable your microphone, or click the drop-down arrow to change microphone settings.

 

Session Tabs:

When your instructor opens and shares a document, presentation, or whiteboard, these will appear as navigable tabs beneath the toolbar for you to click on and view in the presentation area of the screen.

Two example tabs appear beneath the Toolbar: Test Document, an example document file shared by the instructor, and Example Whiteboard, the title of a whiteboard created by the instructor. Example Whiteboard is currently selected and appears beneath the instructor's camera view.

  • Presentations: Files that are shared through the Learner Resources or launched by your instructor (or another presenter of the session) will appear in the presentation area of the Class session. These can include documents, PowerPoints, videos, and images.
  • Whiteboards: These are digital, interactive spaces that can allow your instructor, you, and your classmates to collaborate together in a single space depending on the settings enabled by your instructor. By default, this will appear in the bottom section of the presentation area, but you can click the Collapse icon Blackboard Class Collapse Icon for both yours and your instructor’s camera feeds to collapse those areas and expand the presentation space.
    Instructor's camera is found in the top beneath the Main Toolbar with the icon in it's bottom right section. Self Camera section is found in the left side of the screen, with the collapse icon in the bottom right corner of the section.
    For more detailed information on how to use and interact with Whiteboards, check out our how-to article here!

 

Chat

 

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Click the Chat icon in the Main Toolbar to switch to the Chat box. Once opened, it can be found on the left side of the page beneath your own camera feed, and it will take the place of the People display or Learner Resources if either of those were open.

The Chat box can be found on the left side of the page beneath the learner's camera feed.

Here you can chat with your whole class or chat with individuals such as your instructor or a specific classmate.

Chat box options, can either click Everyone in middle to chat with everyone or click the + chat bubble to the right to search for an individual

To send a message through the chat:

    • Click Everyone in the chat list to chat with the whole group.
      Chat with Everyone. Channel is currently empty without any messages.
      OR
    • Click the + Chat Bubble icon Blackboard Class Chat Bubble Search Icon to the right to search for, and select, an individual.
      Chatting with an individual. Current example shows an empty chat with an example user with no messages exchanged yet.
  2. Click inside the text box where it says “Type your message…” and begin typing.
  3. When ready, click the Send arrow Blackboard Class Chat Send Message Icon OR press the Enter key on your keyboard to send.

 

People

 

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Click the People icon in the Main Toolbar to switch to the list of people in the Class session. Once opened, it can be found on the left side of the page beneath your own camera feed, and it will replace the Chat Box’s or Learner Resources’ place if either were open.

The People list can be found on the left side of the page beneath the learner's camera feed.

Here you can see all of the participants and presenters in the Class session. There are a few interactive options available here:

People list with interaction icons. Upper right corner: 1. Zoom, 2. More (triple dots icon). In the main list, to the right of an individuals name: 3. Emote and Raise hand

  1. Search: Allows you to search for a specific person. This is helpful if your class session has a lot of people!
  2. More: Extra tools may appear here. As a student, you can change how the list is sorted from this icon.
  3. Interactions: Icons will highlight when the individual uses either the Hand Raise tool or the Reactions tool. The triple-dots More icon found next to the name of another individual provides the option to Pin that person to the top of the list and/or begin a direct Chat with that person.
    Click the triple dots icon to select either Chat to begin a chat or Pin to pin that person's profile to the top of the list.

 

Learner Resources

 

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If the Learner Resources icon is missing, click the More icon to expand the list to find it.

More Tools list: 1. Learner Resources, 2. View, 3 Closed Captioning: Off

  1. Learner Resources: Opens the Learner Resources page.
  2. View: Changes the layout of the Class windows.
  3. Closed Captioning: If available, this will enable captioning on the audio discussion occurring during the session.

Click the Learner Resources icon in the Main Toolbar to open the shared Files location of the Class session. Once opened, it can be found on the left side of the page beneath your own camera feed, and it will take the place of the Chat Box or People if either were open.

This will be where you can find files and resources that your instructor or presenter has shared with the class session.

Display for the Learner Resources. Files is currently the only available source to access.

  1. Click Files to open the list of files shared by your instructor.
  2. Here you will see the list of files shared.
    Blackboard Class Learner Resources Files

    • To download a file (if available), click the Download icon Blackboard Class Download File Icon under the Actions column to the far right.
    • To open a file (if available), click the Open Blackboard Class Open File Icon icon under the Actions column to the far right. This will open the file as a clickable tab beneath the Main Toolbar.
      Two example tabs appear beneath the Toolbar: Test Document, an example document file shared by the instructor, and Example Whiteboard, the title of a whiteboard created by the instructor. Example Whiteboard is currently selected and appears beneath the instructor's camera view.

 

Share

 

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If your instructor has not enabled this for your session, this option will not appear in the Main Toolbar for you.

If enabled, you can use the Share tool to share your screen, an application, or a browser window with the Class session.

Click Share in the top toolbar menu.

Select to share either a Chrome Tab, Window, or Entire Screen.

If you share your Entire Screen, others will be able to see everything that you have open on your screen.

For more detailed information on sharing your screen or an application in Class, check out our how-to article here!

 

Poll

 

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If your instructor creates a poll to receive answers and feedback, this will appear beneath the Main Toolbar by the Poll icon.

Click Poll to view the currently active poll. Select and answer or option to submit to the poll.

You can click the X in the top right corner to hide the poll window, and click the Poll icon again to bring the poll window back.

To respond to the poll, simply click on one of the available answers.

 

Settings

 

To access the Settings menu, click the Settings gear in the top-right corner of the page, next to the Seating Chart and beneath the Main Toolbar:

Blackboard Class Settings

Here, you can adjust your camera, microphone, and audio settings as needed in the Video and Audio settings.

Settings Options listed in the left section: Video, Audio, Screen Share, Performance, Notifications

You can also adjust the screen resolution in Screen Sharing, change the system performance level in Performance (if the browser is running very slowly), and change what kind of Notifications will occur for you in the Class session.

 

Camera

 

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For camera settings, click the arrow found in the corner of the Camera icon.

Click the arrow in the corner of the Camera icon. Drop-down lists: Video Options: Background blur, Virtual background Cameras: Integrated Webcam Advanced

You can quick-select to apply a Background blur to your camera feed or a Virtual background, and you can change which camera device is being used (if multiple cameras are plugged in).

You can also click Advanced from this menu to open the full Settings menu.

 

Microphone

 

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For Microphone Settings, click the arrow found at the corner of the Microphone icon.

Click the arrow in the corner of the Mic icon. Drop-down lists: Audio Options: Noise Suppression Speakers: Speakers (2-Logi USB Headset), Speakers/Headphones Realtek(R) Audio) Microphones: Microphone(2 - Logi USB Headset), Microphone Array (Realtek(R) Audio) Advanced

Here, you can quick-select to apply Noise Suppression, change which speaker device your computer is playing audio from, or change which microphone device is in use.

You can also click Advanced from this menu to open the full Settings menu.

 

Seating Chart

 

The Seating Chart drop-down selection can be used to change how you see your fellow classmates’ camera positions during the session. By default, this will be set to “General”.

To change the Seating Chart, click the Seating Chart drop-down and select which option you would like to use.

Click Seating Chart, drop-down lists: General, Alphabetical - First Name, Alphabetical - Last Name, Hand Raised, Recent Speakers

 

Change View

 

At this time, views cannot be changed from Gallery View, but you CAN choose to hide your own camera feed from yourself in this menu. This will not hide your camera from others — you’ll need to click the Camera icon to do that!

To access the View menu:

  1. Click the More icon in the Main Toolbar.
  2. Hover your mouse over View to reveal the secondary menu.In the More menu, listed in drop-down: Learner Resources, View, Closed Captioning: Off, Product Feedback. View is selected, listed in right side menu: Gallery View (checked), Hide Self View
  3. Then, click Hide Self View or Show Self View to toggle the setting.

 

 

Resources:

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