Global Utilities

La Trobe University
Student help - Collaborate

Getting started

First Time Users

Before using Collaborate, it is recommended that you ensure your computer can display the Collaborate program and, once in a Collaborate room, that you carry out some basic steps to ensure you are setup and ready to use the software. For this purpose, Blackboard Collaborate provide a 'First Time Users' page via their Collaborate support site.

This page will perform a check of your computer and let you know if your operating system and Java version are supported or not. It also provides a link to the Collaborate Configuration Room. It is a testing space that is available 24 hours a day and provides a room that allows you get a look at the Collaborate layout and setup your audio configuration using the Audio Setup wizard (Tools > Audio > Audio Setup Wizard).

Things must know about your Collaborate session prior to the session

  1. What Collaborate is
    • Blackboard Collaborate is a virtual classroom for ‘real time’ or ‘live’ communications
    • Sessions in Collaborate can be recorded and viewed later.
  2. The computer equipment you need
    • Students need access to a computer with internet access.  A broadband internet connection is best, but dialup will work (with limitations)
    • You will need a headset with headphones and a microphone.  This can be purchased quite inexpensively (less than $20.00).
    • Students using labs or classrooms to use Collaborate should not sit next to each other without headphones on, as it will cause a feedback loop with audio.
  3. How the program runs
    • Collaborate is not a software program that downloads to their computer.  Instead Collaborate runs ‘online’ and runs a small Java script to start. Students should agree to this script being run so that the session works. (Click ‘Allow’).
    • Running other applications on the computer when Collaborate is running could slow down their connection to the session - it is best to not have Facebook, Twitter (etc) running in the background.
  4. Test your audio before entering a session
    • Students should enter the session 10 minutes before (or at any time leading up to a Collaborate session) and run the audio wizard in Collaborate.  Enter Collaborate, and click on ‘TOOLS’ and then ‘AUDIO WIZARD’ and follow the instructions.  This will tell students if their audio is working correctly.

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