Step-By-Step
Student Using Lightweight Chat
(Text version)

1. Each Blackboard course site has access to class-wide Collaboration tools. Blackboard contains two such collaboration tools called "Lightweight Chat" and "Virtual Classroom". To access both types of collaboration tools:

• Log into Blackboard as usual.
• Click on Communication / Collaboration. This displays the course site's Collaboration Sessions page.

2. The Collaboration Sessions contains two types of synchronous communication tools.

• First, is a simple chat room, called by default, "Lightweight Chat". This chat room operates similar to a common AOL Instant messenger chat function.
• Second, is a multi-featured chat room, called by default, "Virtual Classroom". This chat room allows users to present ideas on a virtual white board, display web pages or display Blackboard course content written to a text box.

3. One example of each type of the chat room is available to join by default. These two chat rooms are named, by default, "Office Hours", which is a Lightweight chat and "Lecture Hall", which is a Virtual Classroom chat. These two chat rooms are initially available to all course site users.

4.Instructors and TAs can create additional collaboration sessions. When many sessions are added to the site you may want to use the search options to locate a particular collaboration session.

5. To join a collaboration session just click on the "Join" button next to the name of the session. The first time you do this, you may have to download some software and install it on your local computer. This usually happens automatically. Answer any questions that may be asked of you during the download and install process. Once the software is installed on your local computer, the chat room should open in a new window. Note that Macintosh users running OS X and Netscape should run Netscape 7. On Macintosh computers, Netscape may put the Collaboration window in the background. If this happens, check under the Window menu for the chat room window. Blackboard does not support the Safari browser for collaboration sessions.

6. To participate in a Lightweight Chat:

• Log into the Blackboard course site as usual.
• Click on Control Panel / Collaboration. This will display the Collaboration Sessions page.
• Click on the "Join" button, located to the right of the Lightweight Chat session. After a few seconds the Lightweight Chat room will open in a new window.
  
• The Lightweight chat room is divided into 3 sections. On the top of the window is a menu bar with a number of icons that control various aspects of the chat room. On the left is a user panel that will list the name of each person that has joined the chat room. This list will automatically update as new users join the chat. On the right is the message window and composition area.
  
• To participate in the chat session simply type in your comments in the composition area on the bottom right of the chat room window and click on the "Enter" key on your keyboard (or click on the "Send" button). This will display your comments in the message window and the message window of all those that have joined the session. There is a limit to 1000 characters per "send". As more comments are added to the message window the messages will begin to automatically scroll so that the latest message is always on the bottom.
  
• Instructors and TAs have control over the use of an active Lightweight Chat session. This is accomplished primarily through assigning an "active" and "passive" role to each participant. By default, when a student enters the Lightweight Chat session, their role is "active". This is displayed by a "face" icon located to the right of the student's name under "Role". The instructor or TA may change a student's role from "active" to "passive". This is displayed by a "grayed-out face" icon.
• Instructors and TAs can control the usage rights for "active" and "passive" participants. Your instructor or TA may at any time de-activate your compose window and /or your private messaging barring you from using that tool.
  
• To send a Private Message to someone participating in the chat, select the person's name from the list on the left then click on the "Private Message" button on the bottom left. This will display a private message box. Type in your private message and click on the "Send" button in the bottom right-hand corner of the private message box. Your message will be displayed on your chat message display and on the display of the person you sent the message. It will not be displayed on any other participant's message display.
• It is possible to split your message display so that all private messages are displayed on one side of the display and all other comments are displayed on the other side of the display. To do this, click on the "View" button at the top of the chat window. Under Private Messaging, select "Show in separate frame" and click "OK". Your message display is now split into two sections. One side will display all of the general comments and the other will display any private messages sent to you or those you send to others.
  
• To clear your message display click on the "Clear" button located at the top of the chat window.
  
• If you wish to leave a chat session click on the "X" in the upper right corner of the chat window.
  
• Instructors and TAs can record the message box comments (but not the private messages) of a Lightweight Chat session. They can also make an archive recording available for students to view. If your instructor or TA has made an archive available there will be an "Archive" button located next to the "Join" button on the Collaboration Sessions page. To view the archives of the chat session click on the "Archive" button.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this Step-By-Step procedure contact the Tufts Blackboard Administrator at: nhirsig@tufts.edu