Sharing your Screen or Applications

This guide will demonstrate how to share your desktop or applications with other users during a Collaborate session.

If you are using MacOS 10.15 Catalina or higher, and you are having difficulty with accessing desktop sharing, you may need to allow permissions for this in System Preferences>Privacy and Security. Click on the Privacy Tab and  locate Screen Sharing on the left. Check the checkbox to allow Google Chrome or Firefox to share your screen. More information about this issue can be found at this link. You may need to reload your Collaborate session for the change to take effect.

Image of the security and privacy window in MacOS with the Screen Recording section open.

Accessing the Collaborate Panel

Image of the Blackboard Collaborate interface with an arrow pointing to the Collaborate Panel button.Zoom: Image of the Blackboard Collaborate interface with an arrow pointing to the Collaborate Panel button.

To share an application or desktop, you will need to open the Collaborate Panel. To open the Collaborate Panel, click on the purple button in the bottom right corner.

Starting Application Sharing

image of the Collaborate panel showing the following items: 1.In the Collaborate Panel, click on the Share Content tab.2.Select Application Sharing from the menu.
  1. In the Collaborate Panel, click on the Share Content tab.
  2. Select Share Application/Screen from the menu.

Selecting Content to Share

Image of a dialog box asking if you want to share the entire screen or just an application

Blackboard will then ask you if you want to share your entire screen or a just an application. Click on the button that corresponds to your desired choice.

Installing the Desktop Sharing Extension

Image of a dialog box asking you to install the desktop sharing app

If you do not have the Desktop Sharing extension installed in your web browser, click the button to install it.

Confirm Installation of the Desktop Sharing Extension

Image of the confirm installation of the desktop sharing app

Your web browser will then ask you to confirm the installation of the extension. Click the Add Extension button to install the extension. After installing the Extension, go back to the Collaborate Panel, click on the Share Content button and choose the Share Application button.

Sharing a Full Desktop

Image of the share desktop dialog box with an arrow pointing to the share button

If you have more than one monitor, Blackboard will ask you which screen you wish to share, and then click the Share button to share your screen.

Sharing an Application or Window

image of the share application dialog box with an arrow pointing to the share button.

A dialog box showing thumbnails of all open applications will appear on screen. Select the application you wish to share and then click the Share button.

Conducting and Concluding and Application Sharing Session

Image of the collaborate window with an arrow pointing to the stop sharing button.Zoom: Image of the collaborate window with an arrow pointing to the stop sharing button.

Your shared application will now appear in the Collaborate window. Any action you perform in the application will be shown to participants. To end application sharing, click on the Stop Sharing button in the upper right hand corner of the screen.