Assumption College Blackboard Support

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Browser Tips

Compatible Browsers

To use Blackboard you must use a compatible web browser. These are the current recommendations from Blackboard:

  • If running Windows XP, Vista
    • Internet Explorer 6 or 7
    • Firefox 2.0
  • If running Macintosh OS 10.3
    • FireFox 1.5
  • If running Macintosh OS 10.4
    • FireFox 1.5 or 2.0
    • Safari 2
  • If running Macintosh OS 10.5
    • FireFox 2.0
    • Safari 3

Browser Plugins

Some content your instructor may post to his/her Blackboard site may require specific plugins to display. On-campus students can find installers for these plugins on the ResNet CD distributed at the beginning of the semester. Alternatively, all students can download the installers from the provider's websites. We have provided a list of common plug-ins and links to the installers for Distance Education students but others are welcome to use these links.

Security Settings

Setting your browser's security settings too high can cause problems using Blackboard. You must have your browser set to accept cookies. Blackboard uses cookies to manage your session. No personal information is recorded in the cookie, it only serves to tell the server that you are logged in. If there is no activity the cookie will expire in two hours.

We suggest that security settings be set to the default medium setting for your browser. Specific settings that can cause problems are listed on this page along with instructions for resetting them in both Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Popup Blocking

If you use a pop-up blocker, you will need to disable it either temporarily or for http:blackboard.assumption.edu. Blackboard uses Pop-ups in several applications and if you have them blocked some features will not be available.

Downloading files

Some instructors will provide instructional materials in the form of files that you may need to modify or may want to print. We recommend that you download the file to your local machine to work on them. To download a file, right click on the file and select "save file to..." from the pop up menu. Then open the file from your local machine. Alternatively, you can set your computer to open non-webpage files in the required application.

To configure Internet Explorer to open Microsoft Office files in the appropriate Office program by using the Folder Options tool:

    1. Open My Computer.
    2. On the Tools menu (or the View menu), click Folder Options (or click Options).
    3. Click the File Types tab.
    4. In the Registered file types list, click the specific Office document type (for example, Microsoft Excel Worksheet), and then click Advanced (or click Edit).
    5. In the Edit File Type dialog box, click to clear the Browse in same window check box (or click to clear the Open Web documents in place check box).
    6. Click OK.

Printing Handouts from PowerPoint Files

Many instructors post copies of the PowerPoint files they use in class in Blackboard for students to review either before or after class. If you want to print out the files in a handout format for easy notetaking or commenting, follow the following procedure:

  1. Download the file. Right click on the link and select "Save File As..."
  2. Open the file in PowerPoint and select print from the file menu (do not click on the print button on the tool bar).
  3. On the print dialog box there is an option to specify what to print, the default is slides. Select handouts to print multiple slides per page. The dialog box will update allow you to select how many slides per page to print. Select the format you want and click print.

Printing Handouts from PowerPoint Instruction Sheet: pdf file

Created: March 29, 2005
Updated: August 12, 2008
 Copyright 2005, Assumption College Information Technology