Third-Party Tools in Blackboard
Blackboard supports a variety of third-party tools through Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) integrations.
These integrations support:
- Single-sign on between third-party content or services, and
- Improve instructor/student efficiency by streamlining usage or synchronizing grades
Select a tool
- Review the available tools below to see options available to all UMBC users and those available through the Course Materials Initiative.
- If you're adding an institutionally-approved tool, review available FAQs for the tool.
- If you're adopting a publisher integration, please work with the Bookstore.
Request a new tool
- If a tool is not listed, it may not be a DoIT-approved Blackboard integration.
- If you believe a tool has been adopted and it is missing from this list, please contact Instructional Technology via RT.
- To request a new tool integration, refer to How do I request a new tool or integration for Blackboard?
- For tool recommendations or consults, please contact Instructional Technology.
Available Tools
The following tools are available in UMBC’s Blackboard Learn environment as of SP2023. Please click on the name of the tool to access UMBC FAQs or vendor support websites. A tool on this list does not mean Instructional Technology provides direct support. In some cases, users must obtain support directly from the vendor.
Select the tool's name, status icon, or vendor resources for additional resources and support information.
Tool Status 
Assessments 
Content 
Collaboration 
Attendance 
Polling
| Tool Name | Status | Description | Tool Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akindi | Bubble sheet test scoring |
| |
| Ares Library Reserves | Provides access to AOK Library Reserves systems | | |
| Synchronous meeting platform. Formerly Blackboard Collaborate. ** end of support scheduled for summer 2025 ** | | |
| CourseArc |
| Supports integration of interactive, web-based lessons. |
|
| Google Assignments |
| Create an assignment that students utilize a Google Drive file type and instructors grade through Google Drive. |
|
| Google Drive File Embed |
| Embed a native Google Drive file in your Blackboard course as a view-only document. | |
| Library Research Guides | Access Library Research Guides from the UMBC Library. | | |
| Microsoft OneDrive ↗︎ |
| Allow faculty to add a read-only document or create a collaborative document for student | |
| Microsoft OneNote |
| Allow faculty to add a OneNote class notebook to a Bb course shell. | |
| Microsoft Teams for Blackboard | Allows faculty to create Microsoft Teams Classes in Ultra courses. | | |
| Panopto |
| Allow faculty to link course to Panopto video platform. |
|
| Poll Everywhere |
| Faculty may sync Poll Everywhere participation and grade data with the Blackboard gradebook. |
|
| Qwickly Attendance Plus |
| Supports taking attendance & student check-in. | |
| Respondus LockDown Browser & Monitor |
| Customized browser to secure the Blackboard test environment. |
|
| VoiceThread |
| Supports interactive discussions and asynchronous engagement. |
|
| Webex |
| Allows faculty to schedule Virtual Meetings and create appointment slots for Office Hours with students. NOTE: You can use Webex to set up meetings, but the Teams integration does not work due to Blackboard's email configuration. | |
Linking Options
- On the Course Content page, select the plus sign (+) wherever you want to add content.
- Select Content Market. You can find and add content from content providers or browse the list of tools your institution has already made available.
Some tools can be added with an LTI link as long as your publisher/vendor provides you with LTI compliant credentials.
- On the Course Content page, select the plus sign (+) wherever you want to add content. You can also expand or create a folder and add content.
- Click Create.
- When the right panel opens, select Teaching Tools with LTI connection.
- On the New LTI Link panel, title the tool and type or paste the Configuration URL.
- If the LTI connection requires a key or a shared secret, these fields appear after you add the URL.
- You can also set the link to open in a separate window, allow class conversations, enable grading, and type a description that appears with the tool on the Course Content page.
- If you don't add a title, New LTI Link and the date appear in the content list.
In all cases, when students select the link on the Course Content page, they're brought to the content.
On the Course Content page, select Books and Tools under the Details & Actions menu to view the publisher content you've already used in your course and tools you might be interested in.
The list of suggested tools contains the authorized tools for UMBC. Select the plus sign to use a tool in your course. If there is no plus sign, then the tool is only accessible by the instructor and cannot be added as a link within the course.