What tools are available in an Ultra course?

As a completely redesigned Blackboard platform, the Ultra Experience is continuously enhanced with monthly releases. Tools listed here do not represent the full roadmap under development by the vendor.

This list focuses on core Blackboard tools. For more information, please review

Tools may appear in Ultra under another name or form and with different functionality and customizations. These will be noted under comments. Please review linked documentation for additional information.

View the granular spreadsheet comparison. This list was last updated on July 31, 2023.

Original Tool	Ultra Tool	Status	Anticipated Release & Comments

Original Tool	Ultra Tool	Status	Anticipated Release & Comments
Achievements	TBD as native tool Badgr	In Developmentdeployed	Coming in 2024. Also available for Digital Credentials, but limited availability for Achievements. Please contact Collin Sullivan, Coordinator for Digital Credentials for support.
Adaptive Release	Release Conditions	deployed	Date/time, performance-based, and group/member release available now. Batch edit visibility. Not available: Marked reviewed.
Anonymous Grading	Anonymous Grading	deployed	Available now.
Announcements	Course Announcements	deployed	Available now. Formatting and send as email now supported.
Attendance	Attendance	deployed	Native attendance in Blackboard. Qwickly Attendance is also available for Ultra courses.
Blogs	Journals	In Development	Coming to Ultra. No timeline yet. Consider Google's Blogger as an alternative.
Calendar	Calendar	deployed	Available now. Additional calendar options are planned.
Contacts	---	discontinued in Ultra
Content Collection	Content Collection	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Learn Ultra.
Content Editor	Content Editor	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Learn Ultra.
Course Analytics / Reports	Course Reports / Student Activity	N/A	Available now. Some analytics are embedded. Might not be visible until student data is generated. Exact details of reports vary between Original & Ultra courses.
Course Link	Course Link	deployed	Available now.
Course Messages	Messages	deployed	Available now. Messages are automatically sent as email.
Course Surveys	Forms	In Development	Coming to Ultra (as Forms). Expected by SP2024.
Date Management	Batch Edit -> Dates	deployed	Available now: Edit due dates & visibility. Enhancements expected.
Delegated Grading	Parallel / Delegated Grading	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Ultra Courses.
Discussions	Discussions	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Ultra Courses.
Files	Files	deployed	Available now. Upload files from desktop. You can also link files from Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, both with editing capabilities for the file owner.
Folders	Folders	deployed	Available now. Limited to two folders deep.
Glossary	---	discontinued in Ultra
Goals	Goals	deployed	Available now. Goal Reporting is planned for Ultra Courses in 2024.
Grade Center	Gradebook	deployed	Supports weighted & points-based schemas, filters (smart-views), running total, download submissions and assessment results. In development: Send reminder.
Groups	Course Groups	deployed	Fully supported with import and export via CSV for group creation and membership enrollment. Some limitations for use with Assignments & Discussions.
Items & BlankPages	Documents	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Ultra Courses.
Journals	TBD	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Ultra Courses. Consider OneNote Class Notebook as an alternative.
Learning Modules	Learning Modules	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned for Ultra Courses.
Performance Dashboard	TBD	discontinued in Ultra - However, embedded analytics and progress tracking reports provide extensive data about learner performance.
Publisher Integrations	Content Market	deployed	Available now for most vendors in Ultra Courses. Some publisher integrations are supported as Teaching Tools via LTI Connection. Please check with your publisher or open an RT ticket to inquire about the status of your preferred tool.
Retention Center	Progress Tracker	deployed	Information repurposed through Activity Stream. Additional information available via Student List View in Ultra gradebook.
Roster	Roster	deployed	Available now
Rubrics	Rubrics	deployed	Available now. Rubric reports are not yet available. Please use EAC.
SafeAssign	SafeAssign	deployed	SafeAssign is available for Assignments & Test Essay questions in Ultra Courses. Direct Submit expected in late 2023 / early 2024.
Self & Peer Assessments	Assignments with Peer Evaluation enabled	deployed	Available now.
Send Email	Messages	deployed	Functioning as designed. Messages are automatically emailed. Announcements must be specifically emailed at the time of creation. Users may also choose to receive notifications via Email.
Student Preview	Student Preview	deployed	Available now.
Tasks	TBD	discontinued in Ultra
Tests & Test Pools	Tests, Reuse Questions, Question Banks	deployed	Available now. Some question types are not available. Additional capabilities are planned.
User Profile	User Profile	deployed	Available now. Additional capabilities are planned.
Web Link	Web Link	deployed	Available now. Some tools & links are supported as Teaching Tools via LTI Connection.
Wikis	TBD	discontinued in Ultra → Consider OneNote Class Notebook or Google Sites