IE7 and VISTA (incompatible with some Blackboard features!)

Students and faculty using IE7 and Vista cannot post to the Discussion Board or use the WYSIWYG Editor (faculty). Windows Vista does not allow the users to enter text in Blackboard’s Discussion Board or Essay questions in Blackboard Tests.

This is a ‘known issue’ with Windows Vista computers that are using IE 7 to work in Blackboard.  The Visual Text Box Editor controls do not function correctly in the Internet Explorer 7 browser because they require a component not available in Windows Vista. 

The Blackboard Corporation states they are working with Microsoft to resolve this issue. 

In the meantime, their suggestion is to download and install the latest version of Firefox available here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

 

Here also are short versions of recommended fix option(s):

 

1. NOT using Vista - Configure Blackboard to be a “trusted site” (See 2^nd page for ‘how to’ steps)
     

2. Using Vista - Turn off Blackboard’s Visual Textbox editor:

   1. Login to Blackboard

   2. Click “Personal Information” on left-hand side of the web page

   3. Click “Set Visual Text Box Editor Options”

   4. Check “Unavailable”

   5. Select Submit

 

3. Install (and use) Firefox (https://www.bizatlarge.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/), instead of Internet Explorer 7 – we think this is the best fix!

IE 7 and Blackboard (‘trusted site’ fix)

There is currently a problem with users using IE 7 on Blackboard. If a user attempts to use the “Visual Text Box Editor” they will get an error because it’s not being recognized as a ‘trusted site’.  Here are the steps you can use to adjust IE7 so Blackboard is recognized as a ‘trusted site’.

Follow these steps to add the “Blackboard Academic Suite Server” to IE7’s list of trusted sites

1. Login to the Blackboard Academic Suite and navigate to a page that uses the Visual Text Box Editor.
    

2. Determine if the Blackboard Academic Suite server is in the list of Trusted Sites. When accessing the Academic Suite, a green check mark will appear in the Status Bar with the label, Trusted Sites. If Restricted Sites (a red circle icon) or Internet (a globe icon) appears instead, the Blackboard Academic Suite server must be added to the list of Trusted Sites.
    

3. Double-click the Status Bar where the Restricted Sites or the Internet icon appears. The Internet Security Properties dialog box will open.
    

4. Click on the Trusted Sites icon - under the Select a zone to view or change security settings heading. Click Sites to open the Trusted Sites dialog box.
    

5. The URL (address) for the Blackboard Academic Suite server should appear in the Add this website to the zone field. If not, enter the URL that is used to access the Blackboard Academic Suite in the field.
    

6. If the URL for the Blackboard Academic Suite does not use SSL security, uncheck the Require Server Verification (https:) for all sites in this zone option. If the URL for the Blackboard Academic Suite uses SSL security the URL will begin with https:// If the URL does not use SSL security the URL will begin with http:// 
    

7. Click Add > Click Close > Click OK on the Internet Security Properties box.
    

8. Refresh (F5) the page.
    

9. A message will appear in the Internet Explorer 7 Information Bar: "This website wants to run the following add-on: 'Microsoft (R) Dynamic HTML Editing Control' from 'Microsoft Corporation'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to allow it to run, click here..."
    

10. Click the message and select Run ActiveX Control from the context menu.
     

11. Click Run in the Security Warning box and the Visual Text Box Editor is now configured to operate correctly within the IE7 browser.

For further questions about IE7, Vista and Blackboard ~ please contact Presidium at
1-866-425-8412 (Toll free), http://www.waol.org/help/default.asp