Blackboard Connector

This section of the user guide is focused on setting up the Blackboard Connector. To help you navigate the article we have broken it down into the following sections:

• What is the Two-Way Messaging Blackboard Connector?
• What is Blackboard for Virtual Assistant?
• Who has access to the Blackboard Connector?
• How do I set up the Two-Way Messaging Blackboard Connector?
  • Complete the sales process
  • Configure the Blackboard Connector
• How do I use the Blackboard contact lists within a campaign?
• How do I set up the Blackboard connector for virtual assistant ?
• What questions can Blackboard for virtual assistant answer?

What is the Two-Way Messaging Blackboard Connector?

The Blackboard connector allows you to automatically import three pre-configured contact lists: inactive users, absent students, and academic lapsed, to be used in two-way messaging campaigns. These two-way messaging campaigns can be used to communicate with these groups of students. 

What is Blackboard for Virtual Assistant?

The Blackboard for virtual assistant connector feature complements the two-way messaging Blackboard connector and allows the virtual assistant to answer specific questions using data pulled from the LMS integration.

Who has access to the Blackboard Connector ?

The Blackboard connector feature is available to individuals with the following permissions: 

	Administrative	Standard	Limited	View Other Offices
Set up connector
Use pre-configured contact lists

For more information on user permissions, review the User Roles & Permissions article.

How do I set up the Two-Way Messaging Blackboard Connector?

Complete the sales process

To initiate the sales process you can complete the steps below, or contact your CSM or sales representative you already have a relationship with.

1. In the Ocelot Admin Portal, under Connectors, select Applications.
   
   1. On the Blackboard card, select Contact Sales.
   2. Complete the Contact Form and complete the sales process. Once complete. the Blackboard integration will be enabled.

Configure the Blackboard integration

1. On the Connectors page, on the Blackboard card, select Enable. 
2. In Blackboard, Register a REST Connector in Blackboard Learn
   
   

   Note: You will copy and paste the Application ID from the Ocelot Blackboard Configuration page when setting up the application.
   

   
   
3. On the Ocelot Blackboard configuration page, enter the Blackboard Base URL.
   
4. Select Save and then Authorize. When you select Authorize, you will be directed to Blackboard, where you will need to log in with your Rest Connector User and then you will be returned to the Ocelot Admin. 
5. Select Test Connection. You should receive a "Connection is stable" message.
   
6. Select Sync Now. You should receive a "Contacts synced successfully" message. This may take a few minutes for the process to run.
   
7. Select View Contact Lists.
   
8. Another tab will appear, with the Contact Lists page, pre-filtered to the Blackboard contact lists.
   

How do I use the Blackboard contact lists within a campaign?

When creating a campaign, you can search for these contact lists by typing Blackboard and selecting the appropriate contact list.

• Blackboard: Academic Lapses: Students with a grade lower than 70%.
• Blackboard: Inactive Users: Students who have not accessed Blackboard in the last 2 weeks.
• Blackboard: Absent Students: Students absent from classes in the last 2 weeks.
  
  

NOTE: Contact lists will be synced weekly. The date and time are indicated on the Blackboard configuration page. 

How do I set up the Blackboard connector for virtual assistant?

The Blackboard connector for virtual assistant is an extension of the Two-way Messaging Blackboard connector so all the two-way messaging connector steps in this article must be completed. In addition the "webhook bridge" must be configured.  

Set up an Authentication Provider for the Blackboard Connector

All virtual assistant users must be authenticated for connector-related questions to work, because the Blackboard connector must be able to know their identity to provide information on their grades, attendance, etc.

For information about how to add an Authentication Provider, review the Adding an Authentication Provider for Live Chat and SIS Integration article.

Once the SSO is set up, go to the Blackboard Integration and select the authentication provider from the drop down.

What questions can the Blackboard for Virtual Assistant answer?

Once the Blackboard for chatbot integration has been enabled and configured, it will prompt the student to authenticate in order to provide an integrated individual response if one of the following questions are asked:

• What is my attendance record in my class?
• What is my current grade in my class?