Blackboard Collaborate Ultra - What to expect with large attendance events (250+ participants)

What happens if a user tries to join a session with over 250 participants?

If users attempt to join a session that is full, they will see a message that reads, "Uh oh! This session is full." and will have to try again later. The individual will not be able to join unless another exits the session.

Can the limit be increased?

This 250 participant limit can be increased to 500 concurrent attendees by requesting a large event, which involves coordination with the vendor. At least 2 business days is required to notify Blackboard Support to ensure the necessary supporting infrastructure capacity.

What should I know about large events before I request an increase?

Important considerations regarding Collaborate Ultra large events:

• The vendor's capacity for large events is finite; thus, it is important to submit requests early and stay flexible if the desired date and time are unavailable.
• Large events can be scheduled for a maximum of 4 hours in length.
• Separate sessions are needed for each event as recurring events are not supported.
• Large events cannot be back-to-back or overlap. Please allow a minimum of 30 min between sessions.

What to expect during a large event:

• Ultra Experience Large Events will have chats, whiteboard editing, and microphone disabled upon entry for participants. The chat can be enabled in session by the moderator under My Settings > Session Settings.
• The session will automatically terminate 5 minutes after the specified end time or when all attendees leave the session (whichever comes first).
• Breakout Rooms are unavailable for large events.

How can I request an increased attendee limit?

How to request a large event or multiple large events:

1. Create a Collaborate Ultra session or multiple sessions via your Canvas course or the My UW-Madison portal. Please note that the session name must contain only alphanumeric characters.
2. Submit a case to the Help Desk containing the following information for each large event needed:
   1. Contact (name, email, telephone number)
   2. Date, start time, and end time
   3. Duration
   4. Number of expected attendees
   5. Session name
   6. Guest link/URL
   7. How users will access the session (e.g., Canvas course, My UW-Madison portal, direct link)
   8. Any additional detail
3. You will receive confirmation when the large event is enabled (please do not share the guest link with attendees prior to this confirmation).
4. If the large event is canceled, please re-open the Help Desk case and provide the relevant details (e.g., session name, date, time).

Anything else I should know?

Here are some best practices for Moderators in large events when using Collaborate Ultra to help ensure the process runs smoothly:

• Let your participants join the session early. This gives new participants a chance to get familiar with the room and what they can and can't do. Join the session early yourself and practice using the tools.
• Upload files and arrange the windows. The first time you share your application screen, your browser may require you to install the Desktop Sharing extension. To learn more, see Application Sharing Support for Chrome or Application Sharing Support for Firefox.
• All moderators should access the settings to configure their audio before the session begins. This can be done within the session by clicking on My Settings > Set up your camera and microphone. To learn more, click here
• Mute yourself when not speaking. Nothing is more distracting than hearing outside sounds like typing or a side conversation.
• Chat for participants is disabled by default, but can be enabled by a Moderator in the session under My Settings > Session Settings. We suggest leaving the chat off during the presentation and having designated periods of Question and Answer time where the chat is enabled to allow users to ask questions.