TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Working with the Text/Content Editor
• Accessibility
• Formatting Copy/Paste Content
• Check Your Spelling
• Adding Links
• Adding Tables
  • Delete Table
  • Table Properties
  • Row Properties
  • Cell Properties
  • Insert Row Before, Insert Row After, Delete Row
  • Insert Column Before, Insert Column After, Delete Column
• Adding Bulleted or Numbered Lists
• Adding Images
• Adding Video (Kaltura Media)
• Adding Documents
• Embedding Content (Faculty Only)

Working with the Text/Content Editor

The text/content editor in myLesley appears wherever you can add and format text, such as in discussions, blogs/journals, tests, etc. and is the primary way to add content into your course. You can also use the options in the editor to attach files, embed multimedia, and insert equations, links, and tables. You have creative control over how your content appears and the flexibility to change the order and appearance.

The toolbar will show as many tools as it can for the size of your screen before wrapping to the next line. Show and collapse the additional tools with the More... button  in the upper right corner.

Accessibility

The content editor is accessible to all users. It also features a built-in Accessibility Checker to help you make content more accessible as you add it to your course. Combined with Blackboard Ally, you can ensure that your content is more accessible to all users.

To check your accessibility, click on the Accessibility Checker button in the text editor.

The Accessibility Checker will scan your content and notify you of any accessibility issues and walk you through updating your content to ensure that it is accessible to all users.

Formatting Copy/Paste Content

Copying and pasting content from another program (such as MS Office, Google, websites, etc.) can sometimes cause formatting issues, including different fonts, text size, indentations, etc. Blackboard/myLesley will now prompt you to remove your formatting in pasted content in order to reduce formatting issues.

Check Your Spelling

Select the Toggle Spell Checker icon to turn the automatic spell checker option on or off. 

You will see wavy, red underlining for words detected as potentially misspelled or not found in the loaded dictionary. If you resume typing text, the spell checker option switches off.

Right-click an underlined word to view a menu:

• See a list of suggested correction.
• Ignore the single instance.
• Ignore all occurrences of the indicated word.

Adding Links

When pasting links to websites such as YouTube and Vimeo, the videos are automatically embedded for inline playback. Simply paste the link in the content editor and Blackboard will automatically embed the video. 

Other links, such as those to other websites, may display a preview of that page.

As a best practice, when creating a link you should ensure that your link conveys clear and accurate information about the destination. For example, instead of linking to the text Click here, include the full title of the destination page, such as Microsoft Office Support Resources.

To create a link, click on the Insert/Edit Link button in the content editor. You will be prompted to enter the URL (you may copy and paste the link from your browser), the text to display (the words or phrase you want to use as your link), and select to open your link in a new window.

Adding Tables

To add a table, click the Table button.

This will open a menu. Click on the Table button to create a new table. You will be prompted to select the number of rows and columns in your table. 

The table will be added to your content. As you begin adding content to your table, you can use the table options to add/remove columns and rows, delete columns or rows, merge cells, etc.

Delete Table

Click the Delete Table button to delete your table.

Table Properties

Click the Table Properties button to update the table properties, including width and height, cell spacing, border, caption, and alignment. Click on the Advanced button to add a border or background colors.

Row Properties

Click the Row Properties button to update the row properties, including the row type, alignment, and height. Click on the Advanced button to add a border or background colors.

For accessibility, be sure to add a Header Row to your table. This will ensure that users with assistive technology can better read and understand your table.

Cell Properties

Click the Cell Properties button to update the cell properties, including width, height, cell type, and alignment. Click on the Advanced button to add a border or background colors.

Insert Row Before, Insert Row After, Delete Row

Click on the Insert Row Before, Insert Row After, or Delete Row buttons to add or remove rows from your table.

Insert Column Before, Insert Column After, Delete Column

Click on the Insert Column Before, Insert Column After, or Delete Column buttons to add or remove columns from your table.

Adding Bulleted or Numbered Lists

To add a list, click the Bullet List or Numbered List button.

Choose your list options:

• Number List: 
  • Numerals (default)
  • Alphabetic
  • Roman numerals
  • Greek symbols
• Bullet List: 
  • Filled circle (default)
  • Open circle
  • Disc
  • Square

Adding Images

To add an image, click the Add Content button.

Click Insert Local Files to upload an image from your computer. 

The image will be added to your item. 

As a best practice, you should add alternative text to your image. Alternative text is a short description of an image that screen readers can access. These descriptions are usually very brief. Using 20 words or less is a good guideline. Alt text also provides students with richer content and ensures understanding for global students. 

• It’s important to provide a text equivalent for every non-text element. 
• Avoid using text in images as the sole method of conveying information. If you must use the image, repeat the text in the document.

To add alternative text, right click on your image to open a menu (Mac users: see Right-click on Mac) . Select Image.

In the Alternative Description area, enter a brief description of your image. Click Save to save your changes.

For more information on using alternative text and best practices for making visual content accessible to all users, see Complex Images for All Learners: A Guide to Make Visual Content Accessible

Adding Video (Kaltura Media)

Kaltura is a media sharing platform, allowing users to share media in a secure environment. It is integrated into myLesley, allowing faculty and students the opportunity to share video content privately or with others in the course. The Kaltura Mashup tool allows you to add video content anywhere in your myLesley course, such as an assignment, Discussion Board post, blog post, etc. 

To add Kaltura content to your course, click the Add Content button.

Scroll down to the Additional Tools section and select Kaltura Media.

This will take you to your Kaltura My Media area. The MyMedia area is where all of your Kaltura videos are stored. From here, you may select a previously added video, upload a new video, or record from your webcam.

See Using the Kaltura Mashup Tool for detailed instructions.

Adding Documents

You can add files such as documents, PowerPoints, spreadsheets, and PDFs to your content in a couple of ways. You may add a link to the document inline with your text or you can attach a document to your content.

To add a document inline with your text, click the Add Content button.

Click Insert Local Files to upload a document from your computer. 

The document will be added to your item inline with your text. 

To add a document as an attachment, scroll down to the Attachments area. Click Browse Local Files to upload a document from your computer.

Embedding Content (Faculty Only)

Please note that students are currently unable to embed content in myLesley. This is a known issue with Blackboard. In the meantime, students will need to share a link to their content (ex VoiceThread).

You may embed content, such as VoiceThread content, directly into your myLesley course using an html embed code. To do so:

Locate the HTML <> button in the content/text editor.

This will open the Source Code View. Paste your code into the code view window and click Save.

This will bring you back to the content editor. Your embedded content will be visible. Click Submit to save your changes.

Please note that in order for your embedded content to play in myLesley you may need to change any http in your code to https. This will ensure that it will play inside myLesley's secure connection.