Wimba Collaborative Tools

Wimba Overview

   Wimba is a collection of online collaboration tools that allows an instructor to personalize online instruction through Blackboard.

• Live Classroom – Live virtual classroom that creates a sense of community using audio and video to display content such as PowerPoint, application sharing, public and private text chat, electronic whiteboard, and polling. Sessions can be archived for later viewing by the students. Want to give it a try?  Wimba offers a demo of Live Classroom on their website.  To try a demonstration, CLICK HERE and then click the “Try a demo right now” link on the right side of the page.

• Voice Tools– create audio files quickly for podcasting, language learning, vocal exercises or oral assignments. Use it as a discussion board using audio or send a voice email. Want to give it a try?  Wimba offers a demo of Live Classroom on their website.  To try a demonstration, CLICK HERE and then click the “Try a demo right now” link on the right side of the page.
  

Here is some background and additonal Wimba information from our “Using Video and Audio Enhanced Tools for Instruction” workshop held Thursday, May 31, 2007
The VIISUAL Grant Project at SIUE Kathy Behm, Professor Emeritus, Lovejoy Library, SIUE Lydia Jackson, Reference and Instruction Librarian, SIUE Lois Ridenour, Reference and Instruction Specialist, SIUE	Video
Integrating Wimba into Blackboard Courses at UMSL Marcel Bechtold, Information Technology Services, UMSL	Video
Experiences in Using Wimba in Sociology Classes Rocky Keel, Department of Sociology, UMSL	Video

Getting Started

Wimba is already incorporated into your Blackboard courses under the Communications link in your Course Menu. You have access to Wimba by simply having a Blackboard course.

Since Wimba is integrated into Blackboard, you do not have to request your students be added. Wimba uses Blackboard to identify which students are in your class and adds them to Live Classroom automatically.

Live Classroom

Training

• Live ClassroomTraining Sessions
• Archive sessions
• Live Classroom Presenters Guide 5.0
• Live Classroom Paticipants Guide 5.0
• Tutorials

Resources

• Live Classroom Best Practices Tip Sheet
• Live Classroom Checklist for Presenters
• Live Classroom Cheat Sheets - (Video) - use these cheat sheets to help you remember the features of the video component
• Live Classroom Key - (Video) use this Key to help you identify the icons in the video version of Live Classroom
• PowerPoint Design Guide – Use this guide to create the best possible graphics for Live Classroom content
• Extract PowerPoint Slide Images - Use this guide to extract the PowerPoint slides used in presentations
• Horizon Wima Live Classroom Accessibility Guide - The Live Classroom interface has built-in accessibility features to accommodate users with disabilities. This document outlines how to use them.
• System and Browser Requirements

Voice Tools

Training

• Voice Tools Live Training Sessions
• Archive sessions
• Voice Tools User Guide – (PDF) – Webpage

Resources

• Voice Tools Best Practices Tip Sheet
• System and Browser Requirements

Help

Wimba has 24/7 technical support, contact them here:
Phone: 866-350-4978 or
Email: technicalsupport@horizonwimba.com.

Supported Operating System, Browsers, Java versions and System Requirements for Wimba Classroom

Student Requirements

• 128 MB RAM (256 MB recommended)
• Internet access at 56k or above
  • Broadband is strongly recommended
  • Wireless internet is NOT recommended
• Soundcard w/ microphone and speakers

Instructor Requirements

• 256 MB RAM (higher recommended)
• Broadband Internet access
• Soundcard w/ microphone and speakers

Wimba recommends using headsets instead of external speakers or microphones, particularly built-in microphones of laptops

Wimba Classroom Supported Operating Systems, Java & Browsers *

OS	Browswer			Java (JRE)
		Supported	Unsupported
Win Vista1 Win XP Win 2000	Internet Explorer	6.0 - 7.0		1.6 (6.0) 1.5 (5.0) 1.4
	Firefox	1.5 - 2.0
	Other		AOL, Opera
OS	Browswer			Java (JRE)
		Supported	Unsupported
Mac OS X2,3 10.5 10.4 10.3	Safari	1.2 - 3.0		1.5 (5.0) 1.4
	Firefox	1.5 - 2.0	1.5.0.0+
	Other		AOL, Opera, IE
OS	Browswer			Java (JRE)
		Supported	Unsupported
Linux4	Mozilla	1.0 - 1.7		1.5 (5.0)5
	Firefox	1.5 - 2.0
	Other		Opera

* Browsers listed in the Supported section are recommended browsers for use with the Wimba Classroom.  Browsers that are not listed have not been tested fully and therefore may or may not work with the Wimba Classroom.

1. Wimba Classroom server must be running 4.3.3 or higher
2. Presently, only Safari is supported on Intel-based Macs
3. ScreenGrab is not compatible with Mac OS X
4. Notes on using Linux:
   • Presenters cannot display content via Application Sharing using Linux. However, participants using Linux can view Application Sharing content
   • WimbaMedia is only compatible with Linux on Wimba Classroom versions 4.2+
5. Manual installation is required. Reference article on www.java.com for instructions.