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Blackboard Learn Ultra Increases Video Capability With Panopto Integration

Panopto, a video management platform, integrates fully with Blackboard Learn Ultra to make it easier for users and instructors to create, capture, and share videos within courses. Blackboard Learn Ultra is Blackboard’s LMS offering for K-12 and Corporate/Business with an improved user interface and workflow for Blackboard Learn.

This integration will create a single-sign-on to ensure that permissions for syncing are current and that students will be able to see the videos they have access to. Panopto adds that ability to record and capture lectures, manage videos, create video quizzes and notes, and have video discussions.

With user preference shifting to video for learning, this integration makes sense. It makes it easier for students and instructors to embed videos, create playlists, and have an easy-access video library within Ultra.

Before the integration, Panopto was a recognized partner of Blackboard. However, the experience was not as seamless before integration. This announcement means that, for those that use the two services, they will now create a better user experience.

This is a big announcement for Panopto, which was founded in 2007 and has raised over $50M dollars to date. The integration helps improve the Blackboard Learning Ultra experience and keeps it relevant as it competes with other LMS platforms with video capabilities.

Our Take

These types of integrations are interesting to follow. Before the official integration, users were on both platforms but were probably experiencing some technical issues that can be quite frustrating. This also points towards what features Blackboard finds its users want and integration is easier than building out those features itself.