Embedding Echo360 Media into Blackboard Learn or Original View Courses

In order to use the Embed Echo360 Video Library option, a Blackboard Administrator must have installed the Echo360 video library building block for Blackboard AND if appropriate configured the system to allow Students to embed Echo360 media. For Students to embed media, the Student Library MAY need to be turned on for your institution. OR Students can embed media from any Collection where they have the Post permission.
If you encounter an error like that shown in the below figure, it simply means that your Administrator needs to update your Echo360 building block to the newest version (1.0.13 as of this publishing). You can still submit the embed and it will embed the selected media. The error is simply noting that there is no placeholder or preview for the selected item.

If a Blackboard Admin has installed it for your institution and enabled it for courses, Echo360 provides an Echo360 Video Library option in the Add Content tool list. Echo360 sometimes also refers to this to as an "easy-embed" option. This is available for Learn or Original View courses only. If you are using an Ultra enabled course, see Embedding Echo360 Media in an Ultra-enabled Course for instructions.

The Echo360 Embed Media dialog box provides the ability to:

• Embed media from Echo360 directly into your Blackboard course as described on this page
• Upload a media file then embed it as a single process
• Create new media with Universal Capture then embed it a single process
• Post a link to the media (instead of embedding it) into Blackboard 

You can access the Embed media dialog box from any content window where Blackboard provides an Add Content tool list, as shown in the below figure.

LMS-Embedded media provide view data such as view counts and heatmap data, along with individual user viewing information, all of which is displayed in the Analytics tab of the media details page. 

The steps below are for selecting media already resident in Echo360. The Embed Media dialog box lists all Echo360 media you own as well as any audio, video, or interactive media in any Collection where you have the Post permission. If you need to upload or create the media first and need instructions, use the links above for more information. 

To embed existing Echo360 media

1. Log in to Blackboard.
2. Open the Course in Blackboard or other location where you want to post the media.
3. If necessary, click the Mode icon for the course and Turn Editing On (in the top right corner of the page).
4. Find the type of content item you want and create it. The figure below shows an Item being added to the Course Content page.
   
5. In the Create screen that appears, enter a Name that describes the media you are adding.
6. In the Toolbar for the Content area of the window, click the Add Content button as identified in the below figure. If you do not SEE this button, click the button with three dots to expand the content window toolbar. 
   
7. From the Add Content tool list, select Echo360 Video Library as shown in the figure earlier on this page.
   

   A dialog box appears with the Library tab active, listing the Echo360 audio, video, or interactive media you own, as well as media in any Collection where you have the Post permission. If you need to upload media to embed, click the Upload Existing Media tab, and refer to the instructions in the link if necessary.

   
8. If necessary, use the Search text box and/or Filters options to find the media you want to embed into the window.
9. Select the media you want to embed and click Next. 
   

   The dialog box changes to show the selected media as well as playback configuration options, all of which are described below the figure.
   If you want to post a link to the media instead of embedding it directly into the page, enable the Link toggle and if necessary see Posting a Link to Echo360 Media in your LMS/VLE Course.

   
10. From the Player Style drop-down list, select the style you want to be applied to the player.
    

    The Player Style drop-down only appears if your institution has created custom player styles to choose from. If you have selection options, pick the one for your department or organization (or the default) that you want applied to the playback of this media.
    Selecting a style may automatically select Size, Autoplay, and Automute options for you; these can still be changed.

11. From the Select size drop-down list, select the size for the media playback. It is 640x420 by default.
    
12. If appropriate, enable the option to Autoplay the media (it will play as soon as a user opens the page you are embedding it into).
13. If you enable Autoplay, Automute is automatically enabled, to accommodate browsers that no longer allow autoplay with sound. You CAN enable Automute separately without Autoplay.
14. If appropriate, set a Start At time. If set, the media will begin playing at that timestamp, although viewers will be able to rewind/fast-forward the player to view any segment of the embedded media.
    This option is NOT available for interactive media.
15. When finished, click INSERT. A preview of the inserted media appears inside the content area.
16. Complete whatever remaining fields are on the Page you are adding, then click Submit.

Once the item is added, students can open the page and view the embedded media. If you selected Autoplay or Start At configurations for the media, those are enacted for the user upon viewing.