Tool Availability
New Blackboard courses have a set of default tools and course menu buttons. You can customize your course by changing buttons and making any of these tools unavailable to students.
Students can access tools by clicking on Student Tools in the Course Menu [View screenshot]. You may also create a button in the Course Menu that will be a direct link to a specific tool, such as the Discussion Board. You may want to set some tools to be unavailable if they are not used for a more streamlined appearance and to make the remaining options easier to locate.
Tool descriptions are available from the help section of the control panel in Blackboard. Click on Blackboard Help and type in the name of the tool you want to view.
For more information about Tool Availability, select from the following:
Make Tools Available or Unavailable
- Go to the Control Panel and click Customization.
- Choose Tool Availability.
- Check a box to make a tool available or uncheck to remove access to it.
- Some tools, such as Announcements, have additional options for visibility. You can choose to make this tool visible to Guests.
- Tool settings that appear as a circle with a line through it cannot be changed.
- After making your selections, select the Submit button to complete.
Add a Tool Button to the Course Menu
For a tool that you plan to use frequently, making a course menu button provides easy access for students.
- Click the Plus Sign (+ button) in the top left area of the course menu and choose Tool Link to add a course menu button.
- Type in the Name (required). This is the name that will appear on the button.
- Select the Tool from the drop down list.
- Check the Available to Users box.
- Click Submit.
Source: Blackboard Help »
![[View screenshot]](/sites/blackboard.ku.edu/files/images/general/ToolAvailability/StudentTools.png){kind=link}