Webboard Chat Tutorial

Webboard is a web-based discussion and chat forum used in some of UMass Lowell's online courses. The discussion forum allows students and instructor to post messages at any time for everyone in the class to read and respond to. The Webboard chat is used for real-time synchronous communication.

Note: Not all of UMass Lowell's instructors use Webboard as their discussion and/or chat tool. Most online instructors use the chat and discussion tools available within the online course system (WebCT).

1. Log into your online course.

2. On the course home page, click on the class discussion and/or chat link.

3. A new window will open asking you to login. Type in your online course username and password in the fields provided, then click the login button.

4. Click on the "Chat" button (located on the black menu bar at the top of the screen).

5. Click on the name of your course from the list of available chat rooms. This link will take you to the chat room.

6. A new window will open prompting to download chat plug-in, click "Yes" button to download it.

7. The chat plug-in will be installed automatically. Once the chat screen is done loading, you will be brought to your course's chatroom. Click in the textbox with a blinking cursor and start typing your message. Click "send" button to post it when done.

Click here to view what chatroom screen looks like.