Blackboard Announces Updates for Web Conferencing Platform PR Newswire NEW ORLEANS, July 10, 2012 - Blackboard Collaborate 12 Adds Mobile Support, User Improvements and LMS Integrations NEW ORLEANS, July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard Inc. today announced updates to its Web conferencing platform with the release of Blackboard Collaborate™ 12. With the new version, Blackboard Collaborate adds enhanced integrations for leading learning management systems (LMS), user experience improvements that make the system easier to use and more accessible, and plans to add support for mobile access. The release plans to support an interactive mobile application, Blackboard Collaborate Mobile,scheduled to be available later this summer. The app would allow students to join live sessions from an iPad™ or iPhone® through a link in the LMS, an email or calendar invite that recognizes their device and credentials automatically. Through the app, students would view presentations and whiteboard activity, communicate through chat and audio, and even raise a hand to request attention from the instructor. Instructors would be able to see who is attending the session on mobile devices and assign grades forattending live sessions or viewing recorded ones. "Everything in our society is going mobile and we believe that education needs to do the same," said Mark Gensimore, vice president of business and professional development at blendedschools.net.