How to Create a Blackboard Document with Netscape Composer
If you would like to create an assignment, study guide, or any other document for your Blackboard course and be able to display that document as it would be in a word processing document with boldfacing, numbered and bulleted lists, tables, etc., you can use Netscape Composer just as you would a word processing program. The difference is that the document you create with Composer will contain HTML codes that will preserve the format you have designed when you place the document into your Blackboard course through the Control Panel. Follow these steps:

  1. If you do not have Netscape installed on your computer, click here to locate and download the latest version of Netscape (version 6.2 as of February 2002) to your computer. Click on the link to the Netscape browser and save that file to your computer desktop or other location.

  2. To install Netscape, click on the "Start" button at the bottom of your screen. Then click on Control Panel and then on the "Add or Remove Programs" icon. Then choose the "Add or Remove New Program" option. Then click on the "Install" button. You will have to click on "Browse" to locate the file. You may need to change to type of file to search for to "all files." Choose the custom installation since all you need to install is Netscape itself unless you want the other features that come with Netscape. Then click on all the "Continue" or "OK" options until the program is installed.

  3. Open the Netscape browser by clicking on the new Netscape icon on your desktop or through your Start menu of programs.

  4. In Netscape, click on "Tasks" on the menu bar and then on "Composer."

  5. Create your document just as you would with Microsoft Word or any other word processing program, using the buttons or menus for special features. When you have saved your document, click on "View" and then "HTML Source." Copy the code that is displayed and then paste it into your Blackboard document.

  6. If you are uncertain about how to create a new document through the Control Panel in your Blackboard course, click here.