Preventing Students from Printing and Copying Blackboard 6 Tests

These steps explain how to add a string of HTML code to a Blackboard test so that students cannot use their browser's print or copy-and-paste functions to obtain a hard copy of the test. You will place the special code in the Instructions for the test, so that the printing/copying-prevention takes effect as soon as the test is opened. If you are in the process of creating the test, you will place the HTML code in the "instructions" window of the test (Step 3 below). If you have already created a test and wish to modify it, you will first enter the Test Manager.

  1. Open the Control Panel and click the Test Manager link to Modify the test.

  2. When the Test Manager page appears, click Modify button to the right of the test name. If the test has already been taken by students you will receive a warning message which you can safely ignore (this time).

  3. When the Test Canvas page appears, you will see a gray block containing the test "Name, Description, Instructions." Click the Modify button (at the bottom right corner of the gray block). This opens the Test Information window.

  4. When the Test Information window opens, scroll down to the Instructions block. Look at the left end of the toolbar for a small triangle (just below the word "Normal" on the font-selection menu).

  5. Click this triangle to reveal an additional toolbar with an icon labeled "<html>" (about 3/4 to the right).

  6. Click the < html > icon to open a separate window, called HTML View.

  7. The special line of code that you need is shown just below. Highlight everything from the opening ampersand through the final angle bracket on that line, and then use copy-and-paste commands to place it in the Blackboard HTML window. If you have existing text in the Instructions, it doesn't matter whether you paste this line before or after your text. It does not affect the display of anything else in the box.

     <script lang=Javascript src=http://dladmin.org/blackboard/nocopy.js></script> 

  8. Click Submit on the HTML View window and then click Submit on the Test Information window. This completes the change.

    (NOTE: If you are using IE/Windows, the Instructions block will not display the code directly. If you want to review the code, repeat Steps 4-6 above. You can verify that the special code is operating properly by clicking to take the test and then try to copy it or print it! Note that if you want to print the test for your own use, do so before you insert the instructions; otherwise, you must edit the Instructions to remove the special code if you want to print a copy. This "no copy, no print command" will take over your computer until you exit Blackboard.)