August Ultra update delivers smarter image descriptions, captioned video announcements, and table of contents for learning modules Get back-to-school ready with new Ultra design features

This month’s Ultra update makes it easier than to generate meaningful descriptions for complex images. August also brings new tools for recording video announcements, styling course materials, and helping students stay organized with improved module navigation.

The newest enhancement to Ally’s AI-powered Alt Text Assistant brings advanced support for describing complex images -- including charts, diagrams, graphs, and even handwritten notes. Instructors can continue using the same one-click workflow to generate alt text for images embedded in Blackboard-created content. This upgrade is especially valuable for STEM, social science, or data-rich courses where traditional alt text tools fall short, helping faculty meet accessibility standards while saving time and improving the learning experience for all students.

Image 1. Instructors can generate descriptions for complex images using Ally's AI Alt Text Assistant.
Image 1. Instructors can generate descriptions for complex images using Ally's AI Alt Text Assistant.

With the new video announcement feature, instructors can record short videos (up to 5 minutes) directly into course announcements. Each video includes automatic captions and transcripts, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards while offering a more personal and engaging way to communicate with students. Whether you’re introducing a new unit, clarifying expectations, or just adding a human touch, video announcements help strengthen instructor presence and build rapport, especially in fully online or asynchronous courses.

Image 2. The announcement screen where instructors can record or upload video and audio.
Image 2: The announcement screen where instructors can record or upload video and audio.

The redesigned Learning Module Table of Contents introduces a collapsible sidebar that helps students orient themselves, track their progress, and move through content more efficiently. Students can check off items as they complete them and choose to navigate via the sidebar or previous/next buttons. Assessments now open in a full panel, creating a more consistent and less fragmented experience. This streamlined structure helps reduce cognitive load, supports self-regulated learning, and improves the overall usability of content-heavy modules.

Image 3. Learning Modules now contain a Table of Contents panel to orient students within Learning Modules for their courses.
Image 3. Learning Modules now contain a Table of Contents panel to orient students within Learning Modules for their courses.

Instructors can now apply content styling to blocks within Ultra Documents, adding visual structure and emphasis to text with just a few clicks. Style options like “question,” “tip,” “key points,” “next steps,” and “highlight” feature icons and color coding to distinguish them from standard content. These simple formatting tools help draw attention to important information, scaffold learning more clearly, and make your content more engaging for students. Update Aug 8: This feature is postponed to September.
Image 4. Instructors can select styling options from a dropdown menu that appears in Edit mode on all block types.
Image 4. Instructors can select styling options from a dropdown menu that appears in Edit mode on all block types.

Finally, instructors can select and copy individual LTI tool links. Some tools may function immediately after copying, while others might require manual relinking or configuration to work properly in the new course.

To learn more about these updates, and more, please join our What's New in Ultra for Teaching & Learning session on August 14.

When you can expect the update

Faculty should see the latest updates in their Ultra courses around August 7-8 2025. UPDATE: The release will be installed around August 19-20. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on August 12, 2025; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.

Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
Thumbnail-image: New to Ultra [decorative]
]]> This month’s Ultra update makes it easier than to generate meaningful descriptions for complex images. August also brings new tools for recording video announcements, styling course materials, and... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology/posts/151344 Image https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/attachments/d2096aa08cde16a9c2beb2a170dafbf2/69f164a0/news/000/151/344/fe9de778667eb0445f5052e9fc3863dc/Ally_AI_Alt_Text_Photosynthesis.png?1754490264 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/151344/guest@my.umbc.edu/4757a5e04041e2db4c9975ae0cd762b8/api/pixel accessibility announcements blackboard learner-engagement ultra-experience ultra-update Instructional Technology https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/original.png?1446126703 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/large.png?1446126703 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/medium.png?1446126703 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/small.png?1446126703 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxsmall.png?1446126703 Instructional Technology https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/344/e8c0f57099f969cb61b8592a0dc3e701/xxlarge.jpg?1754487692 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/344/e8c0f57099f969cb61b8592a0dc3e701/xlarge.jpg?1754487692 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/344/e8c0f57099f969cb61b8592a0dc3e701/large.jpg?1754487692 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/344/e8c0f57099f969cb61b8592a0dc3e701/medium.jpg?1754487692 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/344/e8c0f57099f969cb61b8592a0dc3e701/small.jpg?1754487692 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/344/e8c0f57099f969cb61b8592a0dc3e701/xsmall.jpg?1754487692 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/344/e8c0f57099f969cb61b8592a0dc3e701/xxsmall.jpg?1754487692 Black and white robot dog running with the words "New to Ultra" written on light turquoise background 6 0 true Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:10:23 -0400 Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:24:06 -0400 Improve Course Accessibility with Image Captions & MathJax Formulas in July's Ultra Update Track who's reading your announcements and more How do you know if students actually read that important course announcement? What if you could make your content more accessible by adding image captions or rendering complex math more clearly for your STEM students? 

The July 2025 release brings features designed to improve visibility into student engagement, better accessibility for images and equations, and tools that streamline how you monitor activity and manage grading. Whether you’re preparing for fall or refining your summer courses, these enhancements make it easier to connect with students and deliver content that works for everyone.

Add Captions to Images for Context and Accessibility
Instructors can now add captions above or below image blocks in Ultra Documents, providing valuable context to visual content embedded in course materials. This simple but impactful change helps students interpret images more effectively, improves comprehension for visual learners, and enhances digital accessibility by supporting screen reader users and reinforcing meaning beyond alternative text.
Image 1. Instructors can go to Edit File Options to add image captions and set positions.
Image 1. Instructors can go to Edit File Options to add image captions and set positions.

Render Math with Clarity Using MathJax
MathJax will automatically render LaTeX equations when used in the Content Editor, offering a more precise and visually clean presentation of mathematical expressions across supported areas of Ultra. Especially helpful for STEM faculty, this update gives instructors more control over how complex formulas appear and improves the accessibility and readability of math-based content for students.
Image 2: Example of a formula formatted in LaTeX
Image 2: Example of a formula formatted in LaTeX

Track Student Engagement with Announcements
The Announcements page now includes a viewer count, allowing instructors to quickly see which students have opened an announcement and which have not. Clicking the count reveals a list of viewers and non-viewers, with the ability to message students who haven’t read the post. This feature supports more effective communication by helping faculty ensure that important updates, reminders, and instructions are actually reaching students.
Image 3. The list of viewers for an announcement shows that two students have read the announcement and one hasn’t.
Image 3. The list of viewers for an announcement shows that two students have read the announcement and one hasn’t.

Additional updates include:
  • Instructors can now import QTI v2.1 formatted questions directly into question banks.
  • A new “No Category” option is now available in the Gradebook, allowing instructors to remove items from a grading category without needing to assign them to another one.
  • The instructor Activity Page has been redesigned to show new course activity at a glance, including recent updates, grading needs, new messages, and alerts tied to student performance.
  • Improvements to the pop-out rubric in the Gradebook include a save warning prompt when closing unsaved work and enhanced keyboard navigation using arrow keys and tab controls. 
  • Instructors grading group assignments can navigate through submissions with new Previous and Next buttons in the group header bar.

When you can expect the update

Faculty should see the latest updates in their Ultra courses around July 3-4 2025. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on July 8, 2025; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra.

Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
Thumbnail-image: New to Ultra [decorative]
]]> How do you know if students actually read that important course announcement? What if you could make your content more accessible by adding image captions or rendering complex math more clearly... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology/posts/150790 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/150790/guest@my.umbc.edu/ca4bebf5fc27c7bf4afdb872f5a7a1cf/api/pixel accessibility announcements blackboard gradebook grading learner-engagement question-banks ultra-experience ultra-update Instructional Technology https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/original.png?1446126703 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/large.png?1446126703 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/medium.png?1446126703 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/small.png?1446126703 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxsmall.png?1446126703 Instructional Technology https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/790/c97090ec18bff34640ff391d8115c281/xxlarge.jpg?1750780929 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/790/c97090ec18bff34640ff391d8115c281/xlarge.jpg?1750780929 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/790/c97090ec18bff34640ff391d8115c281/large.jpg?1750780929 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/790/c97090ec18bff34640ff391d8115c281/medium.jpg?1750780929 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/790/c97090ec18bff34640ff391d8115c281/small.jpg?1750780929 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/790/c97090ec18bff34640ff391d8115c281/xsmall.jpg?1750780929 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/790/c97090ec18bff34640ff391d8115c281/xxsmall.jpg?1750780929 Black and white robot dog running with the words "New to Ultra" written on light turquoise background 2 0 true Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:11:30 -0400 Email scheduled announcements in July's Ultra update Also available: Printer friendly answer key for assessments Instructors often plan certain communications in advance to ensure students receive timely updates and critical information. This proactive approach helps maintain a structured learning environment and supports student success. For the July update, instructors will be able to ensure scheduled announcements in Ultra courses will also be sent as emails, if enabled. Previously, instructors could only email an announcement at the exact time when it was posted to the course. Now faculty can plan certain communications in advance for their courses and ensure those messages are received by students as soon as announcements are posted throughout the course schedule.

Last month, Ultra featured printer friendly assessments, allowing faculty to accommodate a wide range of solutions for testing. This feature has been well-received, providing instructors with greater flexibility in how they administer and review assessments. In July, the printer friendly format supports an answer key, which can be used for grading or study guides. Printing is not yet available for question pools or mobile.

Image 1: Example of printer friendly test with option to select answer key
Image 1: Example of printer friendly test with option to select answer key

Additional updates for July include:
  • When grading by student or question, instructors can now provide contextual feedback as recorded audio and video. Instructors can add recorded feedback to all question types.
  • The Needs Grading filter on the Student or Questions tab will now only display students or questions with ungraded attempts or responses that count towards Needs Grading. 

  • Students can view overall and attempt-level feedback from the gradebook.

  • Anthology made several improvements to Group Submissions page to address overall performance and reduce the load time. For example, loading the Groups Submission page from the Gradebook saw an improved performance of 88% to 95% depending on the Gradable Items or Gradebook Grades view.

Faculty should see the latest updates in Ultra courses around July 4-5, 2024. The next update to our Ultra test environment will take place on July 16, 2024; release notes are posted to the What's New in Ultra that same week. Faculty who are interested in test driving new features before they are released to production should open an RT ticket to request early access. Please watch the FAQs, including the What's New with Ultra page, and myUMBC for additional information about Ultra. 

Connect with Instructional Technology
As always, if you have any questions about teaching, learning, and technology at UMBC, please consider the following options:
Thumbnail-image: New to Ultra [decorative]
]]> Instructors often plan certain communications in advance to ensure students receive timely updates and critical information. This proactive approach helps maintain a structured learning... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology/posts/142645 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/142645/guest@my.umbc.edu/9d87d9cff68dc9261832915e4108f47d/api/pixel announcements blackboard printer-friendly-assessments ultra-experience ultra-update Instructional Technology https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/instructional-technology https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/original.png?1446126703 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xlarge.png?1446126703 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/large.png?1446126703 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/medium.png?1446126703 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/small.png?1446126703 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xsmall.png?1446126703 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/001/164/dec3b026b81ee6d890a8f82f75c94a2e/xxsmall.png?1446126703 Instructional Technology https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/142/645/6f3ed130be3eb5c1ef6f898a49cd72b7/xxlarge.jpg?1719949407 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/142/645/6f3ed130be3eb5c1ef6f898a49cd72b7/xlarge.jpg?1719949407 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/142/645/6f3ed130be3eb5c1ef6f898a49cd72b7/large.jpg?1719949407 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/142/645/6f3ed130be3eb5c1ef6f898a49cd72b7/medium.jpg?1719949407 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/142/645/6f3ed130be3eb5c1ef6f898a49cd72b7/small.jpg?1719949407 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/142/645/6f3ed130be3eb5c1ef6f898a49cd72b7/xsmall.jpg?1719949407 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/142/645/6f3ed130be3eb5c1ef6f898a49cd72b7/xxsmall.jpg?1719949407 2 0 true Tue, 02 Jul 2024 16:13:58 -0400