We’re glad you’re here! All hybrid and online students are enrolled in the SAU Virtual Student Center on Blackboard. This is where you will find the Virtual Student Center, which contains the Online Student Orientation, technical support information, and resources from many other areas of campus like the Magale Library, Career Services, and the University Writing Center.
SAU’s Online Learning Office is happy to provide 24/7 Support for all students and faculty by phone, chat, or email. During regular campus business hours, you may also request support directly from SAU’s Online Learning Team using our Contact Form or by calling 1-870-235-4159.
What do you what to learn more about?
Blackboard is the learning management system (LMS) used to support all courses at Southern Arkansas University (SAU). Course shells are created in Blackboard for all in-person, online, and hybrid courses. SAU provides 24/7 Blackboard Support for all students.
Harmonize is a discussion and collaboration tool used within Blackboard. It helps you engage more deeply with your classmates and instructors through rich, interactive posts that can include text, images, videos, and documents. You can participate in discussions, respond to prompts, ask questions, and share ideas—all in a visually engaging and easy-to-use format.
Harmonize is designed to make online learning more interactive, personal, and connected.
Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor
- Respondus LockDown Browser is a special web browser used for taking online quizzes and exams. It locks down your computer so you can’t open other websites, apps, or files during the test. This helps ensure a fair testing environment for everyone.
- Respondus Monitor works with LockDown Browser and uses your webcam to record you while you take the exam. It checks for unusual behavior to help instructors make sure the test is taken honestly.
Students must download and install the SAU-specific version of Respondus.
When contacting Respondus’ Technical Support, you will need the SAU information provided below and information specific to your computer or device.
- Institution Name: Southern Arkansas University.
- Learning Management System: Blackboard Learn Ultra
- LMS Web URL: https://blackboard.saumag.edu/
- Accessibility and Privacy
Turnitin is a tool your school uses to help you submit written assignments and ensure academic honesty. When you upload your work, Turnitin checks it for originality by comparing it to a large database of websites, books, articles, and other student papers.
VoiceThread is an interactive tool that lets you create and share multimedia presentations. You can add images, videos, documents, and slides, then record audio, video, or text comments to explain your ideas. It’s also a space where your classmates and instructor can respond and join the conversation.
When contacting VoiceThread’s Support (support@voicethread.com), you will need your SAU Email address, the name of your web browser, screenshots or recordings of the issue (if possible), and a summary of the issue.
- Accessibility and Privacy
YuJa is a video platform used in your courses to record, upload, share, and watch videos. It’s often used for lectures, presentations, assignments, and feedback. You might use YuJa to watch course videos, submit video assignments, or even record your own presentations.
- SAU YuJa How-To Videos
- 24/7 Technical Support Online or by Phone: 1-888-257-2278
- Accessibility and Privacy
SAU students can contact the Helpdesk regarding computer issues as e-mail, hardware, software, networking, University Computer Accounts and WiFi, computing labs, and other services. Please include a complete description of your problem — what occurs, when it occurs, any error message you are getting, and the browser you are using, if applicable.
- Email/Support Ticket: helpdesk@saumag.edu
- Phone: 1-870-235-4083
You can identify your SAU username and reset your password online: https://password.saumag.edu/
To get the best possible learning experience, it’s important to meet the minimum technology requirements for your hybrid and online courses. These minimums ensure that you can access course materials, participate in activities, and use tools without issues.
Required Hardware:
- Windows or Mac computer (desktop/laptop) or mobile device (smartphone/tablet)
- Speakers or Headset/Earbuds for course audio and video
- Webcam for completing course activities requiring student video (Discussions, Harmonize, VoiceThread) and test proctoring (Respondus Monitor).
Required Software:
- Blackboard Ally is already included in SAU’s Blackboard system and allows students to create alternative format versions of course content, like MP3s for listening and electronic braille.
- Multiple Internet Browsers, like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, which is a great troubleshooting strategy in case the other browser is experiencing issues. You can check your browser’s compatibility with Blackboard’s Browser Checker online.
- Microsoft 365 (includes Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). SAU Students have free access to the web version of these tools or have the option to download and install the applications on their computer.
Screenreaders (if needed)
- Windows: Use Google Chrome with JAWS
- Mac: Use Safari with VoiceOver
Internet Connection: It is recommended that students have a minimum Download speed of 1.5 Mbps and 750 Kbps upload. It is not recommended that students attempt to complete their work via cellular or hotspot WiFi connection.
Third-Party Cookies: Some web applications—like Blackboard—use third-party tools to enhance your learning experience. These tools might include video platforms, discussion boards, plagiarism checkers, or interactive content. To work properly, many of them require third-party cookies to be enabled in your browser.
The most important thing about troubleshooting publishers’ digital materials is that they typically have their own technical support teams, which is important because SAU’s support teams do not have access to many of these systems.
- Cengage:
- CogBooks:
- Hawkes Learning
- McGraw Hill
- McMillan
- Norton/W.W.Norton
- Pearson
- VitalSource
- Wiley
