Download the conversion tool

The Blackboard Course Conversion Tool is deployed as a .zip file and can be downloaded by administrator users with access to Behind the Blackboard. 

  1. Download the conversion tool file from Behind the Blackboard. You'll need to agree to the terms and conditions.
    An article from Behind the Blackboard in shown. The link with the course converter file is highlighted.
  2. Open your Downloads folder and unzip the downloaded file if it wasn't automatically unzipped.
    The Download folder is displayed with the course converter ZIP file. Also, a folder with the same file unzipped is shown.

Run the tool and convert a course package

  1. Rename the unzipped folder to bbcc and move it to your d:\build\ folder. 
    A unzipped folder is renamed to "bbcc".
  2. Create an input folder within the d:\build\ folder.
    The "Build" folder is opened with an "input" folder highlighted.
  3. Create output folder within the bbcc folder.
    The "bbcc" folder is opened and and "output" folder highlighted.
  4. Open the bbcc.properties file within the config folder. 
    The config folder is opened and highlighted with the bbcc.properties file displayed and selected.
  5. Change the line 1 from the default path of sourceDir=D:\\ to the following path:

    sourceDir=D:\\build\\input
    A text editor is opened. The line 1 was changed with a new path.
  6. Save the bbcc.properties file. You can ignore the content on line 2.
    The text editor is opened with 1) the File dropdown menu highlighted and 2) the "Save" option selected.
  7. Export the course from another LMS (eCollege / D2L / Moodle / Canvas) and place the exported file in the input folder. In this example, a Canvas course package was exported.
    The exported course is displayed inside the "input" folder.
  8. Open Command Prompt on your computer. You can do this by selecting on the Windows start button in the bottom left corner of your computer and typing "Command" in the search bar.
    The Windows start button is selected and highlighted. The word "Command" is written on the search bar and the Command Prompt app highlighted.
  9. In Command Prompt, type in the following command:

    d:\build\bbcc\bin\bbcc.bat --sourceArchive=YOUR-COURSE-NAME

    Replace YOUR-COURSE-NAME with the exported file name. In this example, the exported file had the following name: canvas-course-export.imscc.
    The Command Prompt is opened and a specified command to run the tool is displayed and highlighted.
  10. Press Enter to run the command. The Blackboard Course Conversion Tool should start running. 
    The Blackboard Course Conversion Tool is running.
  11. A confirmation message will appear once the conversion is complete.
    Successful conversion confirmation message on screen.
  12. Find the converted Blackboard-compatible course package (.zip) and the user log (.log) in the output folder. Each will have the same filename as the source course filename.
    The output folder is opened with a .zip file a .log file.

    You'll also find the error log (.err) in the 'output' folder if there were any errors during the conversion.

  13. Upload the .zip file into Blackboard Learn as a normal course package.

Learn more about how to import a course package into Blackboard Learn.

Watch a video about the Blackboard Course Conversion tool for Windows®

The following narrated video provides a visual and auditory representation of some of the information included on this page. For a detailed description of what is portrayed in the video, open the video on YouTube, navigate to More actions, and select Open transcript.


Video: Blackboard Course Conversion Tool for Windows® explains how to convert courses from other LMS to use them in Blackboard Learn.