AI Overlay for Blackboard Learn Ultra Native Lockdown on Mac
Blackboard Learn Ultra, built by Anthology, ships native test security options that work without Respondus: Force Completion, password protection, display dates, IP filtering, and Begin Test in New Window. For instructors who do not need webcam recording, these are the default controls.
Blackboard Ultra Assessment Settings panel contains the native security menu: a Time Limit with optional auto-submit, a Force Completion toggle, Display Dates that hide the test before a date, Password, IP Filtering, and Begin Test in New Window. Anthology has explicitly recommended that institutions move away from Force Completion (it locks students out on browser crashes) toward timer-based enforcement.
Key points
- Ultra native test security: Time Limit, Force Completion, Password, IP Filtering, Display Dates, Begin Test in New Window.
- Anthology recommends avoiding Force Completion due to browser-crash lockouts.
- Blackboard Ultra never requests macOS Screen Recording permission and runs no desktop binary.
- The Activity Stream and Course Activity Reports log clicks and submissions.
- Schools that prefer native Ultra lockdown over Respondus do so explicitly to avoid webcam recording.
How it works
┌── macOS host ─────────────────────────────────┐ │ ┌── Safari/Chrome ─────────────┐ │ │ │ ┌── proctoring extension ─┐ │ │ │ │ │ Browser screen-capture │ │ ← reads │ │ │ │ → exam recording │ │ visible │ │ │ └─────────────────────────┘ │ pixels │ │ └──────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ ┌── LDBypass overlay ──────────┐ ← rendered │ │ │ ChatGPT / Claude / Ollama │ excluded │ │ └──────────────────────────────┘ from cap │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Compatibility on Mac
| macOS 14 Sonoma+ | Yes (required for window-privacy API) | ✓ |
| Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) | Native arm64 build | ✓ |
| Intel Macs (2019+) | Universal binary supported | ✓ |
| Blackboard Learn Ultra (Anthology) | Native Assessment Settings menu | ✓ |
| Blackboard Learn Original | Phasing out, same browser-only model | ✓ |
Common questions
How is Ultra native lockdown different from Respondus for Blackboard Ultra?
Native Ultra lockdown is built into Anthology assessment engine and runs entirely in the browser.
Will Force Completion cause issues with the overlay?
Force Completion only blocks resuming after a tab close.
Does Ultra detect tab switching natively?
Ultra logs visibilitychange and focus loss events in some configurations.
Can the IP Filter detect LDBypass?
No. IP Filter checks your egress IP against an allow-list.
Is the overlay visible in Anthology Course Activity Reports?
No.