File Formats used in Blackboard Learn
In a page or a learning module, your professor may add various types of class files for students. If a file is not in a web-based format (e.g.html, .jpg, or .gif), you should have the appropriate application on your computer to open and view the file..
The following table lists file formats and their corresponding applications. If you don't have the application, you can access a free download site by clicking an application listed below. Be sure to download and install the appropriate application to your computer before you open a non-web based file.
File Format |
Descriptions |
Applications Needed to Open the File |
| .html, .htm, .jpg, .gif | Web based formats | No additional application needed |
| .pdf* | Adobe Portable Document File | Adobe Acrobat Reader |
| .rtf** | Rich Text File | Any word processors - MS Word - Word Pad in Windows - MS Work - Word Perfect |
| .doc* .docx* | MS Word File | MS Word |
| .ppt* .pptx* | MS PowerPoint File | MS PowerPoint |
| .xls* .xlsx* | MS Excel File | MS Excel |
| .mdb* .mdbx* | MS Access File | MS Access |
*All lab computers at MxCC campuses have Microsoft Office Professional and Adobe Acrobat Reader to allow you to open .rtf, .doc, .ppt, .xls, .mdb, and .pdf files.
*All MxCC students, faculty and staff can have access to MS Office Applications for free of charge. Logon on to portal.office.com with your NetID and password. To use MS Office Applications on your own computer, click on “Install Office” at the upper right corner of the page. You will follow the step-by-step instruction to install MS Office Applications to your computer.
** We recommend that you submit all documents in .rtf format so that the files will be readable by all students and your professor. For more information on saving a Word document as .rtf, click here