WebCT

Article summary

WebCT (Course Tools) or Blackboard Learning System, now owned by Blackboard, is an online proprietary virtual learning environment system that is licensed to colleges and other institutions and used in many campuses for e-learning. To their WebCT courses, instructors can add such tools as discussion boards, mail systems, and live chat, along with content including documents and web pages. The latest versions of this software are now called Webcourses. WebCT is significant in that it was the world's first widely successful course management system for higher education. At its height, it was in use by over 10 million students in 80 countries. On September 30, 2025, it was reported that Blackboard's current parent company, Anthology, would be acquired by private equity firms Nexus Group and Oaktree Capital Management under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, in which the company filed for bankruptcy that same day.

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