FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions


Compatibility

Do students Have to Download Software to Use Blink Lesson?

What Countries Does Blink Lesson Work in?

Does Blink Lesson Use/Require Flash?

What Languages Do You Support?

The Blink Lesson platform does not support languages other than English. That said, the amount of English your Students need to know to navigate their dashboard is minimal. We have several companies using Blink Lesson with non-English speaking Students. You will need to determine if you believe your Students will be able to navigate the platform without any knowledge of English. Your staff users should have a command of English.

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Enterprise Services

What is "White Label"

White Label is part of our Enterprise services. With our white-labeling service, Blink Lesson will appear 100% as your company’s software. Colors, logo, domain name, emails, and other features all appear with your company branding creating a brand-seamless experience for your Students. This service is way beyond simplying allow your company to have its logo on the dashboard. It provides a truely brand-seamless experience for your Students or students. Contact us for more information about white labeling

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Do You Offer a Branded Portal?

See the answer above for "What is White Label".

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Do You Offer Customization?

Blink Lesson is one of the only platforms to offer custom development service which bolts on seamlessly to our core software. Bolt-On Module development is a Enterprise service of Blink Lesson. Check out our Enterprise to learn more.

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Invoices/Take Payments

How Do Invoices Work?

We have made invoices in Blink Lesson as flexible as possible. The only information required is charge, tax rate (if applicable), what the invoice is for, and due date. Once you create the invoice, we automatically email and notify your student within Blink Lesson. If you have setup to take card payments in Blink Lesson, they can pay invoices one or multiple at a time within Blink Lesson. Once an invoice is paid, we notify you and mark it paid.

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Does Blink Lesson Charge For Credit Card Payments Made By Stuents?

Learning Managment

Can I Share Resources With Other Staff on My Team

Yes. Once you upload a resource (card set, Word Doc, PDF, PowerPoint, etc.), you can set it to be shared with others in your organization. They can go to the resource store and add the resource to their list with one just a few clicks. This is great if you have resources or documents you use across your organization.

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How Many Resources Can I Upload / How Much Space do I Have?

Every document you upload to Blink Lesson you can download to your computer. Depending on the type, you can add and remove pages/cards, but you cannot edit the actual document as that would require the software you used to create it (Word, PowerPoint, etc.). If you make changes, you can always upload a fresh copy. The resource limit for most plans is 350 resources per staff, but you can always purchase more space.

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What Kind of Documents Can I Upload?

With Blink Lesson you can upload PDF, Word, PowerPoint, MusicXML, Flat Scores, Audio (mp3/wav), Google Docs, Sheets & Drawling. You can also upload images (jpeg, png, bit) into card sets or to create a memory game. All files you upload are saved in your resource list and available to use in any online lesson.

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Once I Upload a Resource File, can I Edit or Download it?

Every document you upload to Blink Lesson you can download to your computer. Depending on the type, you can add and remove pages/cards, but you cannot edit the actual document as that would require the software you used to create it (Word, PowerPoint, etc.). If you make changes, you can always upload a fresh copy.

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Can I Score Resources in an Online Lesson?

Yes, any resource you upload to Blink Lesson, or add from the resource store, can be scored. You can also save the score and add a note. Saved scores are attached to the student's record. Also, with on click, you can bring up all past saved scores for the student you are in an online lesson with. This makes it quick and easy to keep track of how your students are doing on a specific resources (e.g. music).

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Can I Upload Files to A Student's Record?

Yes! Blink Lesson allows you to upload any file to a student's record. You can also view uploaded files in an online lesson. Plus, you can share files with your Students. Never worry about violating HIPAA or other security standards by emailing sensitive files, share them in Blink Lesson. Lastly, Students can upload files to share with you and all this can be done from the dashboard or during an online lesson.

Check out this video showing how easy it is to upload/share/view files with your Students.

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Notes/Documentation/Goals

How Does the Notes/Documentation Feature Work?

The aim of Blink Lesson's documentation feature is to increases your productivity by enabling you to view previous and write new notes while you are in an online lesson (or outside). Also, with Blink Lesson you can securely share notes with your students so they appear for them on their dashboard. Further, if a new teacher/staff/etc takes over a student they have access to all previous notes. Because Blink Lesson is committed to flexibility, there are not templates or goal tracking tools specific to any discipline.

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Can I Track Goals?

Keeping track of goals is important. With our new Goal Tracking feature, add, update, and share goals with your Students from your dashboard or during an online lesson. This is a great way to encourage your Students toward progress.

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Online Lessons

Can I Share My Screen?

Yes, you and your Students can share your entire screen or choose a particular application to share. When you share you screen with Blink Lesson, the screen-share video is placed behind the white-board enabling you to annotate on top of it. Plus, when you share your screen, your camera video does not disappear as with other platforms (we do give you and your Students the ability turn off your camera video if you want to). We do not allow Students to remotely control what you have shared because of security risks.

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Does The White Board Work With Touch Screens?

Yes, the white board is fully touch screen capable and works well on any touch screens including iPads or other tablets.

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If I Share my Screen Can My student Control it?

Blink Lesson does have a screen-share feature which staff and Students can both use. You can choose which application you want to share, but the other person cannot control what you share.

We do not allow remote control because of the security risks.

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Can I Conduct Group Online Lesson?

Yes, group online lessons are available in Blink Lesson and they are super easy to setup and connect.

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How Many Student's Can I Have in a Group Online Lesson?

Group Online Lesson can technically conducted with up to 100 students, though we recommend not more than 10. Over 10 can be difficult to manage with everyone having the ability to talk. If you need to connect a lesson that is more of a presentation/class, we recommend looking at webinar solutions.

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What is the Minimum Bandwidth Required?

Blink Lesson video dynamically adjusts based on the strength of a your's and your student's Internet connection. The faster and more stable the connection the better the video quality will be.

When planning for all the tech requirements of virtual services, it is important to understand bandwidth is only one factor that will influence video call quality.

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Other

Can I add students I Don't See On line?

Yes, you can use Blink Lesson to manage all of your Students. They will get an email to create an account so they can see any lessons you've scheduled with them, their invoices, and make payments.

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How Would I add A Student/student?

When you add a student to Blink Lesson they are emailed an invitation to create an account which states that "your name" has invited you to join Blink Lesson. Once they register by adding a password, all they need to do is login to join online lessons. If you utilize the schedule, Blink Lesson automatically sends them lesson reminders 24 hours before their lesson.

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Can I Change the Video Size & Layout?

Blink Lesson has the most flexible, yet easy to use, layout of any video conferring software. We don't believe in fixed layouts. Thus, our interface allows users to infinity change the size of the resource/screen share section verses the video section. If you're not using resources or screen share, teachers can completely hide it for both them and their Students. With our design, you have the most control over layout while still keeping everything in one window.

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How do People Join Online Lessons?

In Blink, the default way to have an online lesson is to add your student into the system first. In that case, they can join online lessons right from their dashboard. No software to download! Sometimes an online lesson "link" is easier when you need to meet with someone for a quick connect.

With our Join-by-Link feature every Blink staff user has a personal meeting link. Need to meet with a non-student? Simply send them your join-by-LINK and you are notified when they request to join an online lesson. Need to meet with multiple people this way? No problem, the same link will work for everyone in your meeting. Need to have a group meeting with a student and a join-by-Link person? Yes sir, it's all possible with Blink Lesson.

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Pricing Plans

Can I Cancel anytime?

All regular Blink Lesson plans are month-to-month, cancel at any time. You will be able to use Blink Lesson through the end of the month you cancel in. The only plans that might not have the option to cancel anytime would be custom pricing where your organization has agreed to a specific price for a predetermined amount of time.

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Do You Accept Payment by Check and or Purchase Orders (PO)?

We can accept payment for your Blink Lesson subscription by check, with or without a purchase order.

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Schedule

When and How are Automated Reminders Sent?

Blink Lesson sends lesson reminder emails 24 hours before your Student's scheduled lesson. Reminder emails are sent to every student login that is linked to the student the lesson is for. For example, if mom and dad both have a login, they will both be an email reminder. If the student login is linked to multiple students with lessons the next day, it will create an agenda of all the lessons for the next day. lesson times in the reminder emails are based on the timezone you set for the student.

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How Are lessons Adjusted for Different Timezones?

If user chooses free plan AFTER signing up for a payed plan, update their plan to free and direct to dashboard. Blink Lesson's schedule is designed make it easy to set lessons with students in different timezones. When your schedule loads, it will automatically display lessons according to the timezone you are currently located in, or you can select a different timezone.

Also, when you add a new staff user or student, you are required to select their timezone. That way, when reminders are sent, they are printed in the notification (email, etc) according to their timezone. If you use the, "Self Schedule" feature, Blink Lesson also automatically converts your availability according to timezone. Thus, if you add an available slot for 8am Central Time U.S. but one your students is in Eastern Time, they will see it as 9am. Super Easy!

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Who Has Access to My Schedule?

Staff users have access to any lessons on their schedule. Other staff users in your organization which have been granted the "Schedule Admin" permission may view, edit, and add to another staff user's schedule. Student's can view all their lessons (past and future) from their dashboard, or by click "Open Details" within a online lesson.

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Can I add Multiple students to One lesson?

Yes. Plus, each student on the lesson will be notify of the lesson time in their timezone, even if they are in different timezones!

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Security

Is Blink Lesson HIPAA-Compliant?

What Security Measures Does Blink Lesson Take?

Does Blink Lesson Comply With GDRP?

Is Blink Lesson FERPA Compliant?

Is Blink Lesson COPPA Compliant?

Support

What Level of Support Do You Provide?

At Blink, we recognize how important support is to the delivery of your virtual services. We are often asked: "What level of support do you provide?" We like to respond with: "What do you mean by support?"

There are many tech components involved in virtual service operations, including:

1) Computer/tablet/phone hardware (battery,screen, processor, keyboard, mouse, etc.)
2) Internet connection
3) Local network, including WiFi
4) Operating system (Windows,OSX, iOS, Android)
5) Potential viruses, malware, or poor configurations
6) The software, or in the case of Blink Lesson, the browser you are using to access the service (Chrome, Firefox, etc.)
7) The cloud software itself
8) The user's knowledge of how to use the software

Each of these require a different type of "support". At Blink, the main focus of our support is keeping the platform up and running. We guarantee 99% up time, but usually reach 99.9% or higher each year.

Support request related to how to use features or potential platform problems are answered within 24 business hours. We recommend that our customers retain qualified IT employees (or outsourced) to help with day-to-day issues, including troubleshooting computer or internet issues.

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Waiting Room

How Does the Waiting Room Work?

When your Students join an online lesson, you will see a pop-up and hear a sound. If you are not ready to join them, you can text chat with them. The chat box will also give you a link to move to the online lesson with them. This is great if you have students back-to-back.

If a person joins by your personal Join-by-LINK, you will be notified also and can approve or deny their request. If they join before you login, their request will pop up when you login.

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