I have taught with D2L and have taken a class on Blackboard.

Key aspects of online teaching which I focus on and believe to be essential are:

1. Student to student interaction. This helps to create a learning environment which many online learners feel is missing in online classes. It also helps to foster confidence in learners if they are given the opportunity to interact with and help their peers;

2. Student to instructor interaction. This is an essential component to a successful online class. Examples of this include prompt feedback on assignments, participation on discussion boards, online office hours and a 24 hours response period for emails. I also post current news events related to every module several times during that module period and provide an informal discussion forum which works out great to tie current news events to class lessons;

3. Student to content interaction. This must be more than a textbook and PowerPoints. An example I use are researched discussion posts; students state their opinion on a given topic (related to module topics) and have to go out and find sources which back up that opinion, provide that information to a group of their fellow students, and then discuss. (This also contributes to #1). taught with D2L and have taken a class on Blackboard.