Weighing in again with my thoughts.
 
I teach mainly grad students so perhaps I have a slightly different view.
 
It is rare that I'm finding students who do not use email.
 
I am finding more and more who have used Blackboard in some way.
 
I find that if I ask students for their preferred email (as does the college now) and remind them to let me know via email if they change their address, this works. I also let them know, and put in the syllabus, that I prefer them to contact me with small questions via email rather than by phone or in class so that I can be more immediate in feedback. I remind them to check email for messages and even encourage them to use their Oneonta account (free) for just coursework, leaving their "personal account" free for family and friends. This is very appealing to most.
 
I think mandating a course would be very boring for most students and assumes that Blackboard will be commonplace.
 
Not all courses need or even want Blackboard. 
 
Blackboard has it's limitations.
 
Email has its limitations.
 
I have my limitations. It's very time consuming to start up and maintain a course on Blackboard.
 
This is a good forum for discussion. I enjoy reading postings.
 
Emily Phillips