Accessibility enables information or activities to be useful for as many individuals as possible. Therefore, optimizing your Canvas course for accessibility should be a proactive approach rather than a reactive approach. There are several considerations when developing your Canvas course to keep in mind to make your course accessible for all.
1: Anthology Ally
Anthology Ally is a Canvas LTI plug-in. The purpose of Ally is to improve the usability and accessibility of your Canvas course for individuals with disabilities. Ally provides options for alternative formats for both the instructor and the students. Some of those alternative formats are: electronic braille, audio, Bee Line Reader, and a translated version. As of right now the translated version is not available in foreign language courses. When you are developing your Canvas course, any files or uploaded documents you add to your course will display a meter. The purpose of the meter is to provide an accessibility score. The score will tell you what the file or document is missing and provide suggestions to correct and improve accessibility.
Anthology Ally is represented on your Canvas course with the symbol below.
Learn more: Anthology Ally Instructor Quick Start
2: Accessibility Checker
The Accessibility Checker in Canvas is represented by a person in a circle underneath the rich content editor. The Accessibility Checker verifies your file against a set of rules that identify possible issues for people who have disabilities. When the Accessibility Checker finds an issue, a number will display on the checker indicating the number of issues. When you click on the Accessibility Checker, it will open on the right-hand side. The checker will indicate what you should change and then allow you to move to the next issue or will give you celebratory balloons and tell you there are no longer any issues.
3: Tools
Headers
Headers are ways to organize your content so that screen readers can convey the organization of the content to the user. Screen reader users can call up lists to identify headers like H1, H2, or H3 and the screen reader is able to jump to that section on a screen.
- Use H1 for the Main Title
- Use H2 for all main headings
- Use H3, H4 and any additional headings on an as needed basis
- The Rich Content Editor reserves the H1 Header for the title so H1 does not appear as an option.
ALT text
ALT text is what is read to a viewer if an image is not visible. When using ALT text, there are a few things to keep in mind. Think about how you would describe an image to an individual over the phone. What do you want that listener to know about the image? Describe the relevant parts of the image and keep the description to 125 characters or less.
Tables
Tables are used for sharing data spreadsheets. There are considerations to make when using a table. Be sure to include the following:
- Caption or a title for the table
- Include headers in all columns
- If you have blank cells place a”-” or “NA’ in the blank cell
- Be sure your table does not have merged cells
- Present relationships in a clear way
4: Immersive Readers
Immersive Readers allow for a more accessible learning experience. Viewers of pages can customize their engagement with the page. When you open the Immersive Reader, you have a variety of tools to use:
- Voice play (With mute option)
- Text Adjustments, including size, spacing, font style, and line focus
- Theme coloring for page and text
- Syllabic breakdown
- Translation
When you utilize the Immersive Reader in Canvas, the settings will stick from page to page as well as from course to course.
Learn more:
5: Quiz and Assessment Modifications
As part of optimizing your course for Accessibility, there are adaptations and modifications for your course that you can adjust as you go through the semester. Time extensions and additional attempts for quizzes and assignments are the two most common.
- Time Extension: Time extensions can be added for quizzes and assignments. The extensions must be done within the specific assignment whether a quiz or an assignment. Time extensions can be added to any student’s quiz. Follow the steps to add more time on a quiz.
- Multiple Attempts: Multiple attempts can be added to assignments. Follow the steps to add additional attempts for students to complete the quiz.
Learn More: Canvas Quiz and Assignments