How to Make Your Course More Accessible

Canvas Tutorials How to Make Your Course More Accessible

Instructor Getting Started Module

How to Optimize Content for Accessibility

Below are steps you can take to make your course content more accessible. Click an item to view or use the expand all option to see all items in the list.

Design for Mobile

Students may use alternative browsing options such as a screen reader or the Canvas Student app to view your course.  If you make your content accessible, students will be able to navigate your course site with ease regardless of what browser or platform they use. You can download the Student and Teacher apps on your iPhone or Android device so you can view your course in the app. 

Use Canvas Modules to Organize Content

Use Modules to organize your content with structure. Use a consistent naming scheme for your modules and content in the modules. Instructors can allow students to download course content for offline viewing. This option is available in the course settings under feature options. The resulting ePub file will use the module headings to create a table of contents so the students can navigate the ePub file.

Consider the Course Menu

Instructors can restrict access to certain portions of a course in the course menu. It is important to understand that many pages include search features that can be especially helpful to students who use alternative methods for navigating content. Think carefully about what areas to restrict in your course design. It is recommend to leave Syllabus, Announcements, Modules, Assignments, Discussions, People, and Grades available to students. 

Create Content with Canvas Pages 

When possible use Canvas Pages to create content rather than Word documents and PowerPoint presentations. This is especially true of content with several links to outside resources. Canvas pages are much easier for students to read in the Canvas Student app. When you edit pages in the rich content editor be sure to structure pages with headings and small paragraphs so content is easy to scan for information.  You can use Design Tools content blocks to organize content on the page. 

Check Word and PowerPoint Documents for Accessibility

Word and PowerPoint files must be accessible as well. In a Word or PowerPoint file go to the File menu to view the backstage. From the info screen click check for issues and run the Accessibility checker. Use the Accessibility checker report as a guide on making changes to your documents. View the linked guides from the Microsoft website for details on using the Accessibility Checker. You can also download the PowerPoint and Word accessibility checklist documents you can print. Use this documents to help you make your course documents more accessible. 

Format Content Correctly

When editing content in Canvas use the rich content editor toolbar to structure content with headings, smaller paragraphs, and lists. This will make it much easier for students to navigate and scan the content on small screen or screenreader. You can use the accessibility checker in the rich content editor or Design Tools to be sure your content is accessible. The structure format of Word and PowerPoint files is important as well. In Word use the Styles option to format headings and paragraphs. In PowerPoint use slide titles and the master slide feature to properly structure slides. 

Use Color Wisely

Avoid using color as the only means for emphasis. Use bold or italics in addition to using color to communicate the emphasis. It is also important to be careful about color contrast between text color and background color. Too low of contrast between text color and background color means some students will not be able to read your message.

Provide Text Alternatives for Image Content

Include text alternatives for all pictures and graphics. Make sure the alt text provides contextual meaning to text content next to the image. If an image is purely used for decoration only, be sure to mark the image as decorative. This allows students who use a screenreader to skip the image. Review the guides for details on how to add alternative text in Canvas and Microsoft Office.

Add Captions to All Multimedia Content

All video content must have captions. Captions can be added to videos in a couple of different ways. Starting Fall 2019 instructors and students can use Studio to create/add video content to Canvas. All videos in Studio can be captioned using the captioning service. This process is mostly automatic and may require minor edits after the video is captioned. Contact Information System and Services for help with this process.  View the guides below for details on how to caption your videos. 

Communicate with Details

When writing assignment instructions or any other course content be sure to be descriptive and detailed. Write links with meaning and avoid using non-descriptive text such as "click here". Avoid using idioms, jargon, or abbreviations without describing the language. This will help all students and will reduce the number of questions students have about your content.