These aren't only specialty tools used for specific impairments, like screen readers... Assistive technologies are all around us! Many of these tools help everyone, including those who are not disabled, by providing content in different formats that may be easier for some to understand and use. The more ways students can engage with our courses, the better!

• See a demonstration of one of the most popular screenreaders, JAWS.
• Watch someone navigate a webpage with another popular screenreader, NVDA.
• Learn how text is translated to refreshable braille displays.
• Try out Microsoft Immersive Reader, which is now available directly inside Canvas.
• Find out how to navigate a website with just your keyboard.
• Learn more about digital notetaking applications and smart notebooks.
• See how students use a variety of other tools in the classroom and beyond.

What is Alt Text?

Alternative text (also known as alt text) is a written description of a non-text element on a web page, like a picture or a chart. Alt text is displayed when that element cannot be loaded, or when a user is navigating with a screen reader software. It explains what the element is, and why it is there.

A few important things to keep in mind when writing alt text: 

• Learn more about how to write quality alternative text.
• Add alt text to all images, except images that are just there to make your page look nicer– mark those as decorative. 
• Descriptions should be short (i.e. less than 240 characters) and straightforward. 
• If your image is a graph, infographic, or other complex content, it needs both a short and long description.  Discover information on writing alt text for complex images like data visualizations and more.
• Do not start your description with “image of” or “photo of”. 
  

How to Complete Alt Text Edits

• Try out this alt text generator from Arizona State University.
• Add alt text to images with Canvas.
• Add alt text to images with UDOIT.
• Add alt text to any images in PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat.
• Add alt text to any graphics in Microsoft 365 programs (i.e., Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.).

CTE video series: Alt tag Creation

What do videos need to be accessible?

Videos need to have closed captions in order to be considered accessible. It is preferred if a transcript with visual descriptions is also made available for each video, but captions are the best place to start!

Did you know that Kaltura has an automatic captioning feature available and viewers can download transcripts for themselves? 

Also known as MediaSpace and connected to My Media within Canvas, Kaltura is the media streaming platform integrated with Canvas here at the University of Utah. In other words: think YouTube, but just for the U! It is recommended that you use Kaltura to upload any videos to Canvas.  

Kaltura is simple to use, has an unlimited file size limit, and keeps your video resources private and safe from piracy. It also gives you more in-depth insight into whether your students are even watching them. 

You can upload your own files and also set Zoom recordings to automatically upload. You can even edit your videos online!  

While YouTube is a great platform to find great instructional videos for your courses, Kaltura is your best bet to ensure your videos are accessible– and the best part? You can import YouTube videos directly into Kaltura in just a few clicks! 

Make sure to review your video captions. Captions are autogenerated, so some words may be jumbled up or misspelled– you can edit captions for your video easily.

If you want to go above and beyond, these captions can then be used to generate a transcript. You can view the video transcript alongside the video in your browser, or download the transcript as a file.  

If you would like to add visual descriptions to your transcript file, check out these tips for writing descriptions from W3. You can then share this transcript with your students via Canvas! 

How to Complete Video Edits

• Upload a video for your course.
• Record Zoom meetings directly to Kaltura.
• Import a YouTube video.
• Edit your video on MediaSpace.
• Edit video captions.
• View the video transcript alongside your video as it plays.
• Download a transcript file.
• Write quality visual descriptions.

CTE Video Series: Video Captions + Transcripts

How can color be used accessibly?

Color is a great way to make your content look exciting, and can be helpful to organization tool. However, colors don't look exactly the same to everyone– so while color-coding content might work wonderfully for you, it might not always be the best method to communicate with your students.

That doesn't mean you can't use color! It should be used intentionally and appropriately. If you are hoping to add some color to your course, there are two rules to keep in mind:

1. Color cannot be used alone to convey information.

it’s important that learners with vision impairments or differences (e.g., color blindness) can still see and understand everything and those using assistive technologies don't miss important details.

2. Colors need to have an appropriate contrast ratio.

On average, it's best to aim for a 4.5:1 ratio between the text and background color. The contrast ratio is a comparison between the brightness of the lighter color and the brightness of the darker color:

1:1 ratio = No contrast, everything appears as the same color.

4.5:1 ratio = The lighter color is 4.5 times brighter than the darker color.

21:1 ratio = Maximum contrast, e.g., white text on a black background.

A few tips for when you add color to your Canvas course:

• Use consistent formatting throughout your content so the information students need is always in the same place.
• Use alternative text formatting options to emphasize text, like bold or italic font styles.
• If there is important text in any graphics you choose to include in your course, ensure you add quality alt text.
• Test your color palette for accessible combinations with:
  • Accessible Color Palette Builder
  • Viz Palette
  • Contrast Grid
• Test what it’s like to view your content through a color blindness simulator.

How to Complete Color Edits

• Use DesignPLUS to check and fix color contrast.
• Use UDOIT to check and fix color contrast.
• Check and fix text color contrast with Canvas.
• Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker to check contrast ratios for other content.
• Use the official University of Utah brand colors.

CTE Video Series: Color Contrast

What is text formatting?

When writing– whether it’s on a Canvas page or in a word processing software– using headers, lists, and other text formatting options is important to keep your writing organized, easy to read, and compatible with assistive tech tools.

Headers, like chapters in a book, help readers to navigate the text more easily– something very important for learners using screen reader applications.

Imagine… You are listening to an audio book. You aren’t sure you heard a paragraph correctly, and need to go back and listen to that single section to double check… However, in order to listen to that section again, you have to listen to the whole book from the start. What a pain!

For learners who use screen readers, formatting is essential. By using text formatting options like headers and lists, students using assistive tech can navigate through a page quickly, allowing them to jump to specific areas of content without needing to read the entire document.

Using text formatting options is also helpful to encourage all students to use effective scholarly reading strategies, like scanning and skimming texts to look for key topics, terms, and citations before close reading.

A few important things to keep in mind when it comes to text formatting:

• Making heading text (e.g., chapter titles, page sections, or subsections) bold, italic, or a larger font isn’t sufficient for screen readers to identify headings. Use the formatting options available in the toolbar in Canvas or any word processing software you are using. 
• Headings should be placed in numerical order. Your page should start with Heading 1 (H1, usually the title of the page), and subsequent headings should nest from there (e.g. H2, then H3, then H4, etc.).
• Do not choose what heading level to use based on visual style. You can always change the visual style of the heading, but your headings must be nested in the correct order.
• Use unordered lists (i.e., bullet points) when creating a list of related items that have no specific order.
• Use ordered lists (i.e., numbered list) when creating a list of related items that should be read in sequence.

How to Format Text

• Format headings and lists on a Canvas page.
• Format headings and lists in Microsoft 365 programs like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. 
• Fix headings in a table with UDOIT.
• Learn more about headings with Michigan State University.
• Learn more about lists with Michigan State University.

CTE Video Series: Text formatting

How should I format links and file names?

Hyperlinks allow us to weave together several sources of information, files, and tools online. Assistive tech tools can provide learners with a list of the links on a web page or document, making it simple to get to where the user needs to go quickly. To make sure this is possible though, links and file titles need to be descriptive!

A few tips for how to include accessible links and files in your content on Canvas and beyond:

• Ensure your link text makes sense out of context and clearly indicates what the link leads to. Avoid long URLs or phrases like “Click Here”, “Read More”, or “Link”.
• Retitle files that will be linked throughout your course with meaningful names. Create a naming protocol for your uploaded files when possible.
• Link titles should be descriptive and as concise as possible. While there is no minimum or maximum limit to how long link text can be, keeping it short is more user-friendly.
• Links should be visually identifiable. Links are generally underlined and in a different color– avoid changing the visual style of links (e.g., removing underline, making the text the same color as the rest of regular text) or changing the visual style of regular text to look like a link (e.g., underlining text, making the text red).

How to Edit Links & File Names

• Edit link text in Canvas.
• Edit link text with UDOIT.
• Edit link text in Microsoft 365 programs like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. 
• Retitle files in Canvas.
• Learn more about making links more accessible from Web Accessibility In Mind (WebAIM).

CTE Video Series: Links & File Names

What are PDF documents?

In most courses, educators provide reading or note-taking materials for students in Canvas– everything from academic articles to lecture slides. Many of these files are shared as Portable Document Files, or PDFs.

PDFs act like an interactive image of a printable page– they retain document layouts elements set in a word processing software (i.e., text styles, fonts, and graphics inserted in Word, PowerPoint, etc.) so users can view and use the same  file across different platforms. They’re convenient for many reasons: file sizes are small, they are easy to annotate, and they are compatible with almost any device! However, PDFs do not always work well with assistive technologies.

PDF documents are the most common filetype that flagged for accessibility issues. Fixing PDF documents to ensure they are compatible with assistive tools can also be a time-consuming, difficult process. So what should we do?

How do I ensure my PDF is accessible?

First, we recommend getting rid of any files that are not being actively used in your current course using TidyUp. Learn more about TidyUp from Digital Learning Technologies. If you are worried about losing any of these files for the future, create a copy of your course before getting started.

Once you've cleared things out, there are a few ways to fix your documents. The method depends on whether you created the document (e.g., lecture notes, slides, worksheets, etc.) or if it was created by someone else (e.g., textbooks, academic articles, etc.).

Content Published By Someone Else

If you are sharing a document that was not created by you, you have several options to check before you need to fix your PDFs on your own!

1. Start with the Marriott Library’s Course Materials.
   1. The Marriott Library Course Reserve services are now offered through Course Materials, powered by Leganto. Course Materials allows you to connect library owned content directly to your Canvas course, request the purchase of new material, and seamlessly include external resources into one list that you can link to your weekly modules and assignments in Canvas.
   2. For further questions, contact your Course Librarian or reach out to Rachel Haisley at rachel.haisley@utah.edu. 
2. Search for alternative digital formats online.
   1. There are many files available via Open Educational Resource (OER) libraries online. Search for higher quality files available online and learn more about OER from the Marriott Library.
3. Use UDoIt in Canvas to convert the file to a Canvas page.
   1. Learn all about UDoIt and the full CidiLabs Accessibility Suite from Digital Learning Technologies.
4. Use UDoIt in Canvas to replace it with a new accessible version.
   1. Learn all about UDoIt and the full CidiLabs Accessibility Suite from Digital Learning Technologies.
5. Edit the document yourself.
   1. First, try to get a good scanned copy of the content. That old, grainy scan of a book with coffee stains, hand-written notes in the margins, and dog-eared pages will be difficult to fix! If you can get a clear scan, half the battle is complete. Try using the scanners available at the Marriott Library!
   2. Edit your document using Adobe Acrobat, a PDF document viewing and editing tool. It can be used to make PDFs meet common accessibility standards using some of the tools in the program. Learn about all of the accessibility editing tools built into Acrobat.
   3. Adobe Acrobat can be challenging to get started with. If you cannot fix certain elements in your document, contact Digital Learning Technologies at classhelp@utah.edu for hands-on assistance.

Original Content

1. Use UDoIt in Canvas to convert the file to a Canvas page.
   1. Learn all about UDoIt and the full CidiLabs Accessibility Suite from Digital Learning Technologies.
2. Ensure your original Word or PowerPoint file has been edited for accessibility.
   1. Add alt text to all graphic elements, use color appropriately, format text elements properly, include links with descriptive titles, and title the file itself appropriately. Follow all of the advice shared in the sections above to get started!
3. Post the original Word or PowerPoint file directly to Canvas.
   1. Students can download alternative file types (e.g., PDFs) themselves that will retain any accessibility edits you completed in the original program by using Ally.
4. If you choose to post a PDF, use UDoIt in Canvas to replace it with a new accessible version.
   1. Learn all about UDoIt and the full CidiLabs Accessibility Suite from Digital Learning Technologies.
5. Check it via Adobe Acrobat before uploading to Canvas.
   1. Learn how to use the Accessibility Checker in Adobe Acrobat Pro. If you cannot fix certain elements in your document, contact Digital Learning Technologies at classhelp@utah.edu for hands-on assistance.

How to Complete PDF Edits

• Learn how to improve course accessibility using the CidiLabs Accessibility Suite
• Discover the best practices for improving different file types from Digital Learning Technologies:
  • Overview & Best Practices for Improving Accessibility of Word Documents
  • How to Use the Accessibility Checker in Microsoft Word
  • Overview & Best Practices for Improving Accessibility of PDF Documents
  • How to Use the Accessibility Checker in Adobe Acrobat Pro
  • Overview & Best Practices for Improving Accessibility of PowerPoints
  • How to Use the Accessibility Checker in Microsoft PowerPoint
• Learn about all of the accessibility editing tools built into Acrobat.
• Use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to make text selectable.
• Check out a walkthrough of updating a PDF in Acrobat.
• Discover how to clean up a poorly scanned document.
• Learn more about document structure, tagging, and how to tag a table.

In the final rule updating Title II requirements for digital content, the Department of Justice identified a variety of limited situations in which content is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

For educators, these exceptions include:

• Content that is kept as part of an archive;
  • These materials are kept only for reference and records and are clearly designated as archival (e.g., courses from prior semesters). This exception only applies to content added to a Canvas course before April 26th, 2026.
• Content provided by students, and;
  • Student submissions are not required to meet WCAG requirements.
• Content for individual users.
  • This includes private materials provided to specific users (e.g., assignment feedback, lesson planning documents shared between co-teachers).

There are additional exceptions outlined that apply more directly to other public entities. Learn more about all of the Title II exceptions from the Department of Justice.

This is only one interpretation of these exceptions, not legal advice. Please contact the Department of Justice’s ADA Information Line or search the ADA National Network resources for further information.

"If I add alt text to this image, I'll be giving away answers to an essential exam question. How do I write appropriate alt text?"

Consider: Is this question essential for a student to demonstrate their knowledge of a topic? Is there a better way to construct the question that doesn't involve an image like this? Ensure you are using the right assessment strategy first!

• Exemplary Cases
  • An anatomy instructor includes a question on an exam that asks students to label different bones of the skeleton.
  • An economics instructor includes a complex graph on an exam question and asks students to interpret the graph.

Assuming the question is pedagogically sound for your discipline and course level, there are two options:

• Keep the alt text vague (e.g., “bones in a leg”, “bar graph of projected policy impact on gross GDP”), or
• Provide a disclaimer in the alt tag that asks students to contact the instructor/TA/LA if they are unable to see the image (e.g., “If you are having trouble seeing this image, contact your instructor”).

"If I write notes on a whiteboard in class and post a photo to Canvas afterward, do I need to provide screen reader compatible version?"

If instructors choose to provide handwritten notes or solutions for students, there's a few other questions that need to be addressed to determine whether these need to be tagged and made fully WCAG compliant:

• Is this document from an in-person class session or is this for an online course?
  • If In-Person: Proceed to next question.
  • If Online: Yes, it is required to be made fully WCAG compliant (i.e., typed text, text formatting options are used, images have alt text, etc.).
• Are students being introduced to a new topic in these notes, or is this a topic covered in other course resources?
  • If this topic is covered in other resources: Proceed to next question.
  • If a new topic is introduced in these notes: Yes, it is required to be made fully WCAG compliant.
• Do you plan to use these documents again for another class in the future, or is this just being provided as a record of what was discussed in class?
  • If you plan to use them again: Yes, it is required to be made fully WCAG compliant.
  • If these are just meant to record class activities or for study use only: These documents may qualify as archival documentation. If you do choose to share handwritten notes digitally, posting them in an announcement or a direct email message to students is preferred. This clearly denotes that the file is intended as an archival document associated with a specific time period in the course.

The short answer as far as we are aware: Yes, instructors can continue to provide "as-is" images/PDFs of handwritten notes, but only under certain circumstances.

Pedagogically, handwritten text primarily becomes a problem when the only way material is presented is through an image (i.e., how students encounter most materials in an online course). It is not necessarily best practice to provide handwritten notes alone, just in case these notes do end up being reused or posted for an online section of the course in the future. 

These sorts of resources are very valuable to students for their learning. We do not want to discourage instructors from providing notes to students. With that, it’s equally important that we are meeting ADA demands, and formats or delivery methods may need to change. CTE is working to find further legal guidance on this question to ensure we provide the most accurate information possible.

Have you come across a complicated issue not listed here?

If you have questions about the Title II requirements as they apply to your course content, contact cte@utah.edu.

For questions or help using digital tools to fix your content, contact classhelp@utah.edu.

Canvas accessibility is just the start to building an accessible classroom. Interested in learning more?

CTE has a variety of recommended strategies and teaching techniques that can help you set up your students for success! Two methods we highly recommend digging into:

• Universal Design for Learning
  • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a teaching framework that supports learner autonomy while maintaining the same learning outcome expectations for all students in the classroom.
• Transparent Teaching
  • The Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework provides a foundation for classroom communication that will help you to improve learner motivation, understanding, and success.