The Seven Pillars of Accessibility
Alternative Text
Only through alternative text, or alt text, can non-visual viewers access visual content.
If the image is important to the course content, then include alt text. In one or two sentences, describe the essential meaning of the image. If the image is decorative, then mark it as such.
- E.g., Before you begin researching, read Brown’s LibGuide about strategies for improving your search.
- Descriptive Hyperlink Text - Source: Harvard University
Use High Contrast Colors
Users with color deficiencies and those using screen readers require high color contrast to adequately understand the information being conveyed. Colors for text and images of text need a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1. If the text is large (14 point and bolded, or 18 point regular and larger), then a 3:1 ratio is needed. This does not apply to decorative images/
Color alone should not be used to convey meaning, organization, or emphasis (e.g., use text meaning or complementary visual representation in association with high contrast color).
- Color Contrast Checker - Source: WebAim
- Design for Color Blindness - Source: University of Wisconsin
Heading Styles
Use headings when formatting text on a page. Headings create a logical outline on the page that allows screen readers to easily navigate content. Headings also make it easier for users to scan content.
- Headings - Source: Web Accessibility Initiative
Descriptive Links
Link text should accurately describe the link. This ensures users accessing page content through a screen reader know where a link will take them.You should also assign a descriptive phrase to document links, removing the file extension from the link in the process.
- Descriptive Links and Hypertext - Source: Section508.gov
Lists
When making lists, use the built-in Canvas Rich Content Editor to do so. Do not create lists by typing numbers, dashes, or asterisks. This may visually resemble a list to sighted users, but screen readers will not be able to interpret this formatting as a list. The Rich Content Editor allows you to format lists using proper html formatting.
Tables
Likewise, use the built-in Canvas Rich Text Editor when creating tables. But only use tables when presenting structured data – not for layout or formatting purposes. Using tables to format images or other page content confuses screen readers. Therefore tables should have structured data with clear column headers.
- How do I insert a table using the Rich Content Editor? - Source: Instructure Community
Closed Captions
All audio should contain transcripts and all videos should have high-quality captions.
- Enable Automatic Captions in Panopto - Source: Brown University
Additional Considerations
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Ensure that file formats are accessible (e.g., PDF, Word, PPT)
- Files shared with students must be accessible to all students. Provide standard formats and use accessibility checking software when creating files, where possible.
- Consider using a document conversion tool like SensusAccess to improve existing files and produce alternative formats.
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Creating Accessible Content - Source: National Center on Disability and Access to Education
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Check that information is organized consistently and accessibly
- Consider the use of headers to organize information.
- Text should be appropriately sized (12pt. or above).
- Tables should be accessible and used for data and not formatting/layout.
- Make navigational structures like lists easy to use and ensure they are formatted as list styles.
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Provide multiple means for accessing and engaging with content
- Offer students choice and autonomy about how they can acquire information and actively participate in their learning (e.g., written, audio, and/or video).
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The UDL Guidelines - Source: CAST
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Provide information in a logical flow
- Use familiar language rather than obscure, decontextualized language
- Consistently and clearly communicate expectations for student engagement and production of work.
Accessibility Tools
If you are unsure if your course meets basic accessibility standards, then consider using one of the following digital accessibility tools Brown makes available to instructors.
Canvas Accessibility Checker
Canvas has an inbuilt accessibility checker. When editing a page, look to the lower right-hand corner of the text editor; you'll see an icon of a person surrounded by a circle The image below shows you where the checker is located.
If you'd like to meet with a designer or technologist to go over accessibility best practices, you can sign up for a consultation.
SensusAccess for Document Conversion
To convert PDFs and other document types to alternative formats, or make them more accessible, you can use Brown’s SensusAccess tool.
The service allows anyone at Brown to convert inaccessible documents (e.g. image-based PDFs, JPEG photos, PowerPoint presentations) into more accessible formats. It uses optical-character recognition (OCR) to make texts searchable, selectable, and screen-reader friendly.
The service can also be used to automatically convert documents into a range of alternate media including audiobooks, e-books, and digital Braille. In your course, you can choose to provide alternative formats on your own, or highlight this resource for students in case they would like to generate alternative formats that best suit their learning style.
To use the tool, visit the SensusAccess page and scroll to the Use SensusAccess section. To learn about the tool and accessibility best practices, visit the SensusAccess E-Learning Course.
In addition to these tools, Canvas also offers an accessibility checker of its own.
Additional Resources:
- Canvas Accessibility Checker - Source: Instructure
- Accessibility within Canvas - Source: Instructure
- Inclusive Approaches to Support Students - Source: Brown University
- Inclusive Teaching in an Open Curriculum - Source: Brown University
- WAVE Webpage Accessibility Checker - Source: WebAim