Learn About

The importance of using structural markup for section headings.
The importance of providing alternative text descriptions for images.
Guidelines for creating alternative text descriptions.
The importance of providing transcripts for audio content and captions for media.
Guidelines for creating transcripts for audio content and use in captioning media.

The Canvas Rich Content Editor is a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor that you and your students can use to create everything from simple text documents to rich media productions.

Ensure your course site and materials are accessible.
Share information and resources on accesibility with your students.
encourage your students to complete assignments with accessibility in mind.

Headings

When a visual user looks at a page, they most often look for blocks or chunks of information identified by a heading. It is essential that text or images to be used as headings be inserted as… well, Headings.

Use the paragraph Style menu to assign a heading style to selected text.
- Use level 2 heading tags <h2> to indicate each main section of the document.
- Use level 3 heading tags <h3> to indicate sub-sections.
- Use level 4 <h4>heading tags to indicate sub-sub-sections.
Do not use heading styles as a means of controlling font characteristics.

Creating Headings in Canvas

A heading is created by applying a paragraph style to selected text in the Rich Content Editor. So, just how do I style text content in the Rich Content Editor you're wondering.

Select the text you wish to use as a heading.
Select the Paragraph Drop-down Menu.
Choose the appropriate heading 2, heading 3, or heading 4 style.
Click the Save button.

Images

Screen readers, language translation applications, speech recognition systems and search engines are incapable of interpreting an image and identifying or reporting the information it is intended to convey. An alternative text description, also known as an alt attribute, must be included in the image specification in order to be accessible to users of adaptive technology and other applications. Images with missing, incorrect, or generally poor alternative text pose significant access barriers.

Guidelines for Creating an Alt Attribute

Be accurate — convey the information or function represented by the image.
Be succinct — do not burden screen reader and text-to-speech application users with listening to large amounts of text.
Images with detailed or complex information — such as diagrams, charts, tables and similar materials — should be described in the adjacent page content or use the image as a link to a separate page with a detailed description.
Avoid being redundant in either the alt attribute or in the page content.
Avoid the use of phrases such as "image of ..." or "graphic of ..." — most users will be aware that an image is present, either by visual observation or as informed by their adaptive technology.

Adding Alternative Text for Images

New Images

Click the Embed Image icon.
Add appropriate descriptive text to the alt text field.
Click Update.

Existing Images

Click the image.
Click the Embed Image icon.
Add appropriate descriptive text to the alt text field.
Click Update.

New or Uploaded Media

Just as alternative text provides access to images for users who are blind or low vision, transcripts and captioning are essential in providing access to users who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Captions may also be helpful to students whose native language is not that in which the course is being taught. And what about those students reviewing your course materials…

Transcripts can be searched, audio files cannot!
Captions won’t wake up sleeping dorm/apartment mates!

Of course, accessible media content is no good if the player isn’t accessible. The Canvas default media recorder/uploader function, as well as the YouTube and Vimeo LTI tools, support captioning and are keyboard navigable.

Audio

Accompany a link to an audio file with a link to the corresponding transcript.
Include notes regarding music, sounds, sound-effects and other non-verbal information.

Video

You can use Amara, a free and easy to use subtitle editor, to caption videos you record in Canvas. Follow the steps in the Canvas guide "How do I add captions to new or uploaded videos in Canvas as an instructor?"

Guidelines for Captioning

Ensure caption text is accurate and properly synchronized.
Include information regarding music, sounds, sound-effects and other non-verbal information.

Complex Media

Extra diligence should be exercised to ensure accessibility when using multiple media types concurrently and when media is used in quizzes. Follow the relevant accessibility strategies outlined in the previous sections of this page.

Additional Quiz Considerations

Limit the use of timed responses and make adjustments for individuals with disabilities as necessary.
Use standard response elements — text entry fields, radio buttons, checkboxes and drop down lists.
Do not use response elements that require the use of a mouse (drag-n-drop).

Quick Check

1. Heading styles should NOT be used in which of the following ways?

Use a heading with the desired appearance to style text.

Correct.

Use level 2 headings to indicate each main section of the document.

Incorrect; try again!

Use level 3 headings to indicate sub-sections.

Incorrect; try again!

Use level 4 headings to indicate sub-sub-sections.

Incorrect; try again!

2. Images with missing, incorrect, or generally poor alternative text pose significant access barriers.

True

Correct.

False

Incorrect; try again!

3. Transcripts and captioning are essential in providing access to audio and multimedia content for users who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

True

Correct.

False

Incorrect; try again!

4. Which of the following are NOT best practices for quizzes?

Limit the use of timed responses and make adjustments for individuals with disabilities as necessary.

Incorrect; try again!

Use standard response elements — text entry fields, radio buttons, checkboxes and drop down lists.

Incorrect; try again!

Use response elements that require the use of a mouse (drag-n-drop).

Correct.

5. Captioning may be helpful to all but one of the following non-hearing impaired users. Which one does not benefit?

Students whose native language is not that in which the course is being taught.

Incorrect; try again!

Students attempting to access the multimedia content while driving.

Correct.

Students attempting to access the multimedia content in an environment where noise must be kept to a minimum.

Incorrect; try again!

Students attempting to access the multimedia content in a noisy environment.

Incorrect; try again!