Canvas Accessibility

W3C- World Wide Web Consortium

World Wide Web Consortium, an international community that works together to develop web standards

WCAG- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

The international standard set by the W3C for web content accessibility that meets the needs of individuals, organizations, and governments.

ADA- Americans with Disability Act

The Americans with Disability Act prohibits discrimination based on disability.

Section 508- Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires federal agencies (including higher education institutions that receive federal funding) to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.

Section 504- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits federal agencies (including higher education institutions that receive federal funding), programs, or activities from discriminating and requires reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.

VPAT- Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is a document which evaluates how accessible a particular product is according to the Section 508 standards.

A11Y- Accessibility

This abbreviation for accessibility uses the number 11 in reference to the number of letters omitted between the A and the Y.

AT- Assistive technology

Assistive technology is the products, equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities.

UD- Universal Design

Universal Design is the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood, and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability, or disability.

Users must be able to perceive the information being presented. It can't be invisible to all of their senses.

How this is achieved

• Add alt text to images and visuals
  • Include clear and concise alternative "alt" text attributes for all relevant images and graphics appearing on your site.
• Close caption videos and provide transcripts for audio
  • Caption all video. YouTube has very useful built in captioning tools.
• Provide sufficient color contrast between text and backgrounds
  • Ensure you provide sufficient color contrast for text. WCAG 2.0 (Level AA) requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for regular text and 3:1 for large text (18pt or 24px) or bold, larger text (14pt or 18.5px).
  • Ensure you provide sufficient color contrast for graphics. WCAG 2.0 (Level AA) requires a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 for graphics.
  • Use tools such as WebAIM's free contrast checker to ensure your content is compliant.

Users must be able to operate the interface and navigation. The interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform.

How this is achieved

• Provide clear structure with properly marked headings
  • Make sure you using H-tags to properly organize the content of your pages.
  • See the Editing Standards and Guidelines page for instructions and examples.
• Create descriptive links that make sense out of context
  • Use concise, descriptive text in links. You should be able to understand what content you will see when you click on the link by only reading the link itself, without reading any surrounding copy. Avoid using "Click Here" or "Read More".

Users must be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface. The content or operation cannot be beyond their understanding.

How this is achieved

• Clarify expectations through clear directions and models
• Follow conventions to ensure a predictable and consistent experience
  • Use standard naming conventions in pages and features
• Use plain language

Users must be able to access the content as technologies advance. As technologies and user agents evolve, the content should remain accessible.

How this is achieved

• Perform an accessibility check with tools such as;
  • WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
  • Siteimprove Accessibility Checker
• Perform basic assistive technology testing with tools such as the Web Disability Simulator.

Why use Alternative Text

Alternative text describes the appearance of an image on your Canvas page. A short description is provided when you click on or hover over an image. By using alt text, all students have equal access to the image’s descriptions, especially with screen readers. It is important to add the alt text description or add it as a decorative section because the screen readers will interpret the content of the page.

Follow this guide to add alternative text in Canvas

Here is a brief how-to video.

Use Descriptive Text for Links in Canvas

When adding a web link or document link to a Canvas page, use descriptive text and attach the link to meaningful text. For example, instead of using generic text like "click here" or "read more," a descriptive text link might say "Learn more about web accessibility guidelines" or "Download the PDF report on climate change." These examples provide a clear idea of the linked content, making it easier for users to navigate and find the information they need.

By using descriptive text links, you make your content more accessible to a broader audience, including users with disabilities, and create a better user experience overall.

Follow this link for directions on creating descriptive text for links in Canvas

Here is a brief how-to video.

Why Use Headings

Headings are an important part of making your content accessible on Canvas. With headers placed properly on your page, the content is easier to read and understand. If you are creating sections on your page, the proper approach is to format the section headings. Headers provide the screen readers with organized and meaningful text that will help the student to orient themselves with the content and navigate the course effectively.

Follow this guide to create headings in Canvas

Here is a brief how-to video.

Why Use Video Captions

Making online videos accessible is essential for ensuring that everyone, including those with disabilities, can access the content. Captions provide accurate captions or subtitles for your videos. This helps people who are deaf or hard of hearing understand the dialogue and other audio elements. You can add captions manually or use automatic transcription services, but always remember to review and edit them for accuracy.

• Follow this link to learn about using captions in Canvas Studio.
• Follow this link to learn about using captions in Microsoft Stream.

Here are brief how-to videos for Canvas Studio and Stream.

Why use Accessible Tables

Use tables do display sortable or categorized data and information. Tables may not be accessible for a variety of reasons, the most common is improper formatting. To ensure accessibility, all tables should have a descriptive caption above the table itself, there should be a designated header row, and never merge cells.

Follow this link to learn about creating accessible tables

Here is a brief how-to video.