Accessible instructional materials are key to enacting the University’s mission of promoting a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. By ensuring instructional materials are accessible, faculty help promote EDIB within their teaching, and create an equitable learning environment that benefits all students.
ITS Universal Design Services, the University Library, and CETL have partnered to offer faculty an easy to use, no-cost service to make their digital instructional materials accessible. With the click of a button, faculty may request accessible instructional material support for their Canvas course content. Digital files are made accessible so that all students have equal access to course instructional materials—fundamental for student success. This includes Microsoft Office files (e.g. docx and pptx), PDFs, and video. It's easy! Simply select a specific Canvas course to receive support, and accessible versions of digital documents will be created.
8 Steps to a More Accessible Course
WHAT: Create your course syllabus directly in Canvas as a Canvas Page.
WHY: Canvas Page content is often more accessible than a PDF copy of your syllabus. It also saves time, as revisions can be made directly in Canvas. No need to create a PDF and uploaded the revised file.
HOW:
WHAT: Provide multiple avenues for students to access required readings, including downloading a PDF or viewing the full text in their web browser.
Reading Lists allow instructors to search and add content from library OneSearch, databases, the internet, and upload instructor-owned files. Instructors can track student engagement with course materials stored in Reading List.
WHY: A full text online option is often more accessible than a PDF file.
HOW:
WHAT: Use TidyUP in Canvas to quickly identify and clean up unused content in your course. This includes duplicate files.
Scan your course, download copies of all content for safekeeping, then delete unused content all from within TidyUP.
WHY: A decluttered course is easier to make accessible. Whether asking for help or doing it yourself, focus on improving content currently in use.
HOW:
WHAT: Upload video or create new recordings with Panopto (video tool inside Canvas). Panopto offers closed captioning tools to ensure media is accessible.
WHY: All video uploaded or created in Panopto receives machine-generated captions. With minor edits, these captions can be made more accurate.
HOW:
Have a long video or need to caption a Youtube clip? Visit the ITS Accessibility webpage to learn more about accessible audio and video. You can submit a closed captioning request (bottom of page) to have human-generated captions created for you.
WHAT: As you create content directly in Canvas using the Rich Content Editor (RCE), ensure it's accessible. This includes text or images added to Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, and Pages.
WHY: The RCE features simple and straightforward tools to create accessible text and images. The RCE prompts you to add alt-text, suggests accessible colors for text, and features an accessibility Checker to determine if page content is accessible.
HOW:
WHAT: As you create or update content in Microsoft Office, ensure it's accessible. This includes popular content types such as Word Documents and PowerPoint Presentations.
WHY: Microsoft Office content is widely used. While less easy to use than the Canvas Rich Content Editor, Office provides tools and methods to ensure content is accessible.
HOW:
Read: Make Your Word Documents Accessible (Microsoft)
Watch: Create More Accessible Word Documents (Microsoft)
Read: Make Your PowerPoint Presentations Accessible (Microsoft)
Watch: Create More Accessible PowerPoint Presentations (Microsoft)
Visit the ITS Accessibility webpage for an in depth guide to making your Office documents more accessible.
WHAT: Submit digital files or video clips to ITS for remediation. ITS staff can fix PDF files where a source file (Word Doc) is not available. Video is sent out to professional captioning service.
WHY: Complex digital accessibility tasks are best left to professional staff. This saves you time, but also ensures materials are made accessible correctly and efficiently.
HOW:
WHAT: Use Ally to help identify inaccessible files and images. Ally is an Accessibility awareness tool integrated into Canvas.
WHY: Quickly see a complete report of all accessibility issues in your course. Fix issues directly via the report or determine whether to request ITS assistance.
HOW:
CETL offers the Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Workshop several times a semester for all faculty as a part of the TEACH program. To complete the workshop, (1) instructors attend a live webinar and then (2) submit a deliverable, namely a Syllabus with Heading Styles.
Please check our latest workshops and register for the Accessible Instructional Materials Workshop if available.
Accessible All-Stars
Faculty & Staff Showcase
Over 170 faculty and staff have worked with ITS Universal Design Services, the University Library, and CETL to ensure their instructional materials are accessible.
- Pau Abustan, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- Hsin-Fu Chiu, Modern Languages & Literatures
- Harry Conley, Arts and Letters
- Elizabeth Corzo-Duchardt, TV, Film, and Media Studies
- Dustin Garnet, Art
- Irene Grau, Communication Studies
- Rasha Hannouche, Communication Studies
- Fredrick Hess, English
- Katherine Howard, Philosophy
- Chelsea Johnson, English
- Patricia Kilroy, Music
- Kate Kurtin, Communication Studies
- Nidhin Maheshbhai Patel, TV, Film, and Media Studies
- Julie Matos, Communication Studies
- Aya Nakagoshi, Liberal Studies
- Judy Ann Olson, English
- Lori Rusch, Art
- Melissa Saywell, Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Alicia Tycer, Theatre Arts
- Jeannette Vaught, Liberal Studies
- Elaine Wittenberg, Communication Studies
- Cezhan Ambrose, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Jeffrey Anderson, Marketing
- Andre Avramchuk, Business
- LiHsueh Chen, Economics & Statistics
- Anwesha Choudhury, Management
- Seongwon Choi, Management
- Edan Epstein, Business
- Sandor Ferencz, Economics & Statistics
- David Gadish, Computer Information Systems
- Nanda Ganesan, Computer Information Systems
- Ron Glickman, Management
- Mohammad Hashemi Joo, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Haihong He, Accounting
- Rui (Shelly) Hu, Accounting
- Mine Ucok Hughes, Marketing
- Susan Khoee, Computer Information Systems
- Daniel Lee, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Dong-Woo Lee, Accounting
- Bo Li, Management
- Asia Lockett, Marketing
- Marco Martinez Del Angel, Economics & Statistics
- Ovanes Hovik Mikaelian, Computer Information Systems
- Arjun Mitra, Management
- Neda Mossaei, Marketing
- Haejung (Audrie) Na, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Carlin Nguyen, Marketing
- Daniel Razmjou, Computer Information Systems
- James Refalo, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Sunil Sapra, Economics & Statistics
- Brandon Shamim, Management
- Parkev Tatevosian, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Maryam Tofighi, Marketing
- BingBing Wang, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Ming Wang, Computer Information Systems
- Jan Weissman, Computer Information Systems
- Fu-Jung (Anne) Wu, Management
- Song Xing, Computer Information Systems
- Jong Yi, Finance, Law & Real Estate
- Angela Young, Management
- Eric Young, Economics & Statistics
- Lijuan Zhao, Accounting
- Joanna Zhao, Accounting
- Toby Baker, Curriculum and Instruction
- Gina Chavez, Special Education and Counseling
- Dolores Delgado Bernal, Educational Foundation
- Anne Haga, Special Education
- Erica Hamilton, Curriculum and Instruction
- Judy (Yunzhen) Huang, Special Education & Counseling
- Deborah Mi Oh, Applied & Advanced Studies in Education
- Frank Olmos, Applied & Advanced Studies in Education
- Kimberly Perry, Applied & Advanced Studies in Education
- Ambika Raj, Curriculum and Instruction
- Jennifer Symon, Special Education and Counseling
- Miguel Zavala, Curriculum and Instruction
- Lili Zhou, Curriculum and Instruction
- Syed Ahmed, Civil Engineering
- Kamyar Khashayar, Mechanical Engineering
- Maryam Nazari, Civil Engineering
- Khosrow Rad, Electrical & Computer Engineering
- Michael Thomas, Technology
- Yuqing Zhu, Computer Science
- Maria Ambriz, Chicana(o) Latina(o) Studies
- Joanna Flores, Chicana(o) Latina(o) Studies
- Elizabeth Alvarez, Criminal Justice & Criminalistics
- Trishmonisha Blagdon, Communication Disorders
- Dwan Bridges, Kinesiology
- Todd Chamberlain, Criminal Justice
- Andrew Cornwell, Kinesiology
- Rakel Delevi, Child & Family Studies
- Suzanne Elizondo, Nutrition and Food Science
- Gabriel Ferreyra-Orozco, Criminal Justice
- Kelly Field, Child Development
- Colleen Friend, Social Work
- Allison Fuligni, Child & Family Studies
- Stephen Gonzalez, Kinesiology
- Kimberly Gottesman, Nutrition and Food Science
- Kathryn Amanda Hillstrom, Nutrition and Food Science
- Beth Hoffman, Public Health
- Peter Ivory, Communication Disorders
- Joanna Karczewska, Social Work
- Anureet Kaur, Kinesiology
- Claudia Kouyoumdjian, Child & Family Studies
- Shichun Ling, Criminal Justice & Criminalistics
- YaFen Lo, Child & Family Studies
- Robin Marbelle, Child & Family Studies
- Minas Michikyan, Child & Family Studies
- Jessica Morales-Chicas, Child & Family Studies
- Michele Nicolo, Nutrition and Food Science
- Mae Pang, Kinesiology
- Jorge Ramirez, Child & Family Studies
- Joshua Ruffin, Criminal Justice & Criminalistics
- Bill Sanders, Criminal Justice & Criminalistics
- Elaine Schneider, Kinesiology
- Cheryl Simmons, Kinesiology
- James Simon, Social Work
- Daisy Torres, Child & Family Studies
- Leonor Vazquez, Child & Family Studies
- Leslie Vasquez, Child & Family Studies
- Apryl Vines, Kinesiology
- Tracy Webb, Criminal Justice
- Su Jeong Wee, Child & Family Studies
- Wook Yang, Child & Family Studies
- Aaron Zaima, Social Work
- Jared Abbott, Political Science
- Lauren Arenson, Sociology
- Okezie Aruoma, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Ousmane Ba, Mathematics
- Beth Felice Baker-Cristales, Anthropology
- Vagik Babakhanian, Psychology
- Michael Baum, Psychology
- Jessica Bodoh-Creed, Anthropology
- Jessica Bremner, Geography, Geology, and Environment
- Jennifer Curren, History
- Serj Danielian, Biological Sciences
- Dawn Dennis, History
- Katie Dingeman, Sociology
- Christopher Endy, History
- Gaithri Fernando, Psychology
- Eileen Ford, History
- Richard Groper, Political Science
- Angelique Hamane, Geography, Geology, and Environment
- Analena Hassberg, Sociology
- Soo Mee Kim, Sociology
- Sharona Krinsky, Mathematics
- Libby Lewis, Sociology
- Lisa Lugo, Biological Sciences
- Sui Wing Man, Mathematics
- Herwick Mok, Physics & Astronomy
- Felicia Montes, Latin American Studies
- Susana Morales, Latin American Studies
- Wei Jun Pan, Physics & Astronomy
- Joyce Parga, Anthropology
- Hyunsook Park, Biological Sciences
- Shakila Rahman, Biological Sciences
- Heidi Riggio, Psychology
- Richard Peter Ramirez, Political Science
- Brenda Rounds, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Tina Salmassi, Biological Sciences
- Tanya Sanabria, Sociology
- Tatev Sarkissyan, Psychology
- James Christian Sera, Anthropology
- Quichen Tu, Psychology
- Mircea Voda, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Yixian Wang, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Robert Weide, Sociology
- Mark Wild, History
- Sasha Wright, Biology
- Dong Zhang, Chemistry & Biochemistry
- Dong Zhou, Mathematics
- Bridgid Fennell, Library & Information Science
- Jeannette Vaught, Library & Information Science
FAQs
ITS Universal Design Services, the University Library, and CETL have partnered to offer faculty an easy to use, no-cost service to make their digital instructional materials accessible. With the click of a button, faculty may request accessible instructional material support for their Canvas course content. Digital files are made accessible so that all students have equal access to course instructional materials.
It's easy! Simply select a specific Canvas course to receive support, and accessible versions of digital documents will be created.
Accessible instructional materials are key to enacting the University’s mission of promoting a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. By ensuring your materials are accessible, you help promote EDIB within your teaching, and create an equitable learning environment that benefits all students.
As you teach your course, you may use PowerPoints, Word documents, PDFs, and instructional videos. These materials can be made more accessible by providing all students multiple means of representing the content, such as images with text-based descriptions (alt-text), videos with accurate closed captioning, and readable PDFs.
When you make your digital files accessible, you show your commitment to promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in their teaching to benefit all students. This makes you an Accessible All-Star!
Faculty who complete their course remediation will be recognized on our website Showcase page, will receive a digital badge, and will be encouraged to include their achievement in their RTP dossier. We encourage you to visit this website, learn more about the initiative, and see your colleagues who have become Accessible All-Stars.
You can request your course digital files be made accessible—with the click of a button!
-
You request remediation via the online form to start the no-cost service.
-
CETL staff will make a copy of your Canvas course.
-
ITS staff will work in this copied course to inventory and make files accessible.
-
Import this new accessible content into your next Canvas course when you teach.
NOTE: To ensure our initiative has the greatest impact, we are prioritizing Fall 2024 courses where a student has requested an accessible media accommodation. You will receive a notification email if you’re scheduled to teach one of the priority courses.
If you’re notified, here’s how to take advantage of this professional support service to make accessible versions of your course content. How it works:
-
Review the email notification: you’ll need to know the prioritized course.
-
From the email, access the short online form to request the no-cost service (the email notification will contain a special link, unique to each faculty/course).
-
In the form, provide a link to the Canvas course containing content you plan to use in Fall 2024.
-
ITS, Library, and CETL staff will work to enhance the accessibility of digital content contained in the Canvas course.
-
You’ll be notified after course content is accessible.
-
Later this year, as you get ready to teach, use the accessible version of the course to copy into your Fall 2024 course shell.
If you do not receive an email notification, you can still be part of our AIM for Student Success Initiative:
-
Learn more about the AIM for Student Success Initiative.
-
Request support for a smaller batch of files anytime using the Single Document Remediation Request form.
-
Sign up for the Accessible Instructional Materials webinar.
-
Learn more about the Ally Accessibility report inside your Canvas course.
-
Share this information with colleagues and encourage your chair to discuss at department meetings.
When you have remediated your course, share this success with your students! We encourage you to promote the work you have done to make your course equitable and accessible. Some points you may want to share with your students include:
-
All PPTs, Word Documents, and PDFs will be readable by screen readers.
-
All images have Alt-text that describe images for students using screen reader..
-
The Ally tool in Canvas can give students alternative formats of instructional materials—including e-book, electronic braille, and audio versions. Students can learn about Ally and use the best version to help them in your class.