Accessibility Checklist

How to Use this Checklist

If you are building a new course site, review these recommendations before you start, as many of them are easy to implement as you go. If you are importing content from a previous course, read through this list and consider what elements are present in your Canvas course, and how you can retrofit the content to make it as accessible as possible. Many of the checklist items are hyperlinked to instructions to help you implement the recommendations in Canvas.

It might not seem necessary to use HTML formatting tools like headers, alt text, and table properties. However, these "hidden" attributes to convey important information to your students. For example, alt text is the only information visually impaired people have about images and diagrams, and people who have reading challenges depend on headings to organize content into groups of related ideas.

This list might seem daunting, but many of the recommendations are simple to implement and some you may already be doing. Once you start building with accessibility in mind, it will get easier to maintain a streamlined, efficient, digitally accessible course.

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Canvas Course Site Accessibility Checklist

These recommendations support the Digital Accessibility Policy in effect September 2021.

Download a PDF version Download Download a PDF version of this checklist.

Headings

• Heading text should accurately describe sectional content Links to an external site..
• Text designated as headers should be set using the Style heading tags (H1 - H6) Links to an external site..
• Arrange headings in order – H3 headings under H2, H4 headings under H3, and so on.
• Use headers to break content up into logical sections.

Images

• Add Alt Text to photos and other images Links to an external site. including diagrams and math equations.
  • If you included an image for visual emphasis or decoration, check the Decorative Image box when entering Alt Text. This tells screen reader software to skip over the image, and not describe it.
• Write Alt Text that describes what’s important in the image Links to an external site..
• If the image contains text, repeat the text exactly in the Alt Text description or adjacent content.

Lists

• Create unordered and ordered lists (bulleted and numbered) by using list features in the rich content editor toolbar. Links to an external site.
• Insert a lead phrase or sentence to introduce the list.

Links

• Give every link meaningful display text Links to an external site..
• Avoid meaningless phrases such as "Click here", and "Learn more".
• Make sure all links on the page work as designed. 
• Use the link validator to double-check all links on all pages Links to an external site..

Tables

• Insert tables by using table features in the rich content editor toolbar Links to an external site..
• Use the Tab key to move through the table cells. Make sure the tab order of cells matches the table appearance. If the order doesn't match, you'll need to recreate the table manually, avoiding cutting and pasting from other documents.
• Make sure that the table has one Header Row.
• Add column labels in the Header Row that describe their contents Links to an external site..
• Fix any merged or split cells in the table. Links to an external site.

Multimedia

• All videos should have captions. Captions are available by default for Panopto videos.
  
  • You can add captions to new or uploaded videos using the rich content editor Links to an external site..
  • You can add subtitles or captions to YouTube videos owned by you Links to an external site..
  • You can enable captions for Zoom recordings.
• All videos should have a text transcript.

The course as a whole

• Give Pages meaningful titles that give clues about the page contents.
• Use Pope Tech, the Canvas course accessibility checker.