Canvas LMS

Canvas is the learning management system for teaching and learning at Northwestern. Instructors use Canvas to share class material, communicate with students, and add grades and feedback to assignments. Students use Canvas to access course material, submit assignments, communicate, and view grades and feedback. 

Affected Users

The most common accessibility barriers in Canvas will impact students and instructors with low vision or blindness using a screen reader. 

There are known accessibility issues with Quizzes in Canvas (including Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes). More information is available in the Accessibility section of the Canvas Learning Center. New Quizzes have known accessibility barriers for people using screen readers and/or keyboard support. People with physical impairment who cannot type and rely on speech to text entry will be impacted by essay questions in Classic Quizzes.

Known Accessibility Barriers

 The following accessibility issues are related to Canvas: 

New Quizzes

  • Content on Hover or Focus: New Quizzes Rich Content Editor does not currently auto expand for screen reader users.
  • Reflow: Most Canvas pages can be presented at 320x256 resolution or viewport width of 1280 CSS pixels wide at 400% zoom without loss of information or functionality. Some exceptions exist within the People tab and in New Quizzes.
  • Language of Parts: The current rich content editor in New Quizzes does not allow HTML input to add additional language tags.
  • Prompts: The New Quizzes Rich Content Editor does not currently have the built in Accessibility Checker integrated.
  • Screen readers cannot read the contents typed into essay questions in New Quizzes

Classic Quizzes

  • Question type identification and accessibility: Question types drag and drop, matching, and drop down are difficult to answer with some assistive technologies. Fill-in-the-blank questions need to be clearly identified, and equations need to be accessible.
  • Speech recognition programs do no currently work in essay questions in classic or new quizzes.

Forms and Error Suggestions

  • Info & Relationships, Error Identification, and Error Suggestion: Some forms in Canvas do not contain explicit field validation or an error announcement when there is an error; in these instances, form submission is disabled when invalid. This could impact instructors in the content building process as tools like Assignments, Discussions, Announcements, and Quizzes have a series of settings. 
  • For both instructors and students, the above issue may also occur in the Conversations area. 

Support / Help

  • Accommodation of Communication Needs: Canvas Customer Support, available via the help button in the global navigation bar of Canvas, allows people to contact Canvas Customer Support via email, accessible chat services, or phones. Hearing-impaired people who wish to speak to a Canvas Customer Support representative may use a telecommunications relay service (TRS). 

Alternate Access 

  • Instructors with students using screen readers and/or keyboard support should use Classic Quizzes instead of New Quizzes.
  • In Classic Quizzes, instructors should avoid drop downs, matching, and drag and drop question types if they have students using screen readers and/or keyboard support, or create an alternate version of the quiz for these students. If a student uses speech-to-text software, they should be allowed to answer essay questions from Classic Quizzes in Microsoft Word. 
  • If an instructor using a screen reader is unable to submit or save items during the course building process, support will need to be provided to assist with identifying any form submission errors that are preventing an item from being saved. Considering the uncertainty around when these errors may occur, support should  be provided through the course building process and the quarter. 
  • If an instructor or student uses a screen reader, Northwestern email should be used instead of the conversations area in Canvas.  

Additional Support

If these workarounds are not sufficient to provide access for a specific individual, accommodations may be necessary. To address accommodation needs:
•    For student(s), contact AccessibleNU at accessiblenu@northwestern.edu 
•    For faculty, staff, or the general public, contact the Office of Equity at accommodations@northwestern.edu