Hypothesis Accessibility Information

Hypothesis is a collaborative annotation tool that enables instructors and students to comment on and discuss readings, videos, and other resources.

Affected Users

Accessibility issues with Hypothesis will primarily affect students and instructors using keyboard and sreenreader support. People using screen readers and people using only a keyboard could still reasonably be expected to use the service, though there are certain barriers they should be made aware of.

Known Accessibility Barriers

Screen readers

The Share Annotations and Help panels have the dialog role, but do not appear or behave as dialogs, and annotation text boxes and reply text boxes are labelled with placeholder text only.
Multiple annotations by the same person have the same title in the annotations list, resulting in duplicate headings which may make it challenging to identify which annotation is which or to navigate by heading. The annotations themselves are still accessible and can be explored.

Keyboard

Using a mouse, it is possible to click on the annotation tile to highlight it within the body text and shift the view to the annotation. It is not possible to perform this action with the keyboard. Using a keyboard, it is possible through excessive tabbing to reach a comment count next to annotation tiles which will shift the view to the annotation. It is not clearly identified that this is the purpose of the comment count.

Accommodations

If people using a screen reader or keyboard for navigation experience barriers using Hypothesis, they should notify their instructor as soon as possible.

Communication

An accessibility statement should be included on the syllabus noting the accessibility barriers for students using screen readers and keyboard support. Students should notify the instructor immediately, and the instructor and department should contact AccessibleNU promptly.

Suggested statement may include: "Hypothesis has some known accessibility issues related screen reader and/or keyboard only use. Should you encounter accessibility issues using the tool, please contact your instructor ASAP for alternative access options.

Additional Support

The instructor of the course is responsible for implementing the alternate access solution and the department the course is within is responsible for providing any support in creating alternate versions of assignments or in proving human support.

They can contact Accessible NU at accessiblenu@northwestern.edu and Teaching & Learning Technologies at canvas@northwestern.edu if guidance is needed.

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