Creating Accessible Documents
Accessible documents are important because they ensure that all users, including those with disabilities, can read and interact with digital content. Features like readable text, proper heading structure, alt text for images, and adequate color contrast make documents usable with assistive technologies such as screen readers. Creating accessible documents promotes equity and helps all learners engage fully with course materials. For more information and step-by-step guides on creating accessible Microsoft and Adobe PDF documents, please see the links below:
Accessibility in Canvas
Butler has a campus-wide license for Ally, an accessibility tool built into all Canvas courses. For instructors, Ally automatically scans course content for accessibility issues and identifies areas that may need improvement. For students, it offers alternative formats, such as audio, ePub, electronic braille, BeeLine Reader, and more. This helps make course materials more accessible and flexible to meet individual student needs.
Captioning
Captioning is essential for accessibility because it ensures that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can access audio content. Captions also benefit non-native speakers, support learning in noisy or quiet environments, and improve comprehension and retention for all learners. Providing captions helps create a more inclusive and equitable learning experience for everyone. For more information on about captioning across Butler's various video tools, please see the links below:
Zoom
Panopto
Third-Party Videos
Other Resources
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind) has more information and resources on captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions.
Color Contrast
Color contrast is essential for accessibility because it ensures that text and other visual elements are readable by everyone, including people with low vision or color blindness. Without sufficient contrast, users may struggle to read content or miss key information. Good contrast improves usability for everyone. For more information on color contrast accessibility, please see the link below:
Creating Accessible Hyperlinks
Accessible hyperlink text is important because it helps all users understand where the link will take them, especially those using screen readers. Vague phrases like “click here” or “read more” don’t provide enough context when read out of order. Descriptive link text improves navigation and ensures users can efficiently find and understand your content. For more information on creating accessible hyperlinks, please see the link below:
More Accessibility Resources
