2.1.1 Headers and Hierarchies in the Rich Content Editor

Headers and hierarchies are important for users who rely on assistive technology like screen readers to navigate. Most screen readers will use page headers to create a table of contents that the user can navigate with. Headers also help all users visually and cognitively navigate documents and pages, by clearly organizing content in a way that can be quickly and easily scanned and navigated.

2.1.2 Bulleted and Numbered Lists in the Rich Content Editor

Similar to headers, list tags are important for users who rely on assistive technologies like screen readers, and are also useful for helping all users read and understand content. In this video, we'll cover when to use Ordered vs. Unordered Lists and how to create both of these items!

2.1.3 Alt Text: Images

Using images within your course can support students in a variety of ways, from engagement to conveying critical meaning. However, it is important that anything in our course is presented to students in a format they can perceive (WCAG 2.1.1). When it comes to images, this means ensuring we have a text based alternative that allows individuals that have a vision impairment have an alternate means of perceiving images. Canvas allows us to do just that through the use of the image editor flyout where we can mark images as either decorative or write a text alternative for assistive technologies. For more information on how to create alternative text descriptions, please refer to the Web Accessibility Initiatives Images Tutorial.

2.1.4 Alt Text: GIFs

GIFs–short, moving images–within your course can support students in a variety of ways, from engagement to conveying critical meaning. However, it is important that anything in our course is presented to students in a format they can perceive (WCAG 2.1.1). When it comes to GIFs, this means ensuring we have a text based alternative that allows individuals that have a vision impairment have an alternate means of perceiving these short, moving images. Canvas allows us to do just that for GIFs through the use of the image editor flyout where we can write a text alternative for assistive technologies.

2.1.5 Figure Captions

Typically in Canvas, the most common way of providing the necessary context for an image too complex to be supported by image alt text alone, is to provide a longer description after the image. An example of this can be shown in the recording below. Other options may include putting a long description in a figure caption, or linking out to a longer description on a separate page. However both of those processes require additional formatting to ensure new accessibility issues aren’t inadvertently created. Additionally an individual could provide a long description within a details tag to allow students to toggle access to it, but it requires more complex HTML coding. Due to the complexity of these options, they are not addressed in this training. Just note that there is no one right way to address proper alternative description, so if you find that the above option does not work for your use case, please contact an instructional designer for additional support.

For more in depth approaches to complex images, review the Web Accessibility Initiatives Tutorial on Accessible Complex images. For additional practice review the Poet Training Tools When to Describe images, and How to Describe images.

2.1.6 Descriptive Hyperlinks (Module)

Hyperlinks are a common part of online learning environments. However, they can present accessibility barriers for students using screen reader technology, and for other users more generally, especially when a link is embedded as a long URL or within a term like “here” or “click.” This video covers using descriptive hyperlinks in Canvas Modules for both accessibility and ease of student navigation.

2.1.7 Descriptive Hyperlinks (Quizzes, Pages, Discussions, Announcements)

Hyperlinks are a common part of online learning environments. However, they can present accessibility barriers for students using screen reader technology, and for other users more generally, especially when a link is embedded as a long URL or within a term like “here” or “click.” This video covers using descriptive hyperlinks in quizzes, pages, discussion boards, and announcements–anywhere you use the Rich Content Editor (RCE)--for both accessibility and ease of student navigation.

2.1.8 Tables and Table Headers

Data tables can be created and used in Canvas, similar to most writing programs. However, there are some accessibility considerations to keep in mind when deciding when and how to use tables. This video will cover the basics on how assistive technologies work with tables and how to build and edit your tables to align with these tools.