Core Practices

• Headings: Use a logical H2 → H3 → H4 structure and avoid skipping heading levels.
• Alt Text: Write concise, meaningful alt text and mark decorative images as decorative when appropriate.
• Color & Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast. For normal text, aim for at least a 4.5:1 ratio, and do not rely on color alone to convey meaning.
• Links: Use descriptive link text such as “Syllabus PDF” rather than “Click here.”
• Lists: Use proper bulleted or numbered lists rather than manually typed symbols or numbers.
• Tables: Use tables only for data, not layout. Include header rows, scope attributes, and captions when needed.
• Media: Provide captions for videos and transcripts for audio whenever possible.
• Documents: Use accessible HTML pages instead of PDFs when possible. If PDFs are necessary, make sure they are remediated.

Accessibility Tools and Checkers

• Canvas Accessibility Checker: Use the checker in the Rich Content Editor to identify and fix common issues directly in Canvas.
• Pope Tech Connect: Use Pope Tech to scan for heading problems, missing alt text, contrast issues, table issues, and more.
• WAVE: Use WAVE to review the structure and accessibility of published pages.
• Accessibility Insights for Web / axe DevTools: Use these tools for more detailed accessibility testing when needed.
• Contrast Checkers: Check text and background combinations before publishing styled content.
• WCAG Reference: Use WCAG as the baseline for accessibility standards and best practices.

Using an AI Helper

• Alt Text Drafts: An AI assistant can help draft alt text based on the image’s purpose, but you should always review it for accuracy.
• Plain-Language Review: AI can help simplify complex text while preserving meaning.
• Caption Cleanup: AI can help improve punctuation and readability in auto-generated captions, though names and course-specific terminology should always be checked manually.

Note: AI suggestions should always be reviewed carefully before use in a course.

Canvas Studio and Captions

• Upload or Record: Add videos to Canvas Studio from within your course.
• Generate Captions: Use Studio to create auto-captions for videos.
• Edit Captions: Review captions and correct punctuation, terminology, and proper nouns.
• Publish Carefully: Save captions and ensure they are enabled before embedding the video into a page.
• Provide a Transcript: When possible, include a transcript for students who prefer reading or need text access.

Quick Workflow for Every Page

• Author: Build the page using headings, descriptive links, and accessible lists or tables.
• Check in Canvas: Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker and resolve flagged issues.
• Run Pope Tech: Review and correct additional issues identified by Pope Tech Connect.
• Verify Published Content: Optionally review the live page with WAVE or axe for additional issues.
• Review Media: Confirm that captions are present and accurate for any embedded videos.
• Document the Review: Keep a simple note for your records indicating when accessibility checks were completed.