This section contains useful guides on how to create accessible learning content.
Here at the University of Manchester, we are committed to ensuring all students, including those with disabilities and who rely on assistive technologies, can fully engage with educational content. Adhering to legal requirements, such as the Equality Act 2010, we prioritise accessibility and digital inclusion considering these essential in online learning design and in so doing, we foster an inclusive learning environment that offers equal opportunities for all students.
With this in mind, use the information on this page to help you ensure your Canvas content is accessible.
Canvas Accessibility Features
Many Canvas features have undergone improvements with regard to accessibility. Below is a list of feature areas and their accessibility functionalities.
Feature | Accessible Functionality |
|---|---|
Calendar | Supports Agenda View, which lists all assignments and events in a list or agenda format. Learn how to access the Calendar Agenda View. |
Chat | Has an option to enable audio notifications when new messages are posted. |
Font | The Canvas interface uses rem sizing for fonts so any typography will zoom when the browser is zoomed and will scale if a custom browser-sized font is chosen or set from a browser’s setting. |
Gradebook | Both the Gradebook and the Learning Mastery Gradebook support an individual view, where instructors can view assignments and grades for one student at a time. Learn more about individual view in the Gradebook and Learning Mastery Gradebook. |
New Quizzes | Allows instructors to moderate a quiz for individuals requiring more time or who need multiple attempts. Learn how to grant extra time or attempts in a New Quiz. |
SpeedGrader/DocViewer/Annotations | Students can access annotations and comments with a screen reader, including information about the annotation type, author name, comment, and any reply comments at the end of the document. Please see blog post for more information. |
User Settings | The User Settings page hosts two feature options to enhance accessibility: High Contrast UI: When enabled, this feature offers higher contrast in buttons, tabs, and other areas throughout Canvas. Underline Links: When enabled, this feature underlines hyperlinks in navigation menus, the Dashboard, and page sidebars. Learn how to change user settings. |
View the ‘What are the Canvas accessibility standards?’ Canvas page for more information.
The Rich Content Editor
The Rich Content Editor (RCE) features an accessibility tool that identifies common accessibility issues within the editor. By using this accessibility checker, you can create course content with accessibility considerations in mind. The tool checks for compliance with the following accessibility rules:
Component | Accessibility Rule |
|---|---|
Heading paragraphs | Headings should not contain more than 120 characters. |
Sequential headings | Heading levels should not be skipped (e.g. H2 to H4). However, the tool does not check if the first header starts with H2 or whether the headings are sequential with the rest of the content in the page. Tables do not begin with H1, which is designated for the page title. |
Image alt text | Images should include an alt attribute describing the image content. |
Image alt filename | Image filenames should not be used as the alt attribute describing the image content. Currently, files uploaded directly to Canvas create a redirect that does not properly verify image filenames. |
Image alt length | Alt attribute text is recommended to contain fewer than 120 characters. |
Large text contrast | Text larger than 18pt (or bold 14pt) should display a minimum contrast ratio of 3:1. |
Small text contrast | Text smaller than 18pt (or bold 14pt) should display a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1. |
Tables | Tables should contain at least one header, indicate scope and the appropriate structure, and should include a caption describing the contents of the table. View the Canvas Community page ‘Table Accessibility in Canvas‘ for a step-by-step guide on the above. |
Lists | Lists should be formatted as lists (e.g. bullet points). |
Adjacent links | Adjacent links with the same URL should be a single link. This rule verifies link errors where the link text may include spaces and break the link into multiple links. |
Please note that sometimes the accessibility checker icon in the RCE disappears. In this instance, please use Ally to check the accessibility of your content.
Visit the ‘How do I use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor‘ Canvas page for an in-depth guide on utilising the accessibility checker.
It is also possible to create and upload caption files to a video uploaded using the Rich Content Editor. For a detailed guide on how to do this, view this Canvas page.
Using Ally
Ally is an in-built tool on Canvas that allows you to verify the accessibility of your learning content. Use it to check how accessible your material is, to view accessibility reports, and to guide you through making the necessary edits to your content to ensure you are creating accessible learning resources for all students.
View the ‘A Guide to Using Ally on Canvas‘ post to learn more about the tool in detail.
View the ‘Walkthrough: Making content more accessible with Ally‘ Canvas page for more information.
Math Equation Accessibility
The MathJax JavaScript library has been enhanced to render equations in a more accessible format, improving both usability and accessibility. Math equations created anywhere in Canvas will be rendered as MathML, ensuring greater accessibility across the platform. In addition, MathJax provides a context menu with functions for interacting with the equation.
The MathJax Accessibility extensions offer a range of tools and features that facilitate the universal rendering of mathematical content on the web, enhancing both visual and auditory presentation. Specifically, these extensions provide:
- A responsive rendering feature that allows for the dynamic collapsing and exploration of mathematical subexpressions.
- An aural rendering tool that delivers real-time speech-to-text conversion of mathematical content and its subexpressions, based on various rule sets.
- An exploration tool that enables meaningful interaction with mathematical content, featuring multiple highlighting options and synchronized aural rendering.
These Accessibility extensions are compatible with a broad array of browsers, operating systems, and assistive technologies, as they rely on widely supported web standards like WAI-ARIA, including labels and live regions.
We highly recommend using the MathJax Accessibility extensions to ensure the best possible experience for all users.