Digital Accessibility for Course Materials

What Is It

Alternative text (alt text) is a brief written description added to images, charts, graphs, and other visual elements in digital course materials. Alt text is read aloud by screen readers and displayed when images do not load, allowing students who cannot see the image to understand its purpose and content. 

Why It Matters

For students who use screen readers—such as those who are blind, have low vision, or have certain learning or cognitive disabilities—alt text provides access to information that would otherwise be unavailable. Without it, images are often announced only as “image” or skipped entirely, creating gaps in understanding. 

What to Do

• Add alternative text (alt text) for all meaningful images.
• Mark decorative images as decorative.
• Provide descriptions for complex visuals.

How-to Guides

• Alt Text in Microsoft for Mac - Guide | Video (01:39)
• Alt Text in Microsoft for PC - Guide | Video (01:22)
• Alt Text in Canvas - Guide | Video (01:36)

Resources

• Alt Text — Recorded Training Session (37:45) 
• Authoring Meaningful Alternative Text
• Alt Text Decision Tree 
• Alt Text in Canvas
• Alt Text in Microsoft
• Alt Text in Google Docs 
• Alt Text in Adobe Pro 
• Complex Images

What Is It

Color contrast refers to the difference between text (or important visual elements) and the background behind them. Readability is how easily users can see and understand text and visual content. In digital course materials, sufficient contrast and clear text formatting ensure that content is legible across devices and learning environments. 

Why It Matters

Low contrast and poor readability can make content difficult or impossible to access for students with low vision, color vision deficiencies, or those viewing content on small screens or in bright environments. Clear contrast and readable text reduce cognitive load, improve comprehension, and support accessibility standards. Designing with contrast and readability in mind helps ensure all students can engage with course content without barriers. 

What to Do

• Ensure strong contrast between text and background (4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text).
• Avoid using color alone to convey meaning.
• Use additional cues like bold, underline, or icons to reinforce information.

How-to Guides

• Color Contrast in Word for Mac - Guide | Video (02:54)
• Color Contrast in Word for PC - Guide | Video (03:06)
• Color Contrast in Canvas - Guide | Video (02:44)

Resources

• Color Contrast Overview
• Check Color Contrast in Canvas
• WebAIM Contrast Checker 

What It Is

Logical heading structures use properly ordered headings (such as Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3) to organize content into clear, meaningful sections. Clear organization helps students understand how content is structured and how ideas relate to one another within digital course materials. 

Why It Matters

Screen reader users rely on headings to navigate content efficiently. When headings are missing, out of order, or used only for visual styling, navigation becomes difficult and time-consuming. Clear organization also benefits all learners by improving scannability, reducing cognitive load, and making course materials easier to follow. Well-structured content supports accessibility standards and helps ensure students can quickly find and engage with the information they need. 

What to Do

• Use heading styles (H1, H2, H3) in logical order.
• Title pages clearly to reflect purpose.
• Keep formatting consistent (fonts, sizes, spacing).
• Use numbered lists when order or sequence matters.
• Use bulleted lists when items are related, but not sequential.

How-To Guides

• Headings and Lists in Word for Mac - Guide | Video (03:32)
• Headings and Lists in Word for PC - Guide | Video (03:52)
• Headings and Lists in Canvas - Guide | Video (02:38)

Resources

• Document Headings Overview
• Headings in Canvas
• Headings in Microsoft Word 

What It Is

Accessible tables are used to present data in a clear, logical way and include proper headers and structure so information can be understood by all users. In digital course materials, tables should be reserved for data—not layout—and designed so relationships between rows and columns are clear.  

Why It Matters

Screen readers rely on table structure and headers to communicate how data is organized. Without proper headers or logical structure, table content can be confusing or misleading for students using assistive technologies. Clear, well-designed tables also improve readability for all learners, support accessibility standards, and make complex information easier to understand.  

What to Do

• Use tables only for data, not for layout or positioning.
• Include row and column headers.
• Add captions when needed to clarify content.
• Keep tables simple and easy to read.

How-To Guides

• Tables in Word for Mac - Guide | Video (02:56)
• Tables in Word for PC - Guide | Video (02:46)
• Tables in Canvas - Guide | Video (03:27)

Resources

• Tables in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and PDFs
• Table Accessibility in Canvas 

What It Is

Descriptive links use meaningful text to clearly communicate where a link will take the user. Instead of generic phrases like “click here” or “read more,” descriptive links describe the destination or purpose of the link within digital course materials.  

Why It Matters

Screen reader users often navigate content by scanning a list of links. When links are vague or repetitive, it becomes difficult to understand their purpose. Descriptive links improve navigation, reduce confusion, and support accessibility standards. They also benefit all learners by making course content clearer, more predictable, and easier to scan.  

What to Do

• Use descriptive, meaningful link text (e.g., “Read the full course syllabus”).
• Avoid vague text like “click here” or “more info.”
• Provide multiple ways to access important content (e.g., in Modules and the navigation menu).

How-to Guides

• Descriptive Links in Word for Mac - Guide | Video (02:17)
• Descriptive Links in Word for PC - Guide | Video (02:27)
• Descriptive Links in Canvas - Guide | Video (02:49)

Resources

• Descriptive Links Overview
• Create Descriptive Links in Canvas 

What It Is

Captions are text versions of spoken dialogue and important audio information synchronized with video. Transcripts provide a written record of spoken content and relevant audio elements for videos or audio-only materials. In digital course materials, captions and transcripts ensure multimedia content is accessible in multiple formats.  

Why It Matters

Captions and transcripts are essential for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they also benefit many other learners. They support comprehension, note-taking, searching, and learning in noisy or quiet environments. Providing captions and transcripts improves clarity, supports accessibility standards, and ensures all students can engage fully with audio and video content. 

What to Do

• Ensure all videos include closed captions.
• Use Kaltura Reach to caption instructor-created media.
• When selecting videos from external sources, choose options that already include captions.
• Describe video-only content in text or narration.
• Include transcripts for audio-only files.
• Avoid autoplay, or provide controls to pause, stop, or mute.

How-to Guides

• Adding Captions to Your Videos Using Kaltura Reach - Guide | Video (02:56)
• Adding Accessible Media to Canvas - Guide | Video (04:05)

Resources

• Captions and Transcripts
• Kaltura Step-by-Step Help Guides 
• Kaltura Reach 

What It Is

Accessible document formatting uses built-in structure and tools in programs like Word, PDF, and PowerPoint—such as headings, lists, slide layouts, and reading order—to ensure content can be read and navigated by assistive technologies. Proper formatting helps preserve meaning when documents are shared, downloaded, or converted. 

Why It Matters

Screen readers rely on document structure to interpret and navigate content. When formatting is created visually rather than structurally, important information may be missed or read out of order. Accessible formatting improves readability for all learners, supports accessibility standards, and ensures documents remain usable across devices, formats, and learning platforms. 

What to Do

• Use accessible formats (Word, tagged PDFs, PowerPoint).
• Avoid scanned PDFs; ensure PDFs are tagged for screen readers.
• Properly format images, links, tables, and other elements within documents.
• Convert documents to Canvas pages when possible.

How-to Guides

• Creating Accessible Documents (Equal Access) 

Resources

• Microsoft Accessibility Checker
• Create and Verify PDF Accessibility (Acrobat Pro)