Canvas Pages

Strategies for accessibility review

Accessible By Design
Canvas Course

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Accessibility Checklists

Syllabus

Syllabi are the most frequently viewed documents in a course. Since this document sets the expectations and policies for the course, it is especially important to ensure that students can access it without any barriers.

There are a few different ways to add a syllabus to a Canvas shell, such as adding the text directly to the syllabus page, embedding a Google Doc, or adding a Word Doc or PDF for students to download. It is easiest to improve accessibility in the platform where you first created the document.

Below is a checklist of formatting considerations that apply to all syllabi, regardless of where you created them and how you deliver them to students.

• Use an accessible syllabus template.
  • TLC Syllabus Canvas Page Template
  • TLC Syllabus Google Doc Template
• Use high-contrast font colors (preferably black on white). Avoid low-contrast text color combinations.
• Use sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri) in at least 12-point size.
• Remove unnecessary blank spaces and line breaks. If needed, change line spacing using the built-in spacing styles.
• Structure syllabus sections with built-in headings (e.g., use Word’s styles or Google Docs’ and Canvas’ headings such as Header 2, instead of manually enlarging/bolding/underlining text for section titles).
  • Ensure section headings are hierarchical (don’t skip from H2 to H4, for example).
• Use descriptive hyperlinks (e.g., “See ASU's Academic Integrity Policy” instead of “Click here” and instead of using the full URL like http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity).
• Use built-in ordered lists (bullets/numbers) instead of dashes and manual spacing.
  • You may need to double check this if you convert the document (for example, from Google Doc to a Word Doc) since the formatting can get overwritten.
• If using tables, ex, for grade percentage and points range, identify or pin header row in Table Properties.
• Add alt text to images or mark them decorative.
• Keep due dates consistent across the term (e.g., all assignments due Wednesdays or Sundays at 11:59 pm AZ time).

After you’ve checked these elements, use the accessibility checkers available in Word Docs, Adobe Acrobat, and/or Canvas. Note that Google Docs does not have an accessibility checker, so it will be necessary to download the document as either a PDF or Word Doc to use those accessibility checkers.

Word Doc or PDF Syllabus Steps

1. Save as a Word Doc.
2. In Word, click Review > Accessibility. Fix any outstanding issues.
3. (Optional) Save as an accessible PDF by selecting the radio button “best for electronic distribution”. This preserves the accessibility features of the document.
4. There is no need to save as PDF unless you are uploading it to MyASU Class Search, or if you want to prevent students from editing it.
   1. Note that PDFs are very difficult to edit and remediate, so we recommend making any edits/changes in your Google Doc or Word file and re-saving as PDF with an updated version or date.
5. When you upload your syllabus to Canvas, run the Canvas Accessibility Checker and Ally.
6. Fix any areas that have been flagged.

Canvas Page Syllabus Steps

1. Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker and Ally.
2. Fix any areas that have been flagged.

Canvas Pages, Assignments, and Quizzes

Since pages, assignments, and quizzes use the same Canvas Rich Content Editor (the environment where you change the formatting of the content), we can combine the accessibility checklists for all of them into a standard accessibility checklist.

Canvas Accessibility Formatting Checklist

• Use built-in heading styles in the Canvas Rich Content Editor (e.g., Heading 2 for major sections).
  • Ensure section headings are nested/hierarchical (don’t skip from H2 to H4, for example).
• Add alt text to informative images or mark purely aesthetic images as decorative.
• If using tables, e.g., for grade percentage and points range, identify header row in Table > Row > Row properties > Row type.
• Use the Canvas Equation Editor or Equatio for math/STEM equations/problems. Avoid inserting equations as static images when feasible. If you use images of equations/problems, be sure to describe them using alt text.
• Avoid unexplained abbreviations, unnecessary all caps, or formatting that may confuse students and screen reader tools.
• Use descriptive hyperlinks (e.g., “See ASU's Academic Integrity Policy” instead of “Click here” and instead of using the full URL like http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity).
• Avoid changing font style and using custom HTML to change formats and styles.
• Avoid using color alone to convey meaning.
• Use high-contrast font colors (preferably black on white). Avoid low-contrast text color combinations.
• Use built-in ordered lists (bullets/numbers) instead of dashes and manual spacing.
• Use tables only for data, not layout. Always include header rows in tables.
• Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker (for Canvas pages) and review Ally scores (for attached documents) on each page.

After you've checked the formatting, consider these other page-specific suggestions:

Canvas Assignments

• Ensure assignments align with course learning objectives.
• Use clear, direct prompts with defined expectations (e.g., length, format, citation style).
• Consider allowing multiple submission formats (e.g., document, slide deck, video, audio) if they meet the same learning objectives.
• Encourage typed submissions when feasible. Avoid requiring handwritten or scanned work unless pedagogically necessary.
• Provide accessible examples (e.g., Word or Google Docs) when useful and feasible.

Canvas Quizzes and Question Banks

• Delete unused questions & question banks when possible.
• Review and remediate question banks as feasible, on an ongoing basis. They often contain legacy content with missing alt text, inaccessible formatting, and content that does not align with your learning objectives.
• Use accessible Canvas question types (Multiple Choice, True/False, short answer); avoid inaccessible question types (Hot Spots, Drag and Drop) unless necessary.
• Avoid using images as question stems or answer choices unless necessary.
• Use clear, concise language in questions and instructions. Explain exactly what students should do.
• Avoid time limits unless necessary. If used, ensure extended time accommodations are applied per SAILS requests.

Resources

ASU LX: Accessible Course Creator Canvas Training

This course shares the resources and perspective needed to be an accessible course creator. Increase your awareness of how inaccessible content impacts learners, discover the proper resources to achieve an accessible design, and find out how to apply best practices to improve access to your course content.

Submit your accessibility questions for our next newsletter. Accessibility Questions?