Canvas Accessibility

Use Styles in Canvas

Use styles when adding text in Canvas' Rich Content Editor to enable screen readers to identify titles and distinguish content hierarchy. Without styles, screen readers cannot interpret content structure.

To apply styles, highlight text and select the appropriate style: Paragraph (regular text), Header 2 (large font), Header 3 (medium text), or Header 4 (smaller font). Start with Header 2 since Canvas uses Header 1 for page titles.

Notes about the Rich Content Editor and accessibility:

Use the editor's Numbered or Bullet List tools for lists to ensure screen readers interpret the structure correctly.
For accessible tables, use Canvas' accessibility checker to validate table formatting.

Adding Alt Text to an Image in Canvas

Alt text provides a description of images for visually impaired students using screen readers. To add alt text:

Upload your image into Canvas.
Use the Embed Image icon in the Rich Content Editor to place it.
Provide meaningful alt text based on the image's purpose.

General or Detailed?

Ask yourself these questions when adding alt text:

What is the purpose of the image?
If describing it over the phone, what would you say?
Is the image purely decorative?
Does the image contain text?

Common Mistakes

Leaving alt text blank (defaults to the image filename).
Including "image of," "photo of," etc., as the screen reader already indicates it's an image.
Using the filename (e.g., `image.jpg`) as the alt text.
Not describing text within the image.
Marking decorative images appropriately using Canvas' Decorative Image checkbox.

Using Explanatory Links

Link text should clearly indicate where it leads. Avoid generic phrases like "click here" and instead use descriptive links:

Accessibility Community in Canvas

Do not underline non-link text for emphasis, as this can confuse students into thinking it is a link.