Core Practices (Design First, Then Check)

• Headings: Use a logical H2 → H3 → H4 structure; never skip levels.
• Alt Text: Write concise, meaningful alt text; mark purely decorative images as decorative.
• Color & Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast (normal text 4.5:1); don’t convey meaning by color alone.
• Links: Use descriptive text (e.g., “Syllabus PDF” not “Click here”).
• Lists: Use proper UL/OL markup for bullets and numbers.
• Tables: Use for data only; add header rows/scope and captions; avoid layout tables.
• Media: Provide captions for video and transcripts for audio; avoid auto-play.
• Documents: Prefer accessible HTML pages over PDFs when possible; remediate PDFs if used.

Accessibility Tools & Checkers

• Canvas Accessibility Checker (RCE wand): Runs quick checks inside the Rich Content Editor; fix issues inline.
• Pope Tech Connect: Sidebar checker for headings, alt text, contrast, tables, and more with guided fixes.
• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation: On-demand page scan for structure/contrast/ARIA hints (use on published pages).
• Accessibility Insights for Web / axe DevTools: Developer-grade automated + guided tests for deeper audits.
• Contrast Checkers: Verify color ratios before styling images or callouts.
• WCAG 2.0 Reference: Use as the requirements baseline (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust).

Using an AI Helper (Optional)

• Alt Text Drafts: Ask an AI assistant to propose alt text given the image purpose; you approve/edit for accuracy.
• Plain-Language Review: Paste a paragraph and request clearer, simpler wording without losing meaning.
• Caption Cleanup: Provide auto-captions text and ask for punctuation/casing fixes; verify names/terms manually.

Note: AI suggestions should always be reviewed by you for accuracy and student context.

Canvas Studio & Captions

• Upload or Record: Add your video to Canvas Studio from within your course.
• Generate Captions: Use Studio’s captioning to create auto-captions for the video.
• Edit Captions: Open the caption editor to fix punctuation, terminology, and proper nouns.
• Attach/Publish: Save captions and ensure they’re enabled before embedding the video on a page.
• Transcript Option: Provide a downloadable transcript for students who prefer reading.

Quick Workflow (Every Page)

• Author: Write with headings, descriptive links, and accessible lists/tables.
• Check in Editor: Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker and resolve items.
• Deeper Check: Run Pope Tech Connect; apply suggested fixes.
• Publish & Verify: Optionally scan the live page with WAVE/axe; adjust contrast or structure if flagged.
• Media: If embedding video, ensure Studio captions are added/edited and turned on.
• Document: Keep a brief note (e.g., “Scanned with Checker + Pope Tech on 10/21”).