Recent changes to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) going into effect in April will require everything in your Blackboard courses to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Applying the guidelines to your online content will not only bring you into compliance with the ADA—it will also make your course materials easier to access for everyone: students who use assistive technologies, certainly, but also mobile users, ESL students, neurodiverse learners, and people busy juggling life and learning.

Accessibility benefits everyone—even you.

You can read the Justice Department’s rule and browse the WCAG guidelines to learn more about the specific requirements. In the meantime, we’ve distilled some of the most salient guidelines for instructors into the list below, along with links to related TIPS articles, to help you get started.

  • Use consistent naming, folder structure, and document layout throughout your course, and keep these as simple and straightforward as possible.
  • Avoid uploading scanned PDFs or handwritten notes, which are often unreadable by screen readers. Instead, use Blackboard’s Document tool to build accessible pages inside Blackboard.
  • Use semantic formatting (formatting that has meaning) rather than formatting that is purely visual. For example, in the Blackboard text editor, use the “Header” text style to distinguish headings from paragraph text, rather than just changing the font size.
  • Break up long, unbroken walls of text with headings, section breaks, and formatting options like numbered lists to aid screen reader navigation and improve comprehension and retention.
  • Use tables only for data—not for layout—and clearly label table rows and columns.
  • Write clear, descriptive link text (e.g., “View Instructions” instead of “click here”).
  • Ensure high contrast (e.g., black text on white background).
  • Don’t rely on color alone to communicate meaning (e.g., “correct answers in green”).
  • Avoid images of text—use real text to ensure screen reader compatibility and zoomability.
  • Add alt text (a brief description of what it shows) to every meaningful image; if an image is purely decorative, check the “Decorative” box when adding it.
  • Ensure all videos are captioned. If you use an auto-captioning tool, review for accuracy.
  • Provide a text transcript for audio files and podcasts.
  • Use clear instructions for all assignments and questions.
  • Use the Ally Accessibility Indicator (colored gauges next to uploaded content) to check for accessibility issues and fix them directly.
  • Ensure third-party content (e.g., from a publisher) follows accessibility guidelines, or offer alternatives.
  • Preview your course using Student View to ensure clarity and usability.