How to Make Scanned PDFs Accessible
Digital text is best, but even a scanned PDF can be made accessible—by adding a Library Reference with Ally.
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Increasing Accessibility by Replacing PDFs with Permalinks
If you currently have PDFs posted in your courses, the best way to increase your courses’ accessibility is to replace those PDFs (which commonly have accessibility problems) with a permalink. […]
Read MoreHow to Use Microsoft Screen Readers and Read Aloud Tools
There are many reasons to listen to documents, such as proofreading, multitasking, or increased comprehension and learning. Using a screen reader is also a great way to check your document’s […]
Read MoreAdd Image Descriptions with Blackboard Ally
Images are a powerful element of a Blackboard course, but they’re only effective when all students can access and understand them. Adding descriptions—sometimes called alt text—ensures that visuals communicate meaning...
Read MoreMake Accessible PowerPoint Presentations with Microsoft 365
PowerPoint has several built-in features designed to help you create accessible PowerPoint presentations. When creating new PowerPoint presentations, you can use the Accessibility Checker to review and flag potential...
Read MoreAccessibility Quick Start
Accessibility benefits everyone—even you.
Read MoreUsing the Built-In Accessibility Checker to Add Alt Text to Images in Microsoft 365
Alt text is descriptive text that explains the meaning of an image so screen readers can convey it to users with visual impairments. Microsoft 365’s Accessibility Checker helps you find missing or unclear alt text, offers suggestions, and lets you edit or mark images as decorative. To use it, go to Review → Check Accessibility, then review and update any flagged images.
Read MoreAccessibility: Course Technologies QM Standard 8.7
One of the standards of the Quality Matters™ rubric requires the accessibility policies of technologies used in courses. This post includes links to accessibility statements for course technologies.
Read MoreAccessibility: Graphics
Textual alternatives to images should be provided for learners with visual and certain cognitive disabilities employing screen readers. This also enables images to be understood in the event that they are not displayed in the browser.
Read MoreAccessibility: Accessible Tables
Tables should be used to display data. Avoid using tables for page layout, though it might be tempting to do so. Layout tables do not allow users flexibility in viewing the content since it is “trapped” in the table cell and might not be read in the correct order by a screen reader.
Read MoreAlly: Getting Started with Accessibility in Blackboard Learn Ultra
Ally is a built-in tool that provides instructors with guidance on how to create accessible learning materials for all students. Ally automatically checks course content and files in Blackboard for common accessibility issues, gives feedback on how to improve the files, and creates alternative formats, such as audio files, electronic braille, or screen readable pdfs.
Read MoreAccessibility: Accommodation Requests
It is the student’s responsibility to request accommodations from the Center for Educational Access each semester.
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