Course Accessibility Plan for The College

Syllabus checklist 

What: Formatting both your Canvas Syllabus Page and any uploaded syllabus documents so that all students, including those using assistive technologies, can access and navigate the content. This includes using structured headings, descriptive hyperlinks, accessible tables, high-contrast fonts, and readable document formats.

Why: In The College, course accessibility efforts begin with the Syllabus because it is the single most viewed course material. It’s required to be posted in Canvas (see The College's Canvas and Learning Technology Policy) and is recommended to be made publicly available through Class Search for every course ASU offers. Because it’s accessed repeatedly by students, advisors, and support staff, it’s essential that the content be structured in a way that all users can navigate and understand. 

Ensuring your syllabus is accessible supports students from day one and sets a strong foundation for the rest of your course.

How: Most instructors either use the Canvas Syllabus Page, upload a separate syllabus document, or both. If you use both, they should be aligned, especially in terms of formatting, policies, due dates, and assignment expectations. Use the checklists below to make sure each format meets accessibility standards.

Syllabus document (Word or Google Doc)

1. Use an accessible syllabus template document (e.g., ASU Online, The College, or your unit’s template).    
2. Use high-contrast font colors (preferably black on white). Avoid low-contrast text color combinations.    
3. Use sans-serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri) in at least 12-point size.    
4. Remove unnecessary blank spaces and line breaks. If needed, change line spacing using the built-in spacing styles.    
5. Structure document sections with built-in headings (e.g., use Word’s styles or Google Docs' headings such as Header 2, instead of manually enlarging/bolding/underlining text for section titles).     
6. Ensure section headings are hierarchical (don’t skip from H2 to H4, for example).    
7. 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).    
8. Use built-in ordered lists (bullets/numbers) instead of dashes and manual spacing.    
9. If using tables, ex, for grade percentage and points range, identify or pin header row in Table Properties.    
10. Add alt text to images or mark them decorative.    
11. If you include due dates in your syllabus, keep them consistent across the term (e.g., all assignments due Wednesdays or Sundays at 11:59 pm AZ time).    
12. Save as a Word Doc (even if you use Google Docs).     
13. In Word, click Review > Accessibility. Fix any outstanding issues.      
14. (Optional) Save as an accessible PDF by selecting the radio button “best for electronic distribution”. This preserves the accessibility features of the document.                     
15. 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.             
16. If you upload your syllabus to Canvas, run the Canvas Accessibility Checker and Ally.

Canvas Syllabus Page

1. Use accessible Canvas Syllabus Page templates if available (e.g., ASU Online or The College Canvas Canvas template, your unit’s syllabus template, etc.)    
2. Use high-contrast font colors (preferably black on white). Avoid low-contrast text color combinations.    
3. Use sans-serif fonts (Lato is the default Canvas font; no need to change it) in at least 12-point size (12pt. Is the default Canvas font for paragraph text).    
4. Remove unnecessary blank spaces and line breaks.    
5. Use built-in heading styles in the Canvas Rich Content Editor (e.g., Header 2 for major sections)    
6. Ensure section headings are hierarchical (don’t skip from H2 to H4, for example).    
7. 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).    
8. Use built-in lists (bullets/numbers) in the Canvas Rich Content Editor instead of dashes and manual spacing.    
9. If using tables, ex, for grade percentage and points range, identify header row in Table > Row > Row properties.    
10. Add alt text to any images or mark them as decorative.    
11. If you include due dates in your syllabus, keep them consistent across the term (e.g., all assignments due Wednesdays or Sundays at 11:59 pm AZ time).    
12. Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker.    

What: Accessibility in Canvas Pages means formatting content so that all students, including those using assistive technologies, can navigate and understand the material. This involves using properly structured headings, descriptive links (such as links to readings), alt text for images, accessible tables, and high-contrast text. Most accessibility work on Canvas Pages involves adjusting formatting and content using the Canvas Rich Content Editor (RCE) to remove barriers and improve usability for all learners.

Why: Students rely on Canvas Pages to navigate and engage with your course, and formatting choices directly affect how accessible those pages are, especially for students using screen readers. Screen readers depend on structured headings, descriptive hyperlinks, alt text for images, and properly formatted tables to locate and convey information accurately and in the correct order. When these elements are inconsistent or missing, it disrupts navigation and comprehension, creating barriers that are often invisible to instructors.

How: Focus on the first two weeks of content before the term starts, then work your way through each page ahead of students as the semester progresses. This pacing helps keep the work manageable while reinforcing the skills you began developing with your syllabus.

Canvas Pages checklist

1. 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).
2. Add alt text to informative images or mark purely aesthetic images as decorative.
3. If using tables, e.g., for grade percentage and points range, identify header row in Table > Row > Row properties.
4. 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).
5. Avoid changing font style and using custom HTML to change formats and styles.
6. Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker (for Canvas pages) and review Ally scores (for attached documents) on each page.

What: Assignment accessibility means ensuring that all instructions, submission formats, and assessments, such as discussions, papers, worksheets, quizzes, exams, and question banks, can be accessed and understood by all students, including those using assistive technologies. This includes using clear structure, meaningful headings, descriptive links, readable formatting, accessible question types, and alt text for any images used in assignments or assessments. You’ve already practiced many of these skills while working on your syllabus and Canvas Pages—now you’ll apply them to the materials that students engage with to demonstrate their learning.

Why: Accessible assignments reduce confusion, remove barriers, and give students a fair opportunity to demonstrate their learning. 

How: Quizzes and exams tend to be the most challenging to remediate, especially if you use complex visuals or rely on large, inherited question banks. That’s okay; full accessibility may not be possible right away. Focus on the assessments students will see first, and make steady progress over time. For question banks, start with high-use items, and make reasonable accommodations when a full rebuild isn’t feasible.

Start by reviewing the first few assignments students will encounter. Use clear, direct prompts with defined expectations, and format them using accessible templates when available. Avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning, and ensure links and visuals are meaningful and usable.

When quiz questions include complex images (like graphs or diagrams), describe the necessary information in the question text: just enough to make it accessible without giving away the answer. If that isn’t possible, plan to offer an alternative version to students registered with SAILS, if requested.

Improving accessibility in assignments can be a gradual process, but every step forward helps more students succeed.

Assignment instructions checklist (Canvas Discussions, Assignments, and/or Attached Documents)

1. Ensure assignments align with course learning objectives.
2. Use clear, direct prompts with defined expectations (e.g., length, format, citation style).
3. Consider allowing multiple submission formats (e.g., document, slide deck, video, audio) if they meet the same learning objectives.
4. Encourage typed submissions when feasible. Avoid requiring handwritten or scanned work unless pedagogically necessary.
5. Provide accessible examples (e.g., Word or Google Docs) when useful and feasible.
6. Use the built-in editing styles to format text, headings, and links.
7. Write descriptive hyperlinks (e.g. “Read this example rough draft from your TA, Mary Anning", not “Read this.”)
8. Add alt text to informative images or mark aesthetic images as decorative.
   1. Alt text on images should describe what students who cannot see the image need to know in order to answer the question. 
   2. For complex visuals (e.g., graphs, charts, figures), provide a description of the image in the question text.
   3. If adding alt text or image descriptions is unreasonable, you may need to provide an alternative format assessment to students when requested via SAILS.
9. Avoid using color alone to convey meaning. 
10. Ensure high contrast text (black on white, etc.).
11. Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker and/or Ally on every assignment page.

Canvas Quizzes, exams, and question banks checklist

1. Delete unused questions & question banks when possible.
2. 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.
3. Use accessible Canvas question types (Multiple Choice, True/False, short answer); avoid inaccessible question types (Hot Spots, Drag and Drop) unless necessary.
4. Avoid using images as question stems or answer choices unless necessary. 
5. 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.
6. Add alt text to informative images or mark aesthetic images as decorative.
   1. Alt text on images should describe what students who cannot see the image need to know in order to answer the question. 
   2. For complex visuals (e.g., graphs, charts, figures), provide a description of the image in the question text.
   3. If adding alt text or image descriptions is unreasonable, you may need to provide an alternative format assessment to students when requested via SAILS.
7. Use clear, concise language in questions and instructions. Explain exactly what students should do.
8. Avoid unexplained abbreviations, unnecessary all caps, or formatting that may confuse students and screen reader tools.
9. Use tables only for data, not layout. Always include header rows in tables.
10. Avoid time limits unless necessary. If used, ensure extended time accommodations are applied per SAILS requests.
11. Run the Canvas Accessibility Checker and/or Ally.

What:Video accessibility means ensuring that all course videos, whether recorded by you, inherited from another instructor, or sourced from third parties are usable by all students. This includes accurate captions for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and narration of visual elements for students who are blind or have low vision. Common video types include lecture recordings, screencasts, YouTube links, and library subscription content (e.g., Films on Demand).

Why: Accessible videos reduce barriers and improve learning for a wide range of students. Captions support students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and also benefit those in noisy environments, watching without sound, or retaining complex content. Describing visuals aloud supports blind or low-vision students who can’t rely on visuals alone. Even small improvements like replacing non-captioned videos or improving auto-captions can make a meaningful difference. 

How: Start by reviewing your own lecture videos to ensure they’re clearly narrated, up to date, and accurately captioned. If the video was recorded by another instructor or is a legacy file you no longer have access to, make a reasonable effort to find or request a captioned version, or consider replacing it with a comparable resource that is more accessible.

Whenever possible, use ASU MediaPlus (or Wistia for ASUO courses) to host your videos instead of uploading video files directly to Canvas. MediaPlus provides built-in captioning tools, better video playback, and supports accessibility compliance more reliably than embedding raw video files.

Videos checklist (faculty lectures and third-party)

1. Describe images and actions verbally during recordings.
2. Caption all faculty lecture videos; use Wistia or MediaPlus for this.
3. Edit auto-captions for accuracy if needed.
4. Avoid using low-quality lecture videos (ex. poor audio, grainy/low resolution, distractingly outdated/irrelevant). If necessary, re-record.
5. If using slides for videos, visit the “Slides” checklist below.
6. Third-party videos: Avoid using uncaptioned third-party videos. Use ASU Library Course Resource Services to obtain accessible media.

What: Accessible slide decks use built-in layouts, high-contrast text, logical reading order, and alt text for images to ensure all students, including those using assistive technologies, can access the content when slides are shared online.

Why: Slides are often used digitally: in recorded video lectures, Zoom sessions, and posted in Canvas to supplement live class sessions. When slides aren’t structured accessibly, students may miss important information and screen readers may skip or misread key content. Well-formatted slides improve comprehension for all learners, especially when reviewing independently or using assistive technology.

How: Start reviewing and remediating slide decks you created yourself, particularly those shared during Zoom sessions and in Canvas, since you have the most control over editing them. If you're using slides from a publisher or another instructor, check whether they meet basic accessibility standards and ask them to make improvements where feasible. Prioritize the slides students engage with most, such as weekly overviews or major concept explanations, and make steady progress over the Fall semester. For slides used in your video lectures that do not meet accessibility standards, plan to update them and rerecord over time. 

PowerPoint, Google Slides (November 2025)

1. Use accessible ASU slide templates.

2. Avoid background images behind text.

3. Use sans-serif fonts, appropriate font size (14+ for video/Zoom slides, 22+ for live presentations), and high color contrast (black text on white background).

4. Keep the lower third of slides clear for those who turn on captions (if presenting via Zoom or video).

5. Use built-in slide layouts, and do not add manual text boxes without checking the reading order using an accessibility checker.

6. If presenting your slides, verbally describe all images.

7. Add alt text to all images:

   • Decorative or non-instructional images can be marked decorative.

   • Most images only need brief alt text.

   • If the description is in text on the slide, in that slide’s speaker notes, or directly available via a linked file, you can mark the image decorative. If not, then you need alt text or a description.

8. If using PowerPoint, use its built-in accessibility checker. If using Google Slides, use Ally in Canvas to check accessibility.

What: Accessible course documents use structured headings, readable fonts, high contrast text, alt text for images, and properly formatted tables to ensure all students can navigate and understand the content.

Why: Documents shared in Word or Google Docs are often reused across courses and assignments. When formatted accessibly, they’re easier to read, search, and use with screen readers. If documents aren’t structured correctly, students may not be able to locate the content they need, and screen readers may read them out of order, creating confusion and barriers to learning. 

How: You learned much of these remediations when you made your syllabus accessible, so apply what you learned to other documents in your courses, and the same How-to Guides are provided above. Use Ally in Canvas to find and fix issues, starting with your most-used documents, like faculty-authored readings, handouts, and assignment templates. If needed, directly edit the document to apply accessible styles using Word or Google Doc's built-in tools (note that Word has an accessibility review tool), and replace the updated version in your course. 

Course documents checklist

1. Use sans-serif fonts, size 11 or 12, and high color contrast (black text on white background)
2. Use the software’s built-in headings to delineate sections. Ensure headings are hiearchical and don't skip heading levels.
3. Use the software’s built-in lists (bullets/numbers) instead of dashes and manual spacing.
4. Include headers in tables. 
5. Add alt text to informative images or mark as decorative. 
6. If using Word, use its built-in accessibility checker. If using Google Docs, use Ally in Canvas  to check accessibility

PDFs (December 2025)

What: Accessible PDFs are created from accessible documents, such as Word or Google Docs that use headings, alt text, and readable formatting. Like those source documents, accessible PDFs require high-contrast text, logical reading order, and tagged structure to ensure all students, including those using assistive technologies, can access the content when shared online. PDFs should only be shared in Canvas if they meet accessibility standards or are on track to be remediated.

Why: Many PDFs, especially older or scanned ones, are not accessible. Screen readers may interpret them as unreadable images, blank pages, or disorganized text, making them unusable for some students. PDFs are harder to fix than source documents, so it's best to avoid creating new ones unless necessary. When content is copyrighted or published (like journal articles), special handling and remediation by the library is required. Sharing only PDFs that are accessible ensures all students can engage with your course materials equitably.

How: Prioritize the PDFs students need most, like required readings or assignment instructions. If the PDF was created by you or a colleague, try to locate the original document and make it accessible there, then safe/export it as a PDF. Avoid scanning paper materials unless using OCR and tagging tools (like in Adobe). For published or copyrighted PDFs, use the ASU Library Course Resource Services to request accessible versions. As a last resort, request access to Equidox, which allows you to tag and remediate inaccessible PDFs.

1. Prioritize what matters most. Focus first on PDFs students need to read closely, reference repeatedly, or use for assignments.
2. Start with the source. If you or a colleague created the PDF, find the original Word or Google Doc and make it accessible there (following the Documents section above). Then export a tagged, accessible PDF.

3. Avoid creating new PDFs unless necessary. Share documents in their original format (Word, Google Docs) when possible; they're easier to keep accessible and up to date.

4. Don’t upload scanned PDFs unless the text is selectable and readable. Scanned pages often appear as images, which screen readers can’t interpret.

5. Use ASU Library Course Resource Services to obtain accessible versions of published or copyrighted PDFs (e.g., journal articles, book chapters).

6. Request access to Adobe Creative Cloud (not free) or Equidox (free) to remediate complex or legacy PDFs that have no available source document.

7. Check accessibility again before posting/publishing in Canvas. Try selecting text in the PDF; if you can’t, it’s likely inaccessible. Use Ally in Canvas or Adobe Acrobat’s accessibility checker to identify and fix issues.