Canvas
In accordance with the University of Cincinnati EIT Policy and relevant state and federal laws, faculty and staff involved in course content creation are responsible for selecting and providing accessible course content. Below are seven operating principles on how faculty can support students who use various types of assistive technology to access course materials.
Below are seven operating principles on how faculty can support digital accessibility to ensure all students have equal access to their course materials. Resources are provided with each principle to help you learn how to create accessible course materials.
If a student reaches out to you for an accommodation, work with your student, their Access Coordinator, and your partners at the university to provide the requested accommodations within a reasonable time frame.
If a student who is not registered with Accessibility Resources reaches out to you for an accommodation, connect them with Accessibility Resources to learn about the Registration for accommodations.
Resources
- For guidance on facilitating academic accommodations, see the Academic Accommodations and Faculty Responsibility page.
- For questions about specific accommodations for specific students, contact the student’s Access Coordinator. See the Accessibility Resources Staff page for contact information.
- For additional questions about accommodations, please contact AccessResources@uc.edu.
When you create your syllabus, use accessibility guidelines and best practices to provide an accessible syllabus to your students. Consider including a note on the best way to request an accommodation if needed.
Resources
There are multiple ways to deliver an accessible syllabus. You can create your syllabus in the Syllabus section in Canvas or provide an accessible document. For resources, see the Course Syllabus page.
When you include images within your course documents, include an alternative text description (alt text) that accurately describes the image. Alt text is read aloud by screen readers, so your descriptions help students understand the contents of the image. Alt text is essential for any image that is used to provide information to students that they would usually be expected to gain from visual content.
- Your description should accurately and concisely describe the content and function of the image.
- Do not use the words “image of” or “graphic of”. Screen readers announce the presence of an image.
- Provide the description through the “alt text” function in the program you are using. If there is no designated place for alt text, add the alt text in-line, directly adjacent to the image.
- Complex graphics, figures, and data visualizations should have adequate descriptions that provide the same content that is available visually.
Resources
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint provide a built-in accessibility checker and tutorials on how to use their platforms to create accessible content.
Resources
When you select electronic materials for class, it is important that all students can access those materials at the same time as the rest of the class, including those who use assistive technology. This allows the students to complete assignments on time and engage in class discussions.
Resources
- Select textbooks, journal articles, and other reading materials that are available in digital format as well as print. Provide instructions to students on how to access those options so they can select the version that best meets their needs.
- If there is a digital version of your textbook or links to online journal articles, include both options for student to select which version best meets their needs.
- If you are involved in textbook and material selection, talk to publishers about accessible options for materials under consideration.
- For more information on accessible course materials, please contact the Digital Access Team at DigitalAccess@uc.edu.
Follow the university’s acccessibility procurement process when purchasing and licensing tools such as software, learning platforms, digital content, etc. This includes submitting a request for accessibility review. If accessibility barriers are identified during the review, proactively identify an equally effective alternative solution for students who may use assistive technology.
Resources
For more information on third party learning platforms, contact Mike Suit from DTS Learning Technology Support at Mike.Suit@uc.edu.
Ensure that all digital media (videos, podcasts, recorded lectures, etc.) have accurate captions or transcripts available, whether the media is created by you or by another party.
Resources
- Guide for Ordering Professional Video Captioning for Accommodations
- Request ASR (machine) Captions in Kaltura
- Edit Captions in Kaltura
- Captioning YouTube Videos in Kaltura: host public YouTube videos and add captions in Kaltura
- YouTube Studio Video Captioning Instructions
- If you have questions about using your colleges Kaltura Media space use the List of Kaltura MediaSpace Sites and Contacts to ask for support.
- For live media or recorded media that needs ASL interpretation or live events that need captioning, contact the Communication Access Team