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Directory University of Florida

Canvas Accessibility Guide

Teaching & Learning / Accessibility

10 Steps to Making Your Course Accessible in Canvas

A practical guide to creating inclusive learning experiences and meeting accessibility standards.

Guide byJackie Sirmopoulos, M.Ed.

Accessibility starts with the way we design, write, and share course materials. Use this guide while building your course—and revisit it whenever content changes.

Use Accessible Course Design

  • Use a clear, consistent structure and navigation.
  • Organize content logically with modules and pages.
  • Use descriptive page titles and headings (H1, H2, H3) in order.

Write Accessible Content

  • Use plain language and short sentences.
  • Avoid all caps, excessive exclamation points, and color as the only way to convey meaning.
  • Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background.

Make Images Accessible

  • Add meaningful alternative (alt) text to all images.
  • Mark decorative images as decorative.
  • Use informative captions when helpful.

Add Accessible Multimedia

  • Add captions to all videos.
  • Provide transcripts for all audio and video content.
  • Use descriptive titles for videos and audio files.

Create Accessible Documents

  • Use accessible, template-based documents (headings, lists, table headers, etc.).
  • Ensure documents are tagged properly (PDF, Word, PowerPoint).
  • Provide documents in an accessible format.

Build Accessible Assignments and Quizzes

  • Write clear instructions and expectations.
  • Provide multiple means for students to demonstrate learning.
  • Use accessible question types and provide enough time.

Make Links and Files Accessible

  • Use descriptive link text (avoid “click here”).
  • Ensure files and external content are accessible.
  • Check third-party tools for accessibility and ADA compliance.

Check Accessibility in Canvas

  • Use the built-in Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor when creating content.
  • Run the Accessibility Report (UDOIT) for an overall course scan: Course Settings > Navigation > UDOIT (Accessibility Report).
  • Review and fix issues identified, then re-check regularly.

Communicate Accessibly

  • Use the Canvas Rich Content Editor to format text.
  • Caption announcements with visual content.
  • Provide accessible options for student communication.

Check and Improve Continuously

  • Use accessibility checking tools throughout course development, not only at the end.
  • Review new or revised course materials for accessibility before publishing.
  • Re-check the course regularly and address accessibility issues as content changes.

An accessible course improves usability, engagement, and success for all learners. It’s the right thing to do—and it’s required.

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