Accessibility Toolkit for Faculty

Top Ten Accessibility Tips

•  Convert and Verify Course Documents are Accessible

  Word and PowerPoint documents tend to work best for students utilizing screen readers. For PDFs, ensure that they are tagged. Tagging provides a logical structure and accurate reading order that aids assistive technologies, like screen readers, in interpreting and reading the document.

•  Insert Alternative Text for Visual Content

  Alt text is a short, written description of an image or graphic that allows people who use screen readers to understand the purpose and content of images. When inserting alt text, it’s important to explain the content to students who cannot see the image and include any text contained in the image itself.

•  Provide Captions and/or Transcripts for Digital Media

  Captions provide text versions of the words spoken in a video to provide full access to a video for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, ESL learners, and people who are working in a quiet public space. Ensure that any videos that are part of the course curriculum have captions that can be added or switched on. Audio description—a form of descriptive narrative—is another accessibility feature that provides access for students with visual disabilities.

•  Insert Headers to Organize Content

  Headings act as structural markers that provide a clear outline of your content. For students with disabilities, accessible headings are essential for making documents usable and easy to navigate, especially those who use screen readers. When a document distinguishes Heading 1 (title of the document), Heading 2 (main topics), Heading 3 (sub sections), this structure acts like a document outline, allowing screen reader users to jump between sections without reading the whole document out loud.

•  Use Meaningful, Descriptive Hyperlink Text

  When inserting a hyperlink, avoid using vague terms like “read more”, “link”, or “click here”. Instead, use concise and specific text that describes what the user is clicking on (e.g. View Annual Report 2026 or Course Syllabus Fall 2026).  The links should be meaningful and readily apparent.

•  Increase Color Contrast and Avoid Color-Only Cues

  Color contrast refers to the difference in brightness between foreground and background colors. For accessible text, be mindful of the contrast (light-to-dark ratio) to ensure readability for people with moderately low vision or color blindness. For students with low vision or blindness, avoid using color only cues as a distinguishing feature to draw attention to or convey information such as “updates are in red.”  Consider other identifiers such as italicization or labels. 

•  Be Mindful of the Use of Tables

  Use tables to organize data only, rather than for the layout of a document or page. Tables should have visible borders, a header row, and repeating headers if they span multiple pages. Avoid empty, split, or merged cells whenever possible. Complex tables should include a caption or alternative text to provide additional context and information. 

•  Use Clear and Concise Language

  Plain language benefits all student, including people with cognitive disabilities, low reading literacy, screen reader users, and people who are encountering an unknown topic or language. Avoid jargon, idioms, abbreviations, and acronyms that may not be familiar to your entire audience or that a screen reader might have difficulty reading. 

•  Utilize Ally to Check for and Remediate Accessibility Issues

  The Ally Accessibility Checker is another easy-to-use tool in Canvas.

•  Coordinate with TLTC, DSS, the Library to Discuss Additional Questions

  Reach out with any questions and meet one-on-one with a digital accessibility expert to review your course materials, identify accessibility barriers and learn practical solutions for creating more accessible content. 

Explore Disability Support Services 

Learn More