Canvas Accessibility Guides

Quiz questions need to be clear and accessible for all learners. Without proper care it is easy to write questions that assistive technologies (such as screen-readers) cannot properly interpret creating inaccessible and confusing quizzes.

Use Classic Quizzes

New Quizzes have been found to have issues with accessibility. Use Classic Quizzes instead. This option can be chosen when you first create a quiz in a course: 

If you choose New Quizzes and later decide you want to go back to using Classic Quizzes, you will need to reset the default quiz option by clicking Quizzes in the left-hand course menu, clicking the three dots option button (located next to the +Quiz button on the right-hand side of the Quizzes page), and then selecting Reset quiz engine choice.

Clearly State What Kind of Answer the Question is Looking for

• If multiple answers are possible clearly indicate in the instructions that “Multiple answers or possible” or “Select all that apply.”
• If multiple questions follow a single prompt, indicate this with “Use the following prompt for Questions 3–7.”
• If the question is a fill-in-the-blank type question, clearly mark this in the instructions with “Fill in the blank in the following sentence.”

General Rules

• Avoid Abbreviations or All Caps
• Avoid Using Time Limits for Quizzes
• Use Language Attribute Tags for non-English Text
• Use the Equation Editor for Equations
• Reminder: Use Alt Text for All Images

There are a number of tools built into Canvas in order to provide a more accessible experience.

Manage User Settings

All accessibility settings can be managed by clicking Account and then selecting Settings: 

Scroll down to Feature Options to adjust settings. Here we will focus on the settings most related to student accessibility.

Auto Show Closed Captions

This option enables closed captions on videos as the default. Note: third party tools, such as Youtube, are not supported by this tool.

Disable Canvas Keyboard Shortcuts

Users using screen readers or keyboard navigation will have an improved experience if Canvas’ keyboard shortcuts are turned off.

High Contrast UI

This option enhances the color contrast of the user interface making it more visually distinct and easy to identify.

Microsoft Immersive Reader

Enables the Microsoft Immersive Reader. To learn more about this feature see the Microsoft Immersive Reader website.

The Canvas Rich Content Editor (RCE) includes an Accessibility Checker (AC) tool to help you verify that the content you create in the RCE is accessible. The AC helps you identify and correct issues impacting learners who use screen readers or other assistive technology to understand what is on the page. Problems can include missing alternative text for images, missing table captions and headers, incorrectly formatted lists, and low color contrast.

How to Use the Accessibility Checker in Canvas

1. Start by clicking on the "Edit" button in the top-right of your Canvas page to open up the Rich Content Editor (RCE).
2. Locate the Accessibility Checker (AC) icon under the editing box. (It looks like a person with outstretched arms in a circle.) If you see a number by the icon, the AC is notifying you that there are accessibility problems within the page. 
3. Click on the AC icon to open the AC sidebar. The sidebar shows you the number of issues it caught, then outlines the first issue and gives you an opportunity to fix it within the sidebar.
4. Once you have fixed the issue, click on Apply in the bottom right corner of the AC sidebar.
5. If there are more issues, click Next in the bottom of the sidebar to move to the next issue. 
6. Once all identified issues have been resolved, you’ll be awarded with confetti and balloons! 

Additional Information

Canvas: How do I use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?

Some students may have additional time requirements as part of their academic accommodations with DRES. These directions will allow you to accommodate them.

Moderate this Quiz

Open the quiz you want to extend time on and then select Moderate This Quiz in the upper right corner.

Select the Student(s) who need extended time

On the Moderate Quiz page, locate the student(s) who need an extension. Check the box to the left of each student. After selecting the students, scroll to the bottom and select Change Extensions for x Selected Students.

Add additional time

On the Student Extensions pop-up window, enter in any extra time on the attempt in minutes. Click Save. 

Additional Resources

For expanded instructions see Instructure’s documentation on adding time to timed quizzes.

Immersive Reader (IR) can be used to read text on Canvas pages aloud, and provides options for adjusting font size and style, line and text spacing, and background colors. This is not only helpful to blind and low vision learners but can increase focus and comprehension for all users. For ESL students, there is also a translation function, a picture dictionary, and options for labelling parts of speech. Both instructors and students have access to the IR, and IR is automatically enabled for Canvas courses at UIUC.

How to Use the Immersive Reader in Canvas

• Click on the Immersive Reader button in the top right corner of a Canvas page. The IR will open in a full-page “immersive” view.
• To have the IR start reading the page, click on the start button at the bottom middle of the screen. The IR will begin reading the page, highlighting each word as it reads.
• To select a voice and adjust the speed of the reading, click the settings icon next to the start button.
• To pause, press the start button at the bottom middle of the page. To restart, press the start button again.
• To start the reading in a different location, put your cursor where you want the reading to start, then click the start button again.
• To adjust the highlighting, click on the book icon in the top right corner of the page. This icon will also give you options for translation, and a picture dictionary.
• To adjust text size, font, spacing, or color, click on the aA icon in the top right corner of the page.
• To close the IR, click on the back arrow in the top left corner of the screen.

Canvas Immersive Reader Limitations 

• Will only read text created with the Rich Content Editor on the Canvas page
• Not available in the Discussion or Quiz tools 

• Embedded links, videos, tables, and mathematical formulae won’t appear 

• Doesn't work in Canvas mobile apps, only in browser 

• Embedded images will not be picked up if alternative text isn’t set 

Additional Information

How do I use the Microsoft Immersive Reader?

Alternative Access Plan (AAP) for the Turnitin Canvas Integration

Turnitin is a plagiarism-detection tool integrated into Canvas. At present, the graphic-based originality reports it generates are not fully accessible. However, users have the option to view the reports generated for submitted documents in a text-only version. The text-only report is intended to provide increased accessibility functionality compared to the graphic-based report.

For detailed information about how to use Turnitin's text-only report option, please consult the Technology Services knowledgebase article, Canvas@Illinois, Turnitin Text-only Report.

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Canvas has a number of built in keyboard shortcuts for more accessible navigation.

Assignments Index Page

Course Settings: Navigation Tab

Discussion Threads

Gradebook

Modules Index Page

Speed Grader

Media Player

Rich Content Editor