Last newsletter, we shared some updates about what Ally is reporting regarding digital content in Canvas. We also provided some tips regarding some minor issues reported and how to correct those.
Two major issues found in the top ten list center around providing a description for any images found in your course. Those could be images uploaded into your Files or images found within documents or Pages.
In a previous newsletter article, Accessibility Tip: Alt Text for Images, practices were shared on deciding what appropriate alt text might be needed as well as how to add alt text to images in Canvas using the rich content editor.
You can also use Ally inside Canvas to add an image description. If you click on the gauge icon next to an image in your course Files, you will see something like the screenshot below, if Ally detects that your image is missing a description.
You can add an image description right in the box to correct. If the image is just being used for decorative purposes and all information that may be found either in the image or about the image is conveyed in the text where the image may be found, then you can check “indicate image is decorative”.
One tip to remember is your alt text should not be the name of your image file. This is especially important, if that name is something like IMG0123.
Remember, before you ever add a document with images or an image into Canvas, you can add an image description right in Word, Power Point, etc. Below are a couple of screen shots showing how you can add the alt text to an image in a Word document using Format Picture. You need to right click on the image, select Format Picture. On the right side of your screen you should see a Layout and Properties icon. Click the icon, expand Alt Text and fill in the Title and Description.
To learn more, you may want to visit these other previous posts for helpful accessibility tips.
Accessibility Tip: Checking Word Documents
Accessibility Tip: PowerPoint Slides
Remember Microsoft provides accessibility checkers for their various applications. Use these checkers and the Help that they provide: PowerPoint, Word.
