Guidelines & Resources

Canvas

• Text - Use headings instead of font size for organization.
• Tables - Use tables for data. display, not for layout. Add headings for tables and rows.
• Links - Describe the link destination(s).
• Color - Ensure high contrast. Do not use color for emphasis.
• Images - Include descriptive alternative (alt) text. The image name becomes alt text but can be changed when editing a page using the HTML editor.
• Video - Include captions.
• Audio - Include transcripts

Canvas Accessibility Guidelines

Slideshow

• Text - Compose in Outline. View and include presenters’ notes.
• Layout - Use slide layouts. 
• Tables - Use tables for data display, not for layout. Add headings for tables and rows.
• Links - Describe the link destination(s).
• Color -Ensure high contrast. Do not use color for emphasis
• Images - Include descriptive alt text, ca ptions and presenter’s notes.
• Video - Include captions.
• Audio - Include transcripts.
• Do not save as a web page.

PowerPoint Accessibility Checker

Spreadsheet

• Text - Use headings instead of font size for organization.
• Tables - Use tables for data display, not for layout. Add headings for tables and rows. 
• Links - Describe the link destination(s).
• Color - Ensure high contrast. Do not use color for emphasis.
• Images and Objects - Include descriptive alt text.
• Specify column headers.
• Do not use blank cells for formatting.

Excel Accessibility Checker

Document

• Text - Use heading styles
  instead of font size for
  organization.
• Tables, bulleted lists, columns: Use built-in  formats.
• Links - Describe the link
  destination(s).
• Color - Ensure high contrast.
  Do not use color for emphasis.
• Images - Include descriptive
  alt text.
• Do not save as a web page.
• Avoid floating text boxes.

Word Accessibility Checker

PDF

• Before creating the PDF,
  ensure the original
  document is accessible.
• If the original document is not available, auto-tag the PDF in Adobe Acrobat.
• Run OCR on scanned items.

Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker

Video

• Include closed captions.
• Check for content in the video that should be repurposed as text.
• Use accessible media
  players (i.e. Panopto,
  YouTube).

Captioning Fact Sheet from National Center on Disability & Access to Education