Working With Accessibility
Accessible instructional materials allow us to foster growth and cultivate belonging, two of 六色网’s Principles of Community. The resources below offer practical guidance to help faculty create and provide accessible instructional materials.
Additionally, CAFE will be offering workshops and trainings on accessibility in early December 2025 and early Spring 2026. CAFE will also offer limited student assistant hours this academic year to support faculty as they work to make instructional materials accessible.
Two new accessibility tools are available in Canvas. More information about UDOIT and TIdyUP is below.
View our Accessibility Checklist to help ensure that your materials are accessible.
Accessibility Consultation
CAFE provides accessibility consultations through Studio 6. Request a consultation regarding making instructional materials accessible or in response to a notification from the Disability Resource Center (DRC).
UDOIT and TidyUp Canvas Tools
The UDOIT Canvas tool helps instructors check their course accessibility and provides instructions on how to fix problems. It scans the Canvas site, including any uploaded documents, and can help the instructor fix documents without ever leaving Canvas.
TidyUp is another Canvas tool that helps instructors identify and clean out unused course content. This makes the course more accessible and easier to manage for everyone.
Champions for Accessibility and Inclusivity (CHAI) Program
Creating excellent learning experiences for each student
The Champions for Accessibility and Inclusivity (CHAI) program is a chance for us to recognize heroes and to help other faculty become heroes. We want to create a network of empathy, both towards students who benefit from universal design and accessible course materials, and towards faculty who provide those materials.
Basic Accessibility Terms
Screen Reader: Screen readers are used by individuals with visual impairments. Screen readers scan materials, word-by-word, and then read all the text back to the individual through the computer speakers.
Captions and Transcripts: Captions and/or transcripts should accompany all audio and video materials. Captions and transcripts serve as a description of what is happening in the audio or video (either a summary or word-for-word representation), allowing hearing impaired individuals, as well as non-native speakers, the opportunity to receive the same content from audio and video that a hearing individual would receive. Contact MediaVision for assistance adding captions to your audio/visual content.
Alt Text: Alternative text, also known as alt text, should accompany every image that has meaning, i.e. not purely decorative images. Alt text serves as a description of what is happening in the image, allowing visually impaired individuals, through the use of a screen reader, the opportunity to receive the same content from an image that a sighted individual would receive.
Tutorials for Creating Accessible Materials
Information and Resources
- Federal law requires electronic and information technology, and digital materials be accessible for users with disabilities. This includes campus websites, third party applications, as well as digital instructional materials. Beginning April 24, 2026, amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II regulations require adherence to technical standards.
- Top Tips for Making Your Materials Accessible
- Learning Technologies Accessibility Statements
- Disability Resource Center (DRC)
- Accessibility Technology Initiative (ATI)