Making Documents Accessible

A document or application is considered accessible if it meets specific technical criteria and is usable in a digital format by people with disabilities. This includes access by people who are mobility impaired, blind, low vision, deaf, hard of hearing, or who have cognitive impairments.

Documents have many of the same requirements that Canvas pages have. The text headings, lists, hyperlinks, and tables must use correct styles to be identified by screen readers. Images need alternative text and color usage must follow the same principles. Documents with complex formatting may also need a review to in so screen readers know the correct order in which to read the items on the page ("reading order").

In most cases, it is better to convert existing documents into Canvas pages. UDOIT can now help with this task! If you cannot turn documents into Canvas pages, this module will explore introductory practices for creating accessible PDFs, PowerPoints, Word documents, and Google Docs.