Carmen Canvas Accessibility Guides
Here you will find two guides on Carmen Canvas Accessibility. Please refer to these guides as you are navigating course creation in Carmen.
Improve Accessibility with the Carmen Rich Content Editor (a guide from OTDI)
General Accessibility Guidelines for Carmen from Instructure
Guidelines for Designing a Course in Carmen Learning Management System (LMS)
Do's | Don't's | Why | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Use a provided course shell template, including the fonts and color. | Create a course without using the provided template or changing to different fronts. | The template offers a heading structure tested for accessibility, enabling efficient access. | |
Ensure all PDF (Portable Document Format) readings are locatable and downloadable. | Use scanned images (e.g., A scanned page(s) from a book or printed document(s).) | Unsupported formats lead to inaccessible files. | |
Provide appropriate alternative text or text description for images, graphs, and charts (e.g., PowerPoint slides and within the LMS.) | Use images without alternative text to provide the image descriptions. | Alternative text allows screen readers to convey the meaning and context of the provided visual images. The screen reader is a digital tool to aid visually impaired users when an image fails to load on the page. | |
Ensure all the videos have closed captions and the player control is turned on. Include a transcript for an audio-only file. | Use videos without captions. | Captions aid viewers in noisy environments without sound and improve comprehension for language learners or those who need fluency in the video's language. | |
Use Built-in Accessibility Checkers | Use files (e.g., MS Word and PowerPoint) without running the checker | All Microsoft products have an Accessibility Checker to support the diverse users’ needs. | |
Use Carmen Accessibility Checker | Publish content (e.g., assignment and discussion prompts) without running the checker. | Carman Canvas offers an in-built accessibility checker for the Rich Content Editor to support diverse users’ needs. |
Additional Helpful Resources:
- Accessibility 101: Checklist for creating accessible online courses. It covers the design, content, multimedia, assessment, and communication.
- Alternative (Alt) Text Guide – OSU: This page explains how to write alternative text for different types of images, including purpose, context, length, tone, and examples.
- Creating Accessible PowerPoints – UTRGV: Create accessible PowerPoint presentations with our PDF guide covering slide layout, formatting, color contrast, images, charts, tables, animations, and audio.
- Digital Accessibility – OSU: Provides information and resources on digital accessibility at Ohio State University.
- Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities: Step-by-step instructions and best practices to make presentation files accessible.
- Check accessibility while you work in Office apps - Microsoft Support: Using Accessibility Checker in Microsoft products.
- Using the Canvas Accessibility Checker | Teaching and Learning Resource Center (osu.edu): Using Accessibility Checker in Carmen Canvas
- Master Course Template (Carmen)
- Request a consultation to collaborate with in instructional designer.
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