UMass Boston

Accessible Communications in Canvas

Accessible communications in Canvas help ensure that all learners that all your learners can fully participate in your course.

Communication Methods in Canvas

There are three methods you can use to communicate with your learners in Canvas:

Accessibility Tips for All Messaging in Canvas

The Canvas Inbox has very minimal features to help with the accessibility of your messages. It is important to follow basic formatting and message construction guidelines to assist learners with navigating and understanding the information shared.

Course Announcements and Discussion Posts employ the Rich Content Editor (RCE), which has additional features that can improve accessibility.

Regardless of the Canvas tool that you use to communicate, you should always apply the following accessible practices to your messages.

Write Clear and Simple Messages

  • Use plain language in your messages. Avoid complicated words, jargon, and acronyms. 
  • Keep sentences short and direct. 
  • Break up long paragraphs into smaller chunks of text. 
  • Use active voice rather than passive voice when possible. 

This helps everyone understand your message quickly and reduces confusion.

Format Your Content

  • Use Sans Serif fonts like Arial, Calibri or Futura. These fonts are easier to read on screens.  
  • Use a font size at at least 12 pt to make it easier to read for everyone. 
  • Use built-in headings, paragraph, and list formatting to organize your information.  

Good message structure helps readers who use screen reading technologies and those who do not scan your email and find important information.

Using Announcements & Discussions

When writing Announcements and Discussions, you are writing them in the Rich Content Editor. This tool will allow you to enhance your messaging with images, links, attachments, and additional formatting options. However, using these features also requires additional considerations when it comes to keeping messaging accessible.

Rich Content Editor (RCE)

The Announcements and Discussions, as well as many other Canvas tools, all share one powerful common feature: the Rich Content Editor. This editor is where your instructions, prompts, descriptions, and embedded materials come to life, which makes it the ideal place to implement accessibility best practices. For detailed information about where to find the tools and buttons mentioned below, please see Instructure’s article on How to Use the Rich Content Editor.

When constructing messages in the Rich Content Editor, use the same principles that you would when creating accessible documents. 

  • Use heading styles to structure your content so that screen readers can interpret them.
  • Break long paragraphs into short sections or bullet points to help students process information more easily. If you’re inserting a file, make sure the document itself is accessible before adding it into Canvas.
  • Always use the Insert Document function rather than dragging files to the RCE. If you’re inserting a file, make sure the document itself is accessible before adding it into Canvas. Avoid uploading scanned PDFs that are images screen readers can’t read. Once the document has been uploaded, use Link Options to give it a descriptive title that does not include the file extension.
  • Add meaningful alt text when including images. Use something descriptive, not just the file name. (Additional information: How to Add Alt Text to Images)
  • For links, use clear, descriptive hyperlink text that tells students where the link will take them. 
  • Use text colors that contrast against the background. Check contrast using an online contrast checker such as Webaim Contrast Checker.
  • Before you publish anything, run YuJa Panorama by clicking the gauge icon at the bottom of the RCE. It’s a quick and effective way to catch common issues. For more information about using YuJa to check content created in the RCE, please see the Learning Design Team’s Knowledge Base article How do I use YuJa Panorama to improve accessibility in the Canvas Rich Content Editor?

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