Accessible Text
What is it?
Accessible text is anything (PDF, document, or Canvas page) that is accessible for all individuals, especially those that use assistive technology. Accessible text includes the following:
- Appropriate Headings
- Alternative Text
- Correct Reading Order
- Tagged
- High Color Contrast
- Descriptive Links for URLs and documents
- Ability to be copied and pasted/read by a screen reader
Why do it?
When PDFs and other documents are not accessible, it can lead to problems for students who use assistive technology. The video below by PopeTech shows great reasoning as to why having accessible PDFs is so important, and what the experience is like for students who use assistive technology when the PDF is not accessible.
How to Do It
Document and Website Resources
- Utilize the accessibility checkers in Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, and Canvas. The links below will walk you through how to use them.
- Use the read aloud function to check reading order
- Create and Utilize Accessible PDFs
Video Resources
Canvas Accessibility Checker
The video below will walk you through how to use the Canvas Accessibility Checker
How to Use a Screen Reader to Check PDF Accessibility
In this video, you'll learn how to use a screen reader to check PDF readability .
Making Your PDF Accessible in Adobe Acrobat
The video below will walk you through how to use adobe acrobat to check accessibility and make your PDF readable. Please note, this is an introduction video and does not go into the details of how to add headings, tag PDFS, or other information to PDFs.
Canvas Immersive Reader
In the video below, you can learn how to use the immersive reader to check content in Canvas.