Check for Accessibility with the Ally Instructor Report
The Ally tool in bCourses identifies if images and files in your course site are formatted for accessibility. It then provides guidance on how to edit materials that are currently not in accessible formats, a process called remediation. As you add links to documents or embed images on your weekly landing pages, you may notice the green, orange, and red meters next to the files identifying if the materials are fully, partially, or not accessible, respectively. The Ally tool indicates the problem when you select the meter. Some accessibility issues, such as adding alternative text, can be resolved within the Ally tool. Note that students do not see the Ally meters.
Though you will see the Ally meters on your pages and in the Files section of the course site, you can generate an Ally Instructor Report to see all issues in one place. It’s recommended that you generate this report before students gain access to your course so you can proactively address any issues.
Generate the Ally Instructor Report with the following steps.
- Select Settings at the bottom of the left navigation.
- Go to the Navigation tab at the top of the page.
- Select the Ally Instructor Report from the bottom list of items hidden from students and drag it into the top list of items available in the course navigation.
- Select Save at the bottom of the page.
After saving, you will see the Ally Instructor Report in your left navigation. Note that this section is not available to students and they do not see it in the left navigation.
When you select the Ally Instructor Report, you will first see the Overview tab, which gives an overview of your course content and how much of it is accessible.
Select the Content tab to see the specific Ally score for each file in your course. When you select the file, you will see guidance from Ally on how to improve its accessibility.
Once you have the report, you can address the issues identified by remediating your files. The following resources from DLS provide guidance on how to remediate your files. Note that if you have a student with a Letter of Accommodation (LOA), the Disabled Students’ Program (DSP) will provide remediation support.