Canvas Accessibility Standards

Canvas is the primary learning management system used across EICC for course delivery, communication, and instructional materials. Accessible Canvas course design ensures that all students can navigate, engage with, and complete coursework successfully. 

Accessible course content supports student success, usability, and consistency across courses and programs.

Why Canvas Accessiblity Matters

Accessible Canvas courses: 

  • Support students using screen readers or assistive technology 
  • Improve navigation and usability for all students 
  • Reduce confusion and barriers to learning 
  • Improve mobile usability 
  • Reflect instructional quality and organization 

Accessible course design benefits all students and must be incorporated as courses are developed and updated. 

EICC Standard for Canvas Courses 

Canvas course content must: 

  • Use structured headings and lists 
  • Include accessible documents and presentations 
  • Caption video and multimedia 
  • Use descriptive hyperlinks 
  • Avoid image-only content 
  • Be reviewed using the Canvas Accessibility Checker 
  • Be updated as materials are revised each term 

Accessibility must be verified prior to student access and maintained throughout the term. 

Why this matters 

Headings allow screen readers and keyboard users to navigate content efficiently. 

WCAG alignment: Info and Relationships (1.3.1) | w3.org

EICC expectations 

Within Canvas page editor: 

  • Use Heading 2 for main sections 
  • Use Heading 3 for subsections 
  • Use bullet or numbered lists where appropriate 
  • Break content into short, readable sections 

Avoid: 

  • Bold text used as headings 
  • Large blocks of text 
  • Excessive scrolling without structure 

Structured pages improve navigation and readability for all students. 

Links must clearly describe where they lead. 

WCAG alignment: Link Purpose (2.4.4) | w3.org

Use: 

  • “View syllabus” 
  • “Submit assignment” 
  • “Access tutoring schedule” 

Avoid: 

  • “Click here” 
  • Posting full URLs without context 

Descriptive links help students navigate quickly and confidently. 

All documents uploaded to Canvas must meet accessibility standards. 

This includes: 

  • Word documents 
  • PDFs 
  • PowerPoint files 
  • Excel files 

Before uploading: 

  • Run Accessibility Checker 
  • Add alt text 
  • Confirm readable formatting 
  • Ensure tagged PDFs 

If a document is not accessible, it must not be posted until it is corrected. 

All instructional video must include accurate captions. 

WCAG alignment: Captions (Prerecorded) 1.2.2 | w3.org

Expectations: 

  • Caption all required instructional video 
  • Review auto-generated captions 
  • Provide transcripts for audio-only materials 
  • Avoid uncaptioned embedded media 

If video is essential for instruction, captions must be present before student use. 

Images included in Canvas must include alternative text. 

WCAG alignment: Non-text Content (1.1.1) | w3.org

Alt text must: 

  • Describe the purpose of the image 
  • Be concise 
  • Avoid repeating surrounding text 

Decorative images must be marked decorative when appropriate. 

Tables must be used only for data and must include headers. 

Best practices: 

  • Use simple tables 
  • Include column or row headers
  • Avoid merged cells 
  • Avoid tables for layout 

Tables must be readable on mobile devices as well as desktops. 

Text must be readable and not rely on color alone. 

WCAG alignment: Contrast (Minimum) 1.4.3 | w3.org

Avoid: 

  • Light text on light background 
  • Color-only indicators 
  • Decorative fonts 

Use clear, readable formatting throughout. 

Use the Canvas Accessibility Checker (Required) 

Canvas includes a built-in accessibility checker within the Rich Content Editor. 

Before publishing or updating pages: 

  1. Open page editor 
  2. Select Accessibility Checker 
  3. Review flagged issues 
  4. Correct identified problems 
  5. Re-check before saving 

The checker helps identify: 

  • Missing alt text 
  • Table structure issues 
  • Color contrast concerns 
  • Heading structure problems 

Automated checks do not replace manual review but are required. 

Course Review Each Term 

Accessibility must be reviewed each term when courses are: 

  • Copied 
  • Updated 
  • Revised 
  • Reused 

Faculty must: 

  • Confirm documents remain accessible 
  • Review videos and captions 
  • Update links and materials 
  • Check new content before publishing 

Accessibility is an ongoing part of course maintenance. 

Common Issues to Avoid 

  • Uploading scanned PDFs 
  • Missing captions on videos 
  • Image-only instructions 
  • Long unstructured pages 
  • “Click here” links 
  • Color-only instructions 
  • Posting inaccessible attachments 

Quality and Professional Standards 

Accessible Canvas courses must also be: 

  • Clearly organized 
  • Consistent in structure 
  • Easy to navigate 
  • Readable on mobile devices 
  • Focused on essential content 

Accessible design improves the learning experience for all students.

Quick Check Before Publishing 

Before students access content: 

  • Are pages structured with headings? 
  • Are documents accessible? 
  • Are videos captioned? 
  • Are links descriptive? 
  • Do images include alt text? 
  • Does Accessibility Checker pass? 

If yes, content is ready for student use. 

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