Accessibility Guidelines

Accessible text helps all students access important information, whether they are reading it, listening to it, translating it, or using assistive technology.

• Break long announcements into short paragraphs or sections.
• Avoid large blocks of unbroken text.
• Use bold to highlight key information, not color alone.

Design choices affect whether students can read the content at all.

• Use high contrast between text and background (dark text on light background or vice versa).
• Avoid decorative or script fonts for any important information.
• Avoid tiny text, dense layouts, or overcrowded designs.
• Do not use color alone to convey meaning. Always pair it with text or a label.

If your Canva design contains any important course information, that information must also appear as readable text outside the graphic.

• Do not rely on the image as the only source of dates, links, directions, or reminders.
• Repeat all key information in the announcement or page body as regular text.
• Make sure links appear as clickable text, not only inside the graphic.

Add alt text to every image that contains or supports important information. When you insert a Canva design or any image into Canvas, add alt text that describes the content and purpose of the image.

• Strong: "Weekly announcement graphic showing Unit 3 due Friday, October 18, and a live help session Tuesday at 4:00 PM."
• Weak: "Image" or "Announcement."
• If the image is purely decorative and adds no information, mark the image as Decorative.

• Always hyperlink descriptive text: "Join Tuesday's help session" — not "click here."
• Test every link before publishing.
• Do not embed the only copy of a link inside a Canva image — repeat it as clickable text in the announcement body.

• Add alt text to every image that contains or supports important information.
• If a graphic is included, repeat all key content (dates, links, instructions) as plain text below or above it.
• Decorative images that add no information should have blank alt text.

Many students read announcements on their phone or through email notifications.

• Keep formatting simple — complex layouts often break in email view.
• Avoid relying on tables or multi-column layouts for announcements.
• Place the most important information near the top of the announcement.
• Test the announcement on a mobile device if you are using complex formatting.

Captions are required for any video that includes instructional content.

• Auto-generated captions are often inaccurate — review and correct them before posting.
• Captions should include speaker identification when more than one person is speaking.
• Avoid using captions only as a courtesy — they are a requirement.

Provide a written transcript whenever a video includes directions, explanations, or instructional content students need to act on.

• A transcript allows students to search, translate, or reference the content without replaying the video.
• Copy the corrected caption file and paste it as text in the page or announcement, or attach it as a document.

How you record affects how accessible the video is for all students.

• Use clear audio and minimize background noise.
• Describe important visual elements out loud — do not rely on students being able to see your screen.
• Avoid vague references like "click here" or "look over there" — name what students should select or notice.
• Keep videos focused and organized so students can easily find what they need on a second viewing.