Author: Daniel

Posted on

Digital Accessibility Demo Day – Event Recap

On March 5th 2025, Disability Interest Group and Christian Lawson-Perfect, with support from LTDS, hosted the first Digital Accessibility Demo day in the Boiler House on the central campus of Newcastle University.

We were very pleased with the high turnout of attendees. It was wonderful to initiate conversations with colleagues about accessibility awareness and the importance of creating inclusive environments.

Attendees were greeted on entry and encouraged to take away a series of handouts giving accessibility advice prior to visiting one of the stations.

People from LTDS, NUIT and the Disability Interest Group were on hand offer support and answer any questions attendees had about digital accessibility.

Sample of Handouts

Image of Poster for Designing for Diverse Learners
Poster for “Designing for Diverse Learners”
Image of Poster for Digital Accessibility Resources
Poster for Digital Accessibility Resources at Newcastle University”

You can download copies of these handouts at:

Attendees were also informed of the wide range of digital accessibility resources available on the Digital Accessibility Webpages on the Learning and Teaching Website.

Review of Accessibility Demonstration Stations

We had set up stations that simulated various access requirements and featured different accessibility software for attendees to try out.

Screen Reader

A laptop was set up with a red card covering the screen. Attendees were asked to use the provided headphones and screen reader (NVDA) software to navigate online teaching materials.

After using the screen reader, the red card was removed to reveal the content.

This setup provided attendees with a first hand experience of navigating online materials using a screen reader, highlighting the challenges and solutions associated with this.

NVDA enables blind and visually impaired users to interact with the Windows operating system and many third-party applications through synthetic speech.

Image of Devin using the Screen Reader
Devin Louttit of LTDS testing the Screen Reader Station

Text to Speech Software (ClaroRead)

A station featuring ClaroRead was set up alongside a course created on Canvas with intentionally poor accessibility. This setup aimed to demonstrate the capabilities of text-to-speech software. While ClaroRead was used for this demonstration, many other programs offer similar functionality.

Text-to-speech software converts written text into spoken words using synthetic voices. This technology is designed to assist individuals who have difficulty reading text on a screen, but it can also be used for convenience and productivity.

It was demonstrated how ClaroRead works on the demonstration course, providing attendees with the opportunity to experience the software first hand.

Colour Vision Deficiency

Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD), commonly known as colour blindness, is a condition where an individual has difficulty distinguishing between certain colours.

To demonstrate this, a station was set up with colour filters that removed all colours from the screen, rendering everything in black and white. This setup aimed to illustrate the challenges faced by individuals with CVD and to emphasise the importance of not relying solely on colour to convey meaning. It also highlighted potential contrast issues that could arise if colours were inverted. This also would impact users who print materials in black and white.

By experiencing this simulation, attendees gained a better understanding of the need for accessible design practices that consider colour vision deficiencies.

An example was provided of online materials that used colour in a way that could be challenging for users with Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD) to understand, particularly when reading the graph and the highlighted text.

When colour is removed, interpreting the graph and text becomes noticeably more challenging.

Image of Canvas materials in greyscale
Canvas materials in greyscale (with colour removed)
Image of Canvas materials on colour
Canvas materials with colour

Attendees remarked on the increased difficulty in understanding the content when the colours were changed to greyscale. This experience prompted them to reconsider how they use colour in their own online teaching materials to ensure better accessibility.

Low Mobility

A laptop was set up just out of reach, requiring attendees to use a long stick to access the keyboard. This added level of difficulty was designed to demonstrate the challenges faced by users with mobility issues when accessing content. By experiencing this first hand, attendees gained a deeper understanding of the importance of designing accessible digital environments that accommodate various physical limitations.

Magnification

A laptop and screen were set up for using the Magnifier in Microsoft Windows. The Magnifier on Microsoft Windows is an accessibility tool designed to make parts or all of your screen larger, making words and images easier to see. This is particularly useful for individuals with low vision.

Image of Microsoft Windows Magnification on a Canvas Course
Microsoft Windows Magnification in action on a Canvas course

Canvas Accessibility Tools

There are numerous accessibility tools built into Canvas and Microsoft Office. At this station, we demonstrated some of the accessibility features in Canvas that can help you make your materials more accessible.

In addition to Canvas, Microsoft Office offers a variety of tools designed to enhance accessibility, such as the Accessibility Checker and Immersive Reader. By integrating these features, attendees learned how to create more inclusive and user-friendly online teaching materials.

Canvas Built in Accessibility Tools

Canvas Rich content editor accessbility checker

The demo included looking at the Rich Content Editor Accessibility Checker which helps identify common accessibility issues within your course content. It checks for issues such as missing alt text for images, improper table structures, and insufficient colour contrast.

canvas immersive reader

The Immersive Reader in Canvas tool designed to enhance reading accessibility and comprehension for all learners. Developed by Microsoft, it offers features such as text-to-speech, syllable breakdown, line focus, picture dictionary, and adjustable text settings.

The Immersive Reader can be used on various Canvas pages, including the Course Home Page, Syllabus, assignments, and individual pages, helping to create a more inclusive learning environment.

A group of students that attended the event were unaware that this was available and were very impressed with how the tool worked, they said they’d be looking to incorporate this into their future use of Canvas.

Ally Tool with Canvas

The Ally tool in Canvas is designed to improve the accessibility of course content. The key features include:

  • Accessibility Scores: Ally provides detailed accessibility scores for course materials, helping instructors identify and prioritise accessibility issues that need attention.
  • Instructor Feedback: It offers guidance and support to instructors on how to improve the accessibility of their content, including suggestions and documentation on how to correct barriers.
  • Alternative Formats: Ally automatically generates alternative formats of course content, such as readable text for screen readers, tagged PDFs, HTML, ePub, and audio files. These formats are made available alongside the original content, ensuring students can access materials in the format that best suits their needs.

Some students attending the event had never been introduced to Alternative Formats and were very impressed with their functionality. They were very enthusiastic about incorporating these tools into their studies moving forward.

Microsoft Office Accessibility Tools

The Accessibility Checker in Microsoft Office is a tool that identifies and suggests fixes for common accessibility issues in your documents and presentations. By scanning your content for problems such as missing alt text, improper table structures, and insufficient colour contrast, it ensures that your materials are accessible to all users. The tool provides real-time notifications and detailed explanations for each issue, helping you understand and address them effectively.

This ensures that content is checked for accessibility before being uploaded to Canvas, which helps improve the course’s accessibility score. Additionally, it can be used to troubleshoot and resolve accessibility issues in existing course materials.

A number of academic and professional service colleagues remarked that they would start using these tools when creating materials following the event as they were easy to use and would save time in the future troubleshooting accessibility issues in uploaded documents to Canvas.

Recap Captioning

The captioning tool in Recap was also demonstrated. Captions also benefit those who may struggle to understand spoken language due to background noise or where their first language isn’t English.

Additionally, captions support flexible viewing in various environments, such as public places where sound may be disruptive.

It was demonstrated how easy it is to check and alter these captions in your course using the Recap editor.

Sample of Tool Demonstrations

Image of Microsoft Immersive Reader
Image of Microsoft Immersive Reader
Image of Canvas Accessibility Checker
Image of Canvas Accessibility Checker
Image of Alternative Formats Options
Image of Alternative Formats Options
Image of Ally Canvas Course Report
Image of Ally Canvas Course Report
Image of Ally Tool for file checking
Image of Ally Tool for file checking
Image of Recap captions
Image of Recap captions

Posted on

SpeedGrader Update – Coming in Spring 2025

Video Update

What’s New?

In Spring 2025, there will be some updates to Canvas SpeedGrader. This update makes SpeedGrader faster and more stable, while keeping the interface easy to use. The grading process you know will stay the same, but with some improvements behind the scenes.

Previously, courses with large cohorts or assignments with large file submissions experienced frustratingly slow loading times. This update aims to enhance SpeedGrader’s performance, making navigation quicker and more efficient.

In addition to performance updates, there will be minor interface changes to assist with navigation. Although small, these changes will help with the usability of SpeedGrader. After these changes, the interface will still have the familiar SpeedGrader feel.

Let’s dive into the changes made to Canvas SpeedGrader…

Sections Selector Dropdown

The section selector now has a streamlined interface, making it easier to navigate between different class sections. Previously, filtering by section required more steps. With the new Sections Selector Dropdown, you can quickly filter submissions by section.

In the Student Dropdown List, you’ll now see a Sections header. Under ‘Showing,’ you’ll find the current section that the list is filtered to (point 1).

To apply a new section filter, click on the Section filter (point 2). A dropdown list will then appear, as shown below:

In the dropdown list, you’ll see all the sections associated with the assignment. A tick mark will indicate the section currently applied as the filter (point 3).

To choose a new section filter, click on the name of the desired section (point 4).

No Submission Alerts

The alert for assignments without submissions has been enhanced to be more prominent and visually clear.

Previously, this would be indicated with the assignment showing as blank in the DocViewer. It is now clearly indicated that there is no submission.

You can see in the below (point 1), this is now clearly displayed in the DocViewer.

Grade Status Selector

Changing the status of a submission is now easier with a new dropdown box. However, it’s generally not recommended to use this feature, as our assignment statuses are tracked via the NESS system.

Previously, this status was managed by a pencil icon located in the top corner of the marking pane in SpeedGrader.

To change a submission status, click on the dropdown box and selected the appropriate status.

This is demonstrated in point 1 below:

Rubrics

Rubrics are now consistently displayed in the new traditional (grid) view. This view is very similar to the rubrics you’re used to marking with, though there are some minor changes.

The Instructor score is now displayed at the top of the rubric, making it easier to see while marking an assignment (point 1).

Providing feedback for rubric criteria is now easier with the feedback entry box clearly displayed (point 2). Previously, you had to access this feature via a button. Having the feedback option readily available encourages more frequent addition of comments to rubric criteria.

Media Attachments

Uploading and managing media attachments in submission comments is now more intuitive, thanks to an improved dialogue and a more straightforward deletion process.

Deleting an attachment has been made more intuitive with the introduction of a rubbish bin icon, replacing the previous red ‘x’ button (point 1). This change not only modernises the interface but also makes the deletion process clearer and more user-friendly. The rubbish bin icon is universally recognised, ensuring that users can easily identify and use this function without confusion.

Posted on

Canvas October 2024 Updates

Over October there have been a series of updates to various features within Canvas including New Quizzes, Assignments and Discussions.

In this blog post, we will cover what is new in Canvas for October 2024.

How to Navigate this Update

This update is broken down into pages dedicated to updates for each of the Canvas Features.

By selecting the page numbers below, you will be taken to the update for each Canvas feature.

Included in this update is:

New Quizzes Updates (Page 2)

  • Add Time to Existing Quiz Sessions
  • Manage Student Result View
  • Submitted Date Displays in Moderate Log
  • Attempt Log Stopped Viewing the Canvas Quiz Page

Assignment Updates (Page 3)

  • Assign to Interface Change – “Assign To” Location Change

Discussions Updates (Page 4)

  • Edit button added to Discussions Index Page
Pages: 1 2 3 4
Posted on

Inbox Updates 

Over the summer there have been a series of updates to the Inbox within Canvas.

In this blog post, we will highlight some of the key changes to the Inbox and how you can utilise these changes in your courses.

Video Overview

Add Auto Response

All users can now create an Auto Response message in the Canvas Inbox. This works similar to an email Out of Office message however this only within the internal messaging system in Canvas.

An example of this can be found below:

To do this:

  1. In the top left corner of the Inbox, select the cog icon
  2. From the dropdown menu select “Response On”
  3. Add the Start and End Date
  4. Add a Subject
  5. Add a Message
  6. Select “Save”

Add Signature to Messages

All users can now create a personalised signature on their Inbox messages in Canvas. This works similar to a signature in Emails and is assigned to internal messages in Canvas.

An example of this can be seen here:

As you can see above, my contact details have automatically been added to my message.

To do this in your own inbox:

  1. In the top left corner of the Inbox screen, select the cog icon
  2. Select the “Signature On” button
  3. Add your personalised signature in the box provided
  4. Select the “Save” button
Posted on

Announcement Updates

Over the summer there have been a series of updates to the Announcements feature within Canvas.

In this blog post, we will highlight some of the key changes to Announcements and how you can utilise these changes in your courses.

Video Overview

Mark All As Read Button

In Announcements, a Mark all as read button is available.

This update allows users to quickly and efficiently mark all announcements as read. Previously, each message would need to be manually marked then a bulk action applied. With this update, all messages can be marked as read with a single button click.

Notification for Changed Content

In Announcements, instructors can notify students when an announcement has been updated.

This feature prevents missed information, allowing users to respond promptly and appropriately to the new information.

Previously there was no way to alert recipients that there had been a change to an announcement other than posting the message again or sending another message informing students of the change.

Availability Dates

In Announcements, the delayed posting field is changed, in addition to the Available from field, instructors can add Until dates.

The update enables instructors to specify a date when the announcement will no longer be visible to students.

Announcements Timestamp

In Announcements, the Created date is hidden from students, and the Last edited date is only shown if the announcement was edited after being published. Additionally, the Posted date now reflects when the announcement became available.

This update helps prevent any confusion between the Posted and Last edited dates for students.

In the above screenshot, we can see in the teacher view, we can see the creation and the posted date (point 1).

In the student view below, we can see that we only have the posted date (point 2).

Posted on

SpeedGrader Updates

Over the summer there have been a series of updates to the SpeedGrader tool within Canvas to improve the ability to provide feedback.

In this blog post, we will highlight some of the key changes to the SpeedGrader and how you can utilise these changes in your courses.

Submission Comment Drafts

In SpeedGrader, after adding a submission comment, if this has not been saved, a Draft pill displays indicating that this comment has not been saved and a warning message is presented alerting the teacher that the comment has not been saved.

Previously there was no clear indication that a comment had been submitted and this would lead to students not seeing comments/feedback in their assignments.

With this update, it is clear for a teacher to see the status of a submission comment.

You can see in the example below that the submission comment has not been submitted and we have a draft pill alongside our comment:

When we press submit on this comment, the draft pill disappears which means the comment is visible to the student:

Rich Content Editor (RCE) In Submission Comments

In SpeedGrader, some Rich Content Editor (RCE) features are available when using submission comments. The available RCE features include:

  • Heading
  • Bold
  • Italic
  • Underline
  • Font colour
  • Insert Hyperlink
  • Bullets

This allows teachers to style feedback and provide further resources via linking. In the example below, you can see a link is provided to further resources to assist the student:

This functionality is available at the top of the submission comments box as demonstrated below:

Equation Editor in Submission Comments

In SpeedGrader, an Equation Editor function has been added to the Rich Content Editor. This feature enables instructors to incorporate math equations into their submission comments.

In the below example, you can see the new equation editor function within the submission comments in SpeedGrader:

Randomise Students in Submission List

In SpeedGrader Settings, instructors now have the option to randomise the order of students within each submission status. This update helps mitigate grading fatigue and biases by ensuring a random sorting of students. Additionally, it enhances grading efficiency by maintaining this random order within submission statuses.

Below are step by step instructions on how to do this:

  1. In the top left corner of the SpeedGrader, select the cog icon
  2. From the dropdown menu select “Options”
  3. Within SpeedGrader options, select “randomise students within a submission status”
  4. Select the “Save settings” button

Please note that when the randomised students, the preference is saved as the default in the browser for the course. When logging in on another device, instructors must select the sort by options again.

Posted on

Canvas Best Practice – Remove Any Unused Navigation Links

Do you get frustrated when you click on a link and no content appears?

If you don’t hide inactive links on your Canvas courses, your course visitors could be clicking on links that have no content.

Your course navigation bar in Canvas should only include links to active items.

Hiding unused navigation links in a navigation bar has several benefits:

  • User Clarity: When showing only inactive navigation items, users might mistakenly click on items with no content. Hiding non-active items prevents confusion and frustration when no content appears.
  • Cleanliness: By hiding unused links, you declutter the navigation bar, creating a cleaner and more visually appealing menu.
  • Canvas Mobile App: As all links are displayed in the Canvas App, by including only active items, you will improve the usability of your course navigation.
  • Accessibility: Hidden links are less distracting for screen readers and visually impaired users. It ensures that the focus remains on relevant content.

This is also a requirement in the Newcastle University Canvas Baseline.

The below video from the Canvas Baseline Requirements guidance demonstrates how you can do this in your course:

Posted on

Canvas Best Practice – Using the Rich Content Editor (RCE) to style your content

The Rich Content Editor in Canvas offers a straightforward and efficient method for building content in your Canvas courses.

The Rich Content Editor is available in:

  • Announcements
  • Assignments
  • Discussions
  • Pages
  • Quizzes
  • Calendar

The Rich Content Editor allows for the embedding of various elements such as videos, images, other types of media files, course files. Additionally, it enables the creation of tables and lists. You are also able to link to content within your courses and to materials outside your course via hyperlinks.

The Rich Content Editor allows you to bring all your content together in one place.

In this blog post, we will show you examples of how to can use this in Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages and Quizzes.

This short video from Instructure, you can see how to use the RCE in Canvas:

An example of using the RCE in Announcements

Links can be incorporated into your announcements to guide students towards specific resources you wish to highlight.

In the example provided, we prompt students to review a pre-lecture task located on a Canvas page. By including a direct link (highlighted as 1 below), students are navigated straight to the resource, eliminating any potential confusion. This ensures that all necessary resources are conveniently provided within the announcement message itself.

An example of using the RCE in Assignments

Essential resources for the assessment can be made readily accessible to students by providing pertinent links. These may include links to guidelines, policies, and additional support such as discussion boards.

In the following example, we have incorporated a link to a discussion board (1), enabling students to anonymously pose questions about the assessment. Additionally, we have included an email link (2) for direct communication with the module leader. Links to school policies and university regulations, such as student progress and plagiarism, are also provided.

By consolidating all necessary information for the assessment in one place, we eliminate the need for students to search elsewhere.

This approach promotes clarity and guidance, ensuring that students fully comprehend the expectations and requirements of their assessment

An example of using the RCE in Quizzes

In the Quizzes section, you have the option to include links that can assist students with their assessments. These could be links to the content that will be evaluated or to technical guidance.

In the given example, we are notifying students that the assessment will be based on the Week 1 Lecture (highlighted as 1). Additionally, a link for technical support (highlighted as 2) is provided for their convenience.

An example of using the RCE in Discussions

Links to the discussion topic and technical guidance on utilising Canvas Discussion boards can be incorporated. This approach is beneficial as it equips students with all the necessary resources for active participation in the discussion, while also providing context to the discussion topic.

In this instance, we are offering a link to the module corresponding to the current teaching week (highlighted as 1). This serves to give students a prompt for the discussion and context for the topic under discussion. Additionally, we provide technical guidance for utilising discussions (highlighted as 2).

An example of using the RCE in Pages

Using the RCE in Canvas Pages

Leveraging the Rich Content Editor (RCE) in Canvas Pages, you have the flexibility to enrich your teaching materials with a diverse range of content items. This includes not only links to course-specific content and videos, but also resources like PowerPoint presentations and external webpages.

In the below example

Posted on

Canvas New Feature – Find and Replace in the RCE

Overview

Canvas, our Virtual Learning Environment is constantly evolving to enhance user experience and functionality. Each month we inform you via this blog what changes are taking place, how they will impact users and how to make the best out of this new functionality.

In this blog, we will look at the new Find and Replace tool in the Rich Content Editor.

Rich Content Editor – Find and Replace

What is this new feature?

A find and replace tool has been added to the Rich Content Editor (RCE). This will be similar in functionality to Find and Replace your would find in Word Processing applications like Microsoft Word.

As this is a Rich Content Editor enhancement, you will be able to use this in the following areas of Canvas:

  • Announcements
  • Assignments
  • Discussions
  • New Quizzes
  • Pages
  • Quizzes

How do I use this Find and Replace Tool?

  1. Access the Rich Content Editor:
    • When editing a Canvas page, discussion post, or any other content, click the Tools drop-down menu in the Rich Content Editor.
    • Select Find and Replace from the options.
  2. Search and Replace:
    • In the modal that appears, enter the text you want to find in the Find field.
    • Enter the replacement text in the Replace field.
    • Click Replace to replace the first occurrence, or Replace All to replace all occurrences.
  3. Keyboard Shortcut:
    • You can also use the keyboard shortcut:
      • Mac: Command + F
      • Windows: Control + F

Video Demonstration

Posted on

Using Ally in Canvas

GAAD Global Accessibility Awareness Day Logo

Accessibility week –
Day 5

This blog post outlines how to use Ally to improve the accessibility of your teaching materials within Canvas.

Ally is a built-in accessibility checker that is integrated into Canvas which automatically checks course materials against WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.

From an instructor perspective, it delivers guidance to improve the accessibility of their course content. For students it provides accessible alternative formats such as audio, electronic braille, epub and more.

Alternative Formats

Ally automatically generates alternative formats of your course files, so students can access the information they need, in the way that they need it.

Formats includes:

  • Electronic Braille
  • Audio
  • Immersive Reader
  • PDF – OCR
  • PDF – Tagged
  • HTML, Semantic
  • ePub
  • Translated Version
  • BeeLine Reader

For more information on these alternative formats, visit the Alternative Formats section of the Ally website.

The below video explains alternative formats in Ally, demonstrating how they are accessed and used.

Alternative Formats in Ally – Explanational video

Instructor feedback

Ally provides you detailed feedback and support to help you make your materials more accessible.

The below video explains the instructor view of Ally and how to improve the accessibility of your materials:

Instructor Tools in Ally – Explanational video

Further Resources

For more information on Ally in Canvas, please visit our Ally For Canvas pages on the Learning and Teaching website.

For more information on accessibility please visit our webpages for Digital Accessibility and Universal Design.