The aim of this week is to help you strive to make all your learning resources as accessible as possible. This also extends to our video content, which plays a crucial role in the educational experience.
In this blog, we will explore the importance of video captioning and how it can be effectively implemented using the Panopto system (also known as Recap).
When we refer to video content, we mean recordings provided to students for educational purposes. These recordings are typically delivered via Canvas and include lecture recordings, teaching presentations, and other instructional videos.
By ensuring that these videos are captioned, we can enhance accessibility for all students, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, non-native English speakers, and individuals who benefit from reading along while listening.
What is ReCap (Panopto)?
Panopto, also known as Recap, is a video platform at Newcastle University. This system facilitates the recording, editing, and sharing of video content, making it an essential tool for both educators and students.
The primary reason for using Panopto is to enhance the learning experience. By providing students with access to lecture recordings and other educational videos, Panopto allows them to review material at their own pace. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for revisiting complex topics and catching up on missed lectures.
Moreover, Panopto significantly contributes to accessibility. It supports students with diverse learning needs by offering features such as video captioning, ensuring that all students, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, can benefit from the content.
Captioning in Panopto (ReCap)
The ReCap service (Panopto) provides the ability to add ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition) generated captions to your recordings.
The University recognises that automatically generated captions are not 100% correct and have published a captions disclaimer for viewers.
We recommend reviewing automatically generated captions and making light-touch edits before making them available.
How Do I Edit Captions in Panopto (ReCap)
The support pages of the Panopto website offer great advice on how to work with captions in Panopto.
The How to Edit or Delete Captions guide provides a comprehensive guide on how to edit or delete captions in Panopto. It outlines the steps required to access the caption editor, make necessary adjustments to the text, and save changes.
The guide also covers how to delete captions if they are no longer needed. Additionally, it includes tips for ensuring caption accuracy and improving the overall quality of video content. This resource is essential for anyone looking to enhance the accessibility and usability of their Panopto recordings.
Welcome to Day 2 of our Accessibility Awareness blog series. In this post, you can learn about aspects of document design to help you create documents that are accessible from the go. By ensuring that your documents are designed in an accessible format when you create them, anyone using them have the opportunity to engage with the content from the get go. Making a document accessible does not need to happen after the fact. You can do it as you create, and make a difference from now.
Our Learning and Teaching Development Service (LTDS) have created a helpful crib sheet available that covers the do’s and don’ts to enable you to design documents for a diverse range of learners. Take a look at the Designing for Diverse Learners resource – and why not save a copy to your ‘favourites’ or put a copy in your office space?
We’ll now dive into some of the guidance from the Designing for Diverse Learners resource in more detail to understand ways you can design documents to ensure that they are accessible:
On each page, you’ll find essential digital document design guidelines along with step-by-step instructions on how to implement these changes in your own digital documents.
You can check out some of our hints and tips for marking Inspera Digital Exams or our dedicated website.
To access your exam(s) to mark, click the link within the assignment point in Canvas. You must be a teacher or teaching assistant on the Canvas module, and this will attach you to the exam in Inspera.
If you need to search for a specific student, within the Inspera ‘Grading Overview’ section, use the search bar – you can search for a student ID.
To download raw marks from Inspera, as an Excel file. Click the ‘Options’ button at the top right of the Grade screen and navigate to ‘Downloads’. Select ‘Marks and Explanations as Excel file’.
Digital Exams are always set up initially with the Canvas assignment associated with your Inspera exam as out of 100 points. (If you’d like students to see raw marks, please edit the Canvas assignment points area to match that of your total Inspera marks).
For manually marked questions, Markers can add Annotations to student submissions. (Within students submitted text, click and hold the left mouse button to select the text you want to annotate. Click Annotate).
Once marking is complete in Inspera, don’t forget to Confirm Marks, this will complete the grading step and push the completed marks from inspera to Canvas Gradebook.
Video demonstrations: There are a range of marking videos available on the Inspera website which provide on-screen demonstrations of grading tasks. See Video guides for Markers.
Feedback Release: If you would like to release feedback to your students on your auto or manually marked Inspera questions, check out our dedicated feedback release webpage.
Further questions? If you have any questions about marking an Inspera exam, please contact the Digital Exams Team via Digital.Exams@newcastle.ac.uk
Internal Inspera Teams Community (Digital Exams using Inspera Assessment @ Newcastle)
The Digital Exams Team have set up a Newcastle University community via a new Teams group. This new community will:
Enable colleagues who use Inspera for their Digital Exams, to ask general questions in a dedicated area
Create a space for colleagues to share ideas and best practice and/or learn from others experience.
Build a supportive community network of like-minded colleagues.
Enable the Digital Exams Team to share updates about Inspera such as feature developments, improvements and Roadmaps.
The Digital Exams Team will monitor this community to ensure members are on track for enhancing their Inspera digital exam and provide support queries relevant across all disciplines.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is an international event intended to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital accessibility and inclusion.
This year the event will be held on 15 May 2025.
To honour GAAD, we will be posting a series of blog posts and videos highlighting issues and provide guidance on accessibility issues (more on that later in this post).
Let’s begin by exploring what digital accessibility means, identifying the individuals it affects, and challenging common misconceptions about accessibility.
What is Digital Accessibility?
Digital accessibility refers to the ability of people with disabilities/impairments to independently consume and/or interact with digital.
This can include web content and applications (including on mobile devices).
The Diverse 21st Century Learner
Digital accessibility is often perceived as a set of practices aimed solely at helping individuals with disabilities. However, accessibility is much broader and benefits everyone, regardless of their abilities or circumstances. By incorporating accessibility into digital design, we create inclusive environments that enhance usability and convenience for all users.
Our learners come from a wide range of backgrounds, each with unique needs shaped by their individual circumstances. Unfortunately, these needs are sometimes overlooked, particularly in terms of accessibility.
These learners could include:
Learners with Visible Disabilities
This can include individuals with visible disabilities, such with mobility impairments, visual impairments, or hearing impairments.
Learners with Invisible Disabilities
This could include users with invisible disabilities, such as cognitive impairments, mental health conditions, or chronic illnesses.
Learners with Temporary Disabilities
Users experiencing temporary disabilities, such as a broken arm or temporary vision impairment.
International Students
Students from different countries who may face language barriers and cultural differences.
Professionals Seeking more Education
Working professionals looking to further their education.
Learners with Different Preferences
Users with specific preferences, such as those who prefer dark mode or larger text.
Parents
Parents who may be juggling multiple responsibilities and need efficient and accessible digital tools.
Commuters
Individuals who frequently travel and use digital tools on the go.
Learners Who Use Mobile Devices
Users primarily accessing digital content via mobile devices.
Offline Users
Users who prefer or need to access content offline due to limited internet connectivity.
With knowledge of who our potential learners could be, we can help create digital content that is accessible and helps towards meeting their needs.
What is Happening This Week
To help our colleagues and students at Newcastle to engage with accessibility content, colleagues in the Learning and Teaching Development Service (LTDS) are going to be sharing blog posts each day during this week on Digital Accessibility.
Schedule of Posts
Tuesday 13th May 2025 – Document Design Fundamentals
Wednesday 14th May 2025 – Creating Accessible Videos in Recap (Panopto)
Thursday 15th May 2025 – Anthology Ally in Canvas
Friday 16th May 2025 – Accessibility Resources Available at Newcastle University
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) takes place on the 3rd Thursday of May each year. Individuals are encouraged to take an hour to experience first-hand the impact of digital accessibility (or lack thereof). This year GAAD takes place on Thursday 15th May.
Participate Directly
There are many ways to get involved. The GAAD webpage recommends ways that individuals can participate directly– for example, you can:
Think about how you can make your events and meetings more accessible – whether it’s the moment you start planning, writing communications, and looking at how these are hosted (online, in-person or hybrid).
The GAAD webpage also shares how we can spread awareness. One of the suggestions is sharing blog posts. To help our colleagues and students at Newcastle to engage with accessibility content, colleagues in the Learning and Teaching Development Service (LTDS) are going to be sharing blog posts each day during the week that GAAD falls in (week of 12th May). We will be writing and sharing content for you to engage with, including additional resources available to you, around digital accessibility.
Resources
There are plenty of resources you can use to get started and learn about how you can make further considerations around accessibility and encourage others to do the same. You can check out the following resources available at Newcastle:
In this post we will share the external case study that colleagues from the Digital Exams Team wrote for Inspera, and share details of the new Microsoft Teams Community for Inspera users at Newcastle.
Inspera Case Study
The Inspera Co-Leads worked with Inspera to write and design a case study about Newcastle University’s work with Inspera Digital Exams. You can read the case study entitled ‘Newcastle University: Fostering Creativity and Innovation with Digital Assessment’ on the Inspera website. Colleagues in our Digital Exams Team here at Newcastle are delighted to have worked with Inspera to write this. We have a fantastic relationship with our Account Manager at Inspera, Fiona Orel, who supports us with our Inspera needs.
Image of the Inspera case study on Inspera’s website
Newcastle University’s Inspera Digital Exams Team have created an External User Groups with other Inspera users across Higher Education in the UK. The Group currently has members across 14 institutions and meets online every few months.
Digital Exams using Inspera Assessment @ Newcastle – Teams Community
We are pleased to share that we have created an internal user space in the form of a Microsoft Teams Community for Inspera users at Newcastle.
This Teams community is a place for colleagues to share ideas about how Inspera can be used, and maybe even find inspiration.
It also will allow you to keep up to date with the latest developments in the software and flag any general problems, that peers might be able to assist with. Though if you do have any immediate/specific queries about an active exam we would recommend contacting digital.exams@newcastle.ac.uk.
You can request to join the community where you will have access to various materials to support you as an Inspera user.
The Learning Enhancement and Technology Team in the Learning and Teaching Development Service (LTDS) are hosting a Digital Education Technologies Showcase Day on Monday 1st September 2025 between 12 and 3pm in the Boilerhouse.
This is a fantastic opportunity to meet the teams and people behind our Digital Education Technologies here at Newcastle. This will include: Canvas, ReCap, Vevox, Inspera (Digital Exams), Assignments (Canvas, Turnitin and New Canvas Quiz), Buddycheck, NULA, NU Reflect, AI, H5P, as well as the Numbas Team, Digital Adoption (M365 and Adobe) and Library Reading Lists Team.
This event is aimed at both academic and professional services colleagues already using these systems who want to take that step further, as well as new colleagues who want to learn about the digital technologies available.
The event will take place as a drop in, so you don’t need to sign up. If you would like to make any suggestions around what you would like to see at the event, please complete our Microsoft Form.
More information will be shared about this event over the summer.
Inspera have been working on the release of a psychometric dashboard for data on Inspera exams. The dashboard is built using AWS QuickSight and provides insights into assessments conducted on the Inspera platform. The QuickSight Dashboard is part of Inspera’s phase 1 in their strategy for introducing Test-Level Analysis. You can find out more about the Psychometric Dashboard on Inspera’s website.
What can Inspera users access at the moment?
Phase 1 allows the Digital Exams Team to have access to an administrative dashboard, but by Phase 3 Inspera hopes to have this integrated into the Inspera platform, where colleagues currently create questions and grade exams. There is not currently an estimated date for this to be available, but we will be keeping up to date with all developments.
If colleagues are interested in accessing data, the Digital Exams Team can provide a PDF download from Inspera exam’s scheduled from 1st December 2024 onwards that have been graded and marks confirmed. Note: there are some limitations in how much can currently be shared in the PDF but a fuller view is expected later in 2025.
What data is available?
Information around the sort of data available is noted within this section and has been extracted from the Psychometric Dashboard page on Inspera’s website. Within this blog post, you can find out about all the different type of data available. Some screenshots are included but check out the Psychometric Dashboard page on Inspera’s website for further graphics.
Vevox have made some updates to their features in their March product update. Find out more about the new features available and improvements to existing features, including:
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
Poster for “Designing for Diverse Learners”Poster for Digital Accessibility Resources at Newcastle University”
You can download copies of these handouts at:
Designing for Diverse Learners – Poster on the what you do and what to avoid when designing content. Digital Accessibility Resources at Newcastle University.
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.
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.
Canvas materials in greyscale (with colour removed)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.
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 ReaderImage of Canvas Accessibility CheckerImage of Alternative Formats OptionsImage of Ally Canvas Course ReportImage of Ally Tool for file checkingImage of Recap captions
