A few changes to authoring habits in Canvas make entering text of assignments and other materials one of the easiest ways to create accessible content.

Structure

• Use Headings (H2–H4) to organize content (Canvas’s “Page Title” is the H1). Do not skip headings, for example, using <h4> immediately after <h2>.

• Keep a clear top-to-bottom reading order.

• Use real text, not screenshots (AI can be used to transform screenshots into HTML, see https://cloud.wikis.utexas.edu/wiki/spaces/MATHDEPT/pages/999030823 ).

• Do not indicate place by direction (e.g. “links to the left,” “button in the top right”).

Text and Color

• Ensure high contrast (dark text on light background).

• Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning; use labels in addition to color.

Images

• Add alt text that describes the purpose of the image in 120 characters or fewer.

• Mark decorative images as decorative.

Links

• Use descriptive link text (e.g., “Download syllabus” instead of “click here”).

• Avoid pasting raw URLs when possible.

• If link is to a file, indicate the file type in the link text: “Download syllabus (PDF).”

Lists

• Use built-in bulleted or numbered lists; do not manually type dashes or numbers.

Tables

• Use tables only for data, not layout.

• Include header rows.

• Keep tables simple (avoid merged cells).

Math

• Use Canvas equation tools or LaTeX: \( \) for inline math, \[ \] or $$ $$ for display math.

• Avoid embedding math as images