Configure Ally user help settings

Configure custom help messages that display in the Alternative formats and Instructor feedback modals. The custom help messages can be used to point students and instructors to existing institutional documentation, share contact information, and so on. When no custom message has been configured, the Help links point to these pages in Blackboard help:

  • Alternative formats: This page explains how and when the different alternative formats can be used
  • Instructor help: Everything instructors need to know about Ally in their courses

The custom help content can be configured in the Ally Configuration UI, and uses the Markdown format to help provide a structured and accessible message.

  1. Go to Ally Configuration and select Help settings.
  2. Choose the default or custom help option for both the Instructor feedback help and Alternative formats help.
  3. If you choose the custom option, edit the Custom message.

    Use the Markdown format to help provide a structured (and accessible) message.

  4. Select Save changes.

Configure expert help

Give your instructors and students easy access to your team of accessibility experts. Enable expert help to add a way for your users to request more help directly from in the alternative formats and instructor feedback panels.

When a request is made, an email containing the help request and details about the current course, content item and user is sent to the email address you configure.

  1. Go to Ally Configuration and select Help settings.
  2. Choose Provide custom help for both the Instructor feedback help and Alternative formats help.
  3. Select Enable expert help.
  4. Type the email address for your team of accessibility experts.
  5. Select Save changes.

The Ally API user for the Blackboard Learn integration needs to be given the "Administrator Panel (Users) > Users" or "system.user.view" permission to allow Ally to include the student name and email address in the help request email. The Ally API user for the Moodle integration needs to be given the “moodle/user:viewalldetails” permission to allow Ally to include the student name and email address in the help request email.

Request alternative formats help

Request instructor feedback help