Accessibility in Ally for LMS

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Open content to improve accessibility score

On your course content page, each image and document has one of these status links associated with it:

• Accessibility Score: Perfect
• Accessibility Score: High, Click to improve
• Accessibility Score: Medium, Click to improve
• Accessibility Score: Low, Click to improve

Navigate to the image or document name link to verify that you have the item you want to open.

Navigate backward to the Accessibility Score link.

Press Enter to open the Accessibility Score dialog window for these content types:

• Image
• PDF, Word, or PowerPoint

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Navigate an Image Instructor Feedback dialog window

When you open the Instructor Feedback panel, focus is placed on the Accessibility score for the image file. For example, image_name.format or Hello.png.

When navigating the dialog, these features and functions become available:

1. Accessibility score: [value] %
   • For example, 20%
2. Show all issues button, collapsed (default state)
3. Issue description 
   • For example, “This image is missing a description”
4. What this means button
5. How to write a good description button
6. Instructions on adding a text description or marking as decorative
7. Enter a description for this image edit field
8. Add button
9. Indicate image is decorative button
   • Followed by the text description “This image is used for decoration only and a description is not needed”
10. Help link
11. Close button

What this means slides – for Images

When the What this means button is selected, focus is placed on the What is an image description heading.

In these slides, you have the option to hear about describing images by activating these buttons:

• Slide 1 of 2: What is an image description? (default slide)
• Slide 2 of 2: Why describing images matters
  • When the button is selected, focus remains on the button, but the text “Slide showing: Why describing images matters” is read.

On Slide 2 of 2: Why describing images matters, you can take one of these actions:

• Navigate to the How to write a good description button to open the How to write a good description slides
• Navigate to the Close button or use the Esc key to close the slides
  • Focus is be placed on the Accessibility score for: [image_name.format] heading in the Instructor dialog window
• Return to Slide 1 of 2: What is an image description? 
  • Focus remains on the button, but the text “Showing slide 1 of 2: What is an image description” is read.

How to write a good description slides - for Images

When the How to write a good description button is selected, focus is placed on the How to write a good description heading of the tab panel.

In these slides, you can hear about the writing good descriptions by activating these buttons:

• Slide 1 of 5: Provide a textual alternative (default slide)
• Slide 2 of 5: Provide a meaningful description
• Slide 3 of 5: Keep it brief and context-specific
• Slide 4 of 5: Provide a summary for complex charts, graphs, and maps
• Slide 5 of 5: Decorative images

When you navigate to a new slide, you will hear “Showing slide:” followed by the slide title. For example, “Showing slide 2 of 5: Provide a meaningful description.”

On Slide 5 of 5: Decorative images, you can then take one of these actions:

• Navigate to the Indicate image is decorative button
• Navigate to the Close button to close the slides 
  • Focus will then be placed on the Accessibility score for: [image name.format] heading in the Instructor dialog window
• Return to Slide 1 of 5: Provide a textual alternative
  • Focus remains on the button, but the text “Showing slide 1 of 5: Provide a textual alternative” is read.
• Return to Slide 4 of 5: Provide a summary for complex charts, graphs, and maps
  • Focus remains on the button, but the text “Showing slide 4 of 5: Provide a summary for complex charts, graphs, and maps” is read.

Indicate image is decorative

Activating the Indicate image is decorative button returns focus to the Accessibility score for: [image name.format] heading

Navigate the dialog to hear the following:

• Accessibility score: 100 %
• Marked as decorative
• Unset decorative flag button
• Perfect heading
• Text description “You have successfully marked this image as decorative”
• Close button

Unset decorative flag

If you set the image as decorative accidentally or decided that the image needs to contain alternative text, you can reset it by activating the Unset decorative flag button. Focus is then placed on the How to write a good description button and the Accessibility Score is changed back to its original value.

Help

Focus is placed on the Close button when the Help link is selected. What appears in the Help content can be changed by your administrator. 

Navigating the default Ally help content, you will hear these features and functions:

• Help heading
• Browse documentation heading
• Browse help link
  • Opens the Ally for LMS Help for Instructors Help in a new browser tab
• Request help heading
• Describe your question or issue edit field
• Back button
  • Focus is placed on the Accessibility score for: [image name.format] heading in the Instructor dialog window when selected
• Send button

Send a help request

1. Describe your question or issue in the edit field
2. Navigate to the Send button
3. Spacebar to select the Send button
4. Message with the text “Sent successfully” will be available
5. Select the Back button to return to the Instructor Feedback dialog or the Close button

Navigate a PDF, Word, or PowerPoint Instructor Feedback dialog window

When you open the Instructor Feedback panel, focus is placed on the Accessibility score for the file. For example, file_name.format or Hello.docx.

When navigating dialog, these features and functions become available:

• Accessibility score: [value] %

  For example, 20%

• Issue description

  For example, “This image is missing a description”

• Show all issues button, collapsed (default state, conditionally available)
• What this means button
• How to [fix issue]

  For example, How to fix contrast

• Upload a version with [addressed issue]

  For example, Upload a version with sufficient contrast text description

• Drop file to upload or
• Browse button
• Close button
  • To get to the document functions in the most efficient way possible, you will need to Tab to put focus into the current page edit field, Tab again to navigate to the Next page button. Do not use the Esc key as this will close the dialog window. Once focus is on the Next page button, navigate as normal.
• Previous page button (default disabled)
• Page 1 of [#]

  For example, Page 1 of 17 (default)

• Next page button
• [#] [issue type]

  For example, 17 Text fragments with insufficient contrast (conditionally available)

• Previous highlight button (default disabled, conditionally available)
• Next highlight button (conditionally available)
• Showing highlight 1 of [#] on page [#]

  For example, Showing highlight 1 of 17 on page 1 (conditionally available)

• Hide highlights toggle button (default, conditionally available)
• Zoom out button
• Zoom in button
• Download original link
• When continuing to navigate, you will be able to hear the document content.

What this means slides – for PDF, Word, and PowerPoint

Each explanation has unique slide topics. In general, the navigation of these slides will be as follows:

1. [topic] heading
2. [topic] content
3. Show slide 2 of 2: [slide topic] button

   For example, Show slide 2 of 2: Why use headings?

4. Show slide 2 of 2: [slide topic] button

   For example, Show slide 2 of 2: Why use headings?

   • Most What this means have only 2 slides, therefore what visually appear as previous and next buttons really go to the same slide. That is why the button name is read twice.
5. When you navigate to the second slide, focus is moved to the Show slide 1 of 2: [slide topic]

   For example, Show slide 1 of 2: A heading isn’t always a heading.

   • The most efficient way to place focus into the slide will be to use your heading keyboard shortcut. Navigate as normal from there to hear the slide content.
6. On the second slide, you can then take one of the following actions:
   • Close the slides by navigating to the Close button or use the Esc key
     • Focus will then be placed on the Accessibility score for: [document name.format] heading in the Instructor dialog window
   • Return to Slide 1 of 2: [slide topic]
     • Focus will remain on the button but will read “Show slide 2 of 2: [slide topic] button”

       For example, Show slide 2 of 2: Why use headings?

How to [fix the issue] slides – for PDF

Each recommendation will have its own unique slide topics and number of slides, with the exception of scanned PDFs. In general, the navigation of these slides will be as follows:

1. How [fix issue]
2. Step 1: Find the original document heading
3. Text “Can you get hold of an original or text-based version of this file?”
4. No button
5. Yes button
6. Text description on the best way to fix the issue
7. Help link
8. Close button or Esc key

No original document – PDF

When the No button is selected on the Step 1: Find the original document slide, you are given this information:

1. This document needs further attention heading
2. Text “Alternative formats will be made available to students for this document. However, this method can be very inaccurate and should not be considered a final solution.”
3. Browse documentation heading
4. Browse help link
5. Opens the Ally for LMS Help for Instructors Help in a new browser tab
6. Request help heading
7. Describe your question or issue edit field
8. Back button
9. Focus will be placed on the Accessibility score for the file heading in the Instructor dialog window when selected.

   For example, [image name.format] or Hello.pdf.

10. Send button
11. Close button or Esc key

Yes, original document - PDF

When Yes is selected on the Step 1: Find the original document slide, you are given this information:

1. How [fix issue] heading

   For example, How to add descriptions to images in a PDF

2. Step 2: Open the original document
3. List of preferred software:
   1. Word for Microsoft Office 365 link
   2. Word for Microsoft Office 2016 link
   3. PowerPoint for Microsoft Office 365 link
   4. PowerPoint for Microsoft Office 2016 link
   5. Writer for LibreOffice 5.2 link
   6. Impress for LibreOffice 5.2 link
4. When opened, each of these software type slides follow a similar pattern:
   1. Step 3: [perform fix] using [software] heading

      For example, Step 3: Add an image description using LibreOffice Impress 5.2

   2. The list of steps
   3. A button with additional tips

      For example, Tips for creating tables

      • These buttons open slides that follow steps similar to the How to write a good description slides - for Images
   4. Print instructions link
   5. Next button
   6. Back button
   7. Help link
   8. Close button or Esc key
5. By activating the Next button for a software type in Step 3, you will have the following step 4 language based on the software selected:
   1. Step 4: Save as tagged PDF using [software]
      • Microsoft Word 365, Microsoft Word 2016, and LibreOffice Writer 5.2
   2. Step 4: Upload the original document
      • Microsoft PowerPoint 365, Microsoft PowerPoint 2016, and LibreOffice Impress 5.2

Step 4: Save as tagged PDF

Selecting the Next button from Step 3 will take you to a slide with the following:

1. Step 4: Save as a tagged PDF using [software]

   For example, PowerPoint Microsoft Office 2016

2. List of steps
3. Print instructions link
4. Next button
5. Back button
6. Upload original document button
7. Help link
8. Close button or Esc key

Step 4: Upload the original document

Selecting the Next button from Step 3 for Microsoft PowerPoint 365, Microsoft PowerPoint 2016, or LibreOffice Impress 5.2, or the Upload original document from the Step 4: Save as tagged PDF will take you to a slide with the following:

1. Step 4 or 5: Upload the original document heading
2. Text description explaining why you need to upload the original document
3. Drop file to upload or
4. Browse button
5. Text “This version will replace the original PDF document.”
6. Back button
7. Help link

How to fix a scanned PDF

On the How to fix a scanned PDF slide, the following will be available:

1. How to fix a scanned PDF heading
2. Step 1: Find the original document heading
3. Text “Can you get hold of an original or text-based version of this file?”
4. No button
5. Yes button
6. Text “A text-based electronic version, such as a text-based PDF, Word, or PowerPoint file is much more accessible and usable than a scanned PDF.”
7. Help link
8. Close button or Esc key

No original document – Scanned PDF

When the No button is selected, a new slide opens with following:

1. How to fix a scanned PDF heading
2. Or provide a reference heading
3. No button
4. Yes button
5. Back button
6. Help link
7. Close button or Esc key

Document cannot be found in the library

When the No button is selected on the Or provide a reference slide, you will be given the following information:

1. This document needs further attention heading
2. Text “An OCRd version will be made available to students under the “Alternative Formats” option. OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is used to extract text from images. However, this method can be very inaccurate and should not be considered a final solution.”
3. Browse documentation heading
4. Browse help link
5. Opens the Ally for LMS Help for Instructors Help in a new browser tab
6. Request help heading
7. Describe your question or issue edit field
8. Back button
9. Focus will be placed on the Accessibility score for the file heading in the Instructor dialog window when selected.
10. Send button
11. Close button or Esc key

Document can be found in the library

When the Yes button is selected on the Or provide a reference slide, you will be given the following information:

1. Provide a link to the document in the library heading
2. Text “Help students to find the document in the library by providing as much metadata as possible.”
3. URL edit field
4. Title edit field
5. Chapter, volume, page number edit field
6. Author(s) edit field
7. Date of publication edit field
8. Publisher or journal edit field
9. Add reference button
10. Back button
11. Help link
12. Close button or Esc key

Yes, original document – Scanned PDF

Once Yes is selected from the Step 1: Find the original document slide, you will be given the following information:

1. How to fix a scanned PDF heading
2. Step 2: Upload the original document heading
3. Text “A text-based electronic version, such as a text-based PDF, Word, or PowerPoint file, is much more accessible and usable than a scanned version.”
4. Drop file to upload or
5. Browse button
6. Text “This version will replace the original PDF document.”
7. Back button
8. Help link

How to [fix the issue] slides – for Word and PowerPoint

Once you have selected the How to [fix issue] button from the Instructor Feedback dialog, a slide with the following will open:

1. How [fix issue]

   For example, This document contains images that are missing a description

2. Step 1: Find the original document heading
3. Text “Locate or download the original document. Open it using your preferred software:”
   • Word for Microsoft Office 2016 link
   • Word for Microsoft Office 2016 link
   • PowerPoint for Microsoft Office 365 link
   • PowerPoint for Microsoft Office 2016 link
   • Writer for LibreOffice 5.2 link
   • Impress for LibreOffice 5.2 link
4. Back button
5. Help link
6. Close button or Esc key
7. When opened, each of these software type slides follow a similar pattern:
   1. Step 3: [perform fix] using [software] heading

      For example, Step 3: Add an image description using LibreOffice Impress 5.2

   2. The list of steps
   3. A button with additional tips

      For example, Tips for creating tables

      • These buttons open slides that follow steps similar to the How to write a good description slides - for Images
   4. Print instructions link
   5. Next button
   6. Back button
   7. Help link
   8. Close button or Esc key
8. Selecting the Next button again, will lead you to the following:
   1. Step 3: Upload a version with [fixed issue]

      For example, Upload a version with image descriptions

   2. Drop file to upload or
   3. Browse button
   4. Text “This version will replace the original document.”
   5. Back button
   6. Help link
   7. Close button or Esc key

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All issues

The All issues button is available when there are multiple issues in a document. When selected, it expands to display a list of issues with the following types of information:

1. Issue description
2. Increases score by up to [##]%

   For example, 20%

3. Fix button or Guidance Coming soon message
   1. Focus returns to the Accessibility score heading
   2. What this means and How to [fix issue] buttons will be displayed
   3. All issues will revert to Show all issues button, collapsed state

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Close Instructor Feedback dialog window

When this Close button is selected, focus will be returned to course content page. You may also use the Esc key. END Close dialog