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Accessibility Tools in Canvas

Meet the needs of diverse learners with resources available in Canvas.

The Rich Content Editor

A screenshot of the Rich Content Editor toolbar
Rich Content Editor (RCE)

The Rich Content Editor (RCE) is embedded in Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages, Quizzes, and the Syllabus. It provides several tools to help make your content more accessible for those needing screen readers and/or document conversion, and facilitates interaction in the same way as sighted students. Options include:

  • Headings, instead of large bolded or underlined text, to provide a clearer overview and structure (note that Heading 1 and Title are already part of the standard Canvas layout)
  • Lists using preformatted bullets or numbers
  • Alt Text prompts to identify and describe embedded images (try this tool for best practices)
  • An Accessibility Checker that notifies of and provides guidance on issues in your content
A screenshot of an Accessibility Checker recommendation on list formatting

A screenshot of the Accessibility Checker icon with 11 notifications

Find the Canvas Course Accessibility Checklist here.

SensusAccess Document Converter Tool

The SensusAccess Inside Canvas Document Converter Tool is an easy-to-use Canvas integration that converts instructional content into alternative accessible formats and languages. Look for the blue S icon to the right of all compatible materials. 

A screenshot of the blue "S" that indicates compatibility with the SensusAccess document converter tool

For New Quizzes and materials outside of Canvas (such as in Gradescope, Piazza, and Perusall), please use the CASS standalone website via the Help/? menu on the left side of your Canvas window.

The Microsoft Immersive Reader

The Microsoft Immersive Reader, available to all Canvas users, improves accessibility and boosts reading comprehension to enhance the reading experience. When viewing pages, assignments, course home pages, and the syllabus in a course, click the Immersive Reader button to initiate the tool.

  • Manage text, grammar, and reading preferences using the toolbar [1].
  • Click the Full Screen button [2], hear the text read aloud [3], or adjust Voice Settings [4].
  • To close and return to Canvas, click the Exit button [5].
  • Find the Microsoft Immersive Reader Quick Guide here.

A screenshot of the Immersive Reader window, highlighting settings and options

Note that the Immersive Reader does not appear for LTI tools outside of Canvas, such as Gradescope, Piazza, and Perusall.