INSTRUCTORS: Frequently Asked Questions
Will Ally change my course appearance?
The only difference you'll see within your course is an accessibility indicator, shown as a gauge icon next to your course files. Click the indicator to view and improve your file accessibility.
What will students see?
Students will see a menu next to each document from which they can select and download an alternative format. Although they can download alternative formats of your files, it is best to use Ally’s instructor feedback tool to fix accessibility issues on the original document.
Will I still need to provide academic accommodations when Ally is turned on for my course?
Ally is not a compliance software. It is designed to make content more universally available to all students by providing alternate versions and to provide guidance to faculty regarding the accessibility of their content. Students and faculty will still partner with Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSP&S) regarding academic accommodations, as accommodations remove specific barriers for an individual student.
What alternative formats does Ally generate?
Ally will generate alternative formats for the following types of files and pages in your Canvas course:
- PDF files
- Microsoft® Word files
- Microsoft® Powerpoint® files
- OpenOffice/LibreOffice files
- Uploaded HTML files
These types of files/pages will be accessible to students in the original format, or as the following:
- OCR’d version PDF (alternative to scanned PDF documents)
- Tagged PDF (alternative to Word, Powerpoint and OpenOffice/LibreOffice files)
- Mobile-friendly HTML
- Audio
- ePub
- Electronic Braille
What do I need to do to generate alternative formats for a content item?
Nothing. Ally automatically picks up on any existing or new materials, runs it through the accessibility checklist, and makes the alternative formats available to both the student and the instructor.