Accessibility Tool Matrix
The purpose of this article is to give the reader a quick overview of all the Canvas Accessibillty tools available at Boise State University.
“Tiny” Summary of Available Accessibility Tools
Ally → Accessibility scoring and alternative formats for course files
UDOIT → Full course accessibility scanning and remediation guidance
TidyUP → Helps clean and manage course files
Canvas Accessibility Checker → Real-time accessibility checks while editing content
New Canvas Accessibility Tool → Future replacement for UDOIT (not yet enabled)
Canvas Accessibility Tools Matrix (Boise State)
Tool | What It Is | Primary Purpose | Who Uses It | Where It Appears in Canvas | Boise State Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthology Ally | Accessibility evaluation and remediation tool integrated into Canvas | Scans course files and some Canvas content for accessibility issues; provides accessibility score indicators and guidance for fixing problems; generates alternative file formats for students | Faculty / course designers; Students (alternative formats) | Indicators appear next to files and content in Canvas | Currently available in Boise State Canvas courses. Faculty see accessibility scores and issue guidance; students can download accessible versions of files. |
UDOIT | Course-level accessibility scanning tool developed by Cidi Labs | Scans entire Canvas courses for accessibility issues and provides step-by-step remediation suggestions | Faculty / course designers | Appears in the course navigation menu | Currently active at Boise State. A future transition is planned where this tool will eventually be turned off and replaced by a newer Canvas accessibility tool. |
TidyUP | File management and cleanup tool for Canvas courses | Helps instructors locate unused files, duplicate files, and oversized files to clean up course storage and improve organization | Faculty / course designers | Appears in the course navigation menu | Not strictly an accessibility scanner, but it supports accessibility workflows by helping instructors manage and remove unused or outdated files that may create confusion or accessibility issues. |
Canvas Accessibility Checker | Built-in accessibility checker within the Canvas editor | Checks accessibility issues in pages while editing (alt text, heading structure, table headers, color contrast, etc.) | Faculty / course designers | Inside the Rich Content Editor when editing Pages, Assignments, Discussions, etc. | Native Canvas tool that works in real time while editing content. Available in all Canvas instances and requires no additional setup. |
Canvas Accessibility Tool | New native Canvas accessibility scanning tool | Provides course-level accessibility scanning and remediation | Faculty / course designers | Course navigation (when enabled) | Not currently enabled at Boise State. Planned to be turned on after UDOIT is retired (approximately one year timeline). |
Decide the Level of the Course you want to work in, then pick the tool:
Page Editing Level | Canvas Accessibility Checker
|
File / Content Level | Anthology Ally |
Whole Course Scan Level | UDOIT Future Canvas Accessibility Tool |
Course File Organization | TidyUP |