Blackboard Ally logo

Overview

Blackboard Ally is an accessibility checker available in all Canvas courses. Ally automatically scans files uploaded to Canvas and checks for common accessibility issues.

Ally helps you understand the overall accessibility of your course content and provides clear guidance and suggestions for improving files when issues are identified. It’s important to note that Ally and Canvas do not prevent files from being uploaded, even if they do not meet accessibility standards. Additionally, Ally does not make changes automatically—improvements only occur when you choose to take action.

You can use Ally to:

Identify files in Canvas that may have accessibility issues
Understand what the accessibility issue is and why it matters
Create or upload a more accessible version of the file

For additional guidance, visit:

Note

Ally is continually evolving, and new features are released over time. At this time, Ally does not scan content created directly in Canvas’s Rich Content Editor (RCE).

For example, Ally will not analyze text you type when creating:

Pages
Discussions
Assignment or quiz instructions
The Syllabus

Canvas does however include a built-in accessibility checker within the RCE that reviews content as you create it.

This feature is still evolving and may not identify every issue or may occasionally flag items inaccurately, so results should be reviewed carefully.

Accessibility Scores and Remediation

Ally scans uploaded files and assigns each one an accessibility score, represented by a small gauge icon displayed next to the file.

The gauge uses color to indicate the level of accessibility:

Red — Not accessible
Yellow — Somewhat accessible
Green — Accessible

sample canvas course module with blackboard ally gauges indicating accessibility scores

File accessibility icons always appear next to the file, though their exact placement may vary depending on where the file is located in your course.

Reviewing and Improving Accessibility

Selecting the gauge icon opens the file accessibility panel, which explains the issue and provides guidance for remediation. The panel displays a numerical score along with detailed feedback about the file’s accessibility.

For accessible files, Ally highlights what has been done correctly.
For files with accessibility issues, Ally identifies the problem areas and walks you through how to fix them.

Once you update a file to improve accessibility, the score will automatically refresh. If a file cannot be modified, the lower accessibility score will remain visible.

What You’ll Find in the File Accessibility Panel

Accessibility Score
The color-coded gauge and numerical score based on the severity of accessibility issues.
Description
A summary of the accessibility issue affecting the file.
Additional Information
Details explaining how the issue impacts accessibility and why it matters.
Instructions to Improve
Step-by-step guidance tailored to the software used to create the file.
Direct File Upload
A drag-and-drop area to upload an updated or corrected version of the file.

Accessible Versions and Instructors

When instructors add files to Canvas, Ally will produce accessible versions in various formats for those files, if possible.

These formats are available alongside the original file and can be accessed in two ways:

From a Module: Open the file and select Download.

a teacher's view of download options for a sample file that ally has analyzed

From Files: Navigate to the Files area, locate the file, and select the options (gear) icon to access alternative formats.

a teacher's view of obtaining alternative formats for an uploaded file that ally has scanned

Ally may generate the following accessible formats:

Tagged PDF
HTML
ePub
Electronic Braille
Audio

Student Experience

Students do not see the color-coded accessibility gauges. Instead, they are given the option to download an accessible version of a file or to download the original file as it was uploaded.

A student view of download options for a file scanned by ally