Accessibility Resource for ISU Faculty

You might’ve spotted something new hanging out at the top of your spring courses and thought, “What’s this?” or “Why is it in every single one of my courses?” Fair questions, ISU faculty!

Meet Accessibility Support for ISU Courses—a built-in resource from your friends at the ITRC, tucked neatly into every Canvas course and ready to help you make your materials more accessible and inclusive for all students. With major ADA Title II regulation updates taking effect April 24, 2026, now’s the perfect time to brush up on accessibility practices. Staying proactive not only supports your students—it also helps keep the university on the right side of compliance.

Your Built-In Accessibility Sidekick

This handy little guide helps you understand accessibility, spot issues in your course, and fix them fast. Whether you’re building a new Canvas page, uploading a Word doc, or sharing a video, you’ll find quick, no-nonsense tips on how to:

• Use proper headings so your content makes sense to screen readers.
• Add alt text so everyone can “see” what you’re showing.
• Caption videos for accessibility (and better searchability).
• Check color contrast so text doesn’t fade into the background.
• Write descriptive links that actually tell students where they’re headed.

You’ll also meet the built-in accessibility checkers in Canvas, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs—helpful little tools that make catching and fixing issues faster than you can say “alt text.”

Already in Your Course—No Setup Required

You don’t have to lift a finger to add this resource—it’s automatically included in your spring courses. It’s unpublished (so students won’t see it), but ready for you to explore anytime as you prep or refresh your materials.

Think of it as your quiet teaching partner—helping you design courses that are easy to navigate, inclusive by design, and ready for every Bengal to succeed.

Why It Matters

Take a few minutes this spring to explore Accessibility Support for ISU Courses in Canvas. Small tweaks—like adding proper headings or captioning your videos—can make a big difference in student success and in meeting the updated ADA Title II regulations taking effect April 24, 2026. These updates require that all digital content, including ISU Canvas courses, meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

Accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it’s about inclusion. So before you wonder who snuck this thing into your course, go ahead and click it (rather than deleting it). You might just find your new favorite course design tool.

Need a hand?

Contact the Instructional Technology Resource Center (ITRC) or ISU Disability Services for personalized accessibility support.

Psst! Wondering how we made this look so good in Canvas? Connect with an ITRC instructional designer to learn about the DesignPlus plugin that can take your own Canvas courses up a notch.