Accessibility in Canvas

What is UDoIt?

We are always looking for the latest and greatest when it comes to accessibility tools. UDoIt has been around for awhile, but it as improved so much over the years that as of July 2025, 4CD as a district has purchased this tool to support accessible course design! UDoIt is an integrated platform within Canvas that empowers faculty and staff to review and improve digital content for accessibility including external files! Anyone can use UDoIt in Canvas, even if you are not teaching a course. You can request a Canvas sandbox shell to upload files and use Ally to check for accessibility.

UDoIt is able to run a "scan" of you whole course, looking for:

Announcements
Assignments
Discussions
Files (i.e., .html files)
Pages
Syllabus
Module URLs

Feel free to review UDoIt's guide to learn more. It is very similar to Ally (if you used that before July 2025), so the transition should be painless! Get a quick tutorial on all of the ins and outs of UDoIt and how it really does it all for you!

Alternative Formats

Instructors Are Able To...

If you are teaching a course and/or are running a non-instructional shell with students present, you will want to create accessible versions of the files you are sharing with them in your course! In terms of Universal Design, the more access they have to "enter" the learning, the easier it is for them to access without having to request further support. However, this doesn't mean we need to clog pages with 5 different formats! Be selective and responsive to your audience as well as your purpose.

Pro Tip! Remember how we mentioned PDFs are hard for accessibility? Well, UDoIt offers the amazing ability to transform a PDF (or any file type really) into a Canvas page automatically! With the click of a literal button, poof! Your file is now a Canvas page and you are able to use UDoit or PopeTech to ensure its accessibility. Learn more about each step..

Students Are Able To...

UDoIt allows students to download your files in different file types. You will still need to ensure file accessibility before linking it; however, as if it is inaccessible when you upload or link it, their download will be as well. The alternative file types are as follows:

Tagged PDF: Improves use with assistive technology
Audio: MP3 version for listening on a computer or mobile device
HTML: Mobile-friendly version for reading in browsers or mobile devices
ePUB: For reading and annotating on mobile devices or e-book readers
Plain text: A simple, text-only version of the file.

These formats support students with disabilities to have "same access" to the materials that their peers have as well. Without having to direct students to DSS/DSPS support, which can take a lot of time or they may not want to use those resources, they are able to get the version they need on the spot!

Need more support?

Reach out to DVC's Disability Student Services for more support: 925-969-2182
Review the DVC Online Accessibility Course for more information; Faculty/Staff - DVC's Online Accessibility Course
Reach out to our Accessibility Specialist (information coming soon!)

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