Open To: Faculty, Graduate Students, Staff
Description:
In an effort to improve the accessibility of online course content, we are piloting the Ally tool to bCourses this Fall semester. With Ally, course documents such as PDF PPT, and DOC files are automatically converted to alternative file types such as HTML, EPUB, electronic braille or MP3 (audio). Besides assisting students with declared accessibility issues, access to these alternative formats will also help English language learners and those with undiagnosed disabilities by enabling all students to download materials that best match their learning styles.
In addition to providing multiple file types for learners, the Ally tool also rates instructor uploaded files and provides an accessibility score using indicators next to the uploaded course documents. The better the score, the better the automatic conversion to alternative media.
Instructors, GSI's and staff are welcome to attend this informational meeting. Bring your laptops if you are interested in hands-on experience with the tool.
These workshops provide opportunities for hands-on participation and results in the creation of accessible content in the following platforms:
- bCourses
- edX
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Adobe Acrobat
Participants will leave each workshop with a list of resources to assist them in future remediation efforts. We encourage attendees to participate in all of the workshops as a way to connect with other campus community members interested in accessibility.