Making learning materials accessible helps every student engage with their module. Ally is built into Blackboard, to help staff find and fix accessibility issues in their content. It also lets students download materials in formats that suit them. We’ve written short guides for both.
For staff
Ally runs automatically across your modules, so there’s nothing to switch on. It checks the files you upload and the pages you build in Blackboard. Each item gets a score, shown as a colour-coded dial. Ally flags common barriers such as scanned PDFs, missing image descriptions, poor heading structure, untagged PDFs and low colour contrast.
There are two ways to see the feedback:
- For a single item:
- Select the dial next to it. Ally explains the issue, why it matters for students and how to fix it; often without leaving Blackboard.
- For the whole module:
- Go to Details & Actions > Books & Tools > Accessibility Report. This gives you an overall score and guided lists of the easiest fixes.
The score is guidance, not a grade. It isn’t a judgement of your teaching, and you don’t need to chase 100%. Start with low-scoring red and orange items, which usually cause the biggest barriers, and prioritise the content students use most.
Ally checks structure, not meaning. It can’t tell whether your alt text actually describes the image accurately or whether your writing is clear. A green dial means the building blocks are in place, not that the content is finished. The most effective approach is to build accessibility in from the start: Use heading styles, add alt text to meaningful images; check colour contrast and captions; and avoid scanned PDFs.
The staff guide sets out five steps to improve accessibility and includes a cheat sheet of common issues and quick fixes. There’s also a one-page quick guide to keep to hand.
What you can tell your students
Students can download Blackboard files and pages in alternative formats, including:
- audio
- ePub
- HTML
- tagged PDF
- electronic braille
- BeeLine Reader
- Immersive Reader
- a translated version
These formats are free and private, and tutors aren’t notified of downloads. They’re available to every student, not only those with a disability. Many students simply prefer to listen on the move or read on their phone.
You can help by mentioning this in your module welcome or an announcement, and linking to the student guide. Students should look for the alternative formats icon (an A with a downward arrow) next to a file.
Because the formats are generated from your originals, a more accessible original produces better alternative formats.
Find out more
For help, contact the TEL team at tel@worc.ac.uk.
