Why?

Accessible course content ensures all learners can fully participate in your course, including those using assistive technologies. It also helps UCSF meet federal accessibility requirements under Title II of the ADA, which require WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance for active course materials by April 24, 2026.

Getting Started: Check Your Course

Use tools and resources to identify and fix accessibility issues.

• Run the YuJa Panorama accessibility checker in Moodle or Canvas
• Use the TinyMCE editor in Moodle to correct common issues
• Refer to the eCourse Accessibility Checklist (UCOP)
• Request support for Education IT - supported tools through the Ed-IT service form 

Courses in Moodle or Canvas

When building or updating your course:

• Run the YuJa Panorama accessibility checker
• Add alt text (short descriptions) to images, including quizzes
• Use W3C guidance for complex images
• Caption Zoom recordings and all course videos before posting
• Use UCSF-supported video platforms (Kaltura/Media@UCSF, Mediasite, or Class Capture) for built-in captioning 

Documents and Presentations

For files shared with students:

• Use built-in heading styles for clear structure
• Add alt text to images and graphics
• Ensure sufficient color contrast
• Use descriptive link text (avoid “click here”)
• Use Microsoft Accessibility Checker (Word, PowerPoint, Excel). Follow these Microsoft Accessibility tips.  
• Start with source files instead of PDFs when possible
• Ensure PDFs are properly tagged and accessible 

Web Content and Media

When sharing content outside your course site:

• Use descriptive link text
• Avoid using emojis to convey essential information
• Test content using the Siteimprove tool 

Additional Support and Resources

• Digital Accessibility Compliance Project (DACP) website
• UCSF Library Accessibility Guide
• Versa-powered Digital A11y Chat 

Notes

Accessibility is an ongoing, phased effort. Focus on steady progress rather than perfection