Request Accessibility Help for a Single File

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting |

Canvas offers the Ally accessibility tool, which lets you request expert assistance when you encounter a document that is difficult to make accessible yourself. By submitting a request through Ally’s in-product Help option, you alert the campus accessibility team so they can remediate the file or guide you through the process. This guide walks you through submitting that request.

Prerequisites

  • You are enrolled in or teaching a Canvas course that has Anthology Ally enabled.
  • You can see the colored Ally score indicator (the gauge icon) beside course files.
  • You have the file open or listed in Files, Modules, Assignments, or somewhere else in your course.

Step-by-Step Instructions

 Need help with several files? Open a Canvas Course Accessibility Remediation service ticket. Include the course URL and a list of the files that need work.

To request accessibility help for a specific file, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the course item list—such as Files or a Module—and locate the document that needs attention.
  2. Select the file’s  Ally score indicator 
  3. In the panel that opens on the right, choose Help.
    Ally information panel. The help link is highlighted.
  4. Complete the request form, describing the specific accessibility concern (for example, “Scanned PDF lacks selectable text”).
  5. Select Submit.
  6. If the form does not send on the first attempt (you may see a spinning indicator with no confirmation), select Submit again until you receive the success message.

Troubleshooting

  • Form will not submit after multiple attempts

    • Refresh the page and repeat the steps.

    • If the issue persists, email the file name, course URL, and a short description of the problem to DigitalAccessibility@csuchico.edu.

  • No Ally icon appears

    • Wait for Ally to assign an accessibility score for the content you need help with. If the file is more than a week old without an Ally score, contact the Technology & Learning Program.

Still need help? If you run into problems or still need help, reach out to the Technology & Learning Program. 

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