Improving the accessibility of your existing Canvas course doesn't have to be daunting. We understand that getting started can feel like a big ask, so we've created the Boldly Accessible Challenge—a step-by-step journey through three progressive levels. Each level offers practical ways to build your understanding of digital accessibility and apply it directly to your course content. You'll gain confidence as you go, and each step helps make the process more manageable and rewarding.

Ready to take the first step? Let's explore what each level includes!

Below is a description of what is required for each challenge level, along with some useful information about the steps to take and where to go for more information.

The three levels

Level 1 badge

Challenge Level 1: First steps

Challenge level 1 starts you on the path toward adopting accessible workflows for your course materials. You will learn how to create course pages and syllabi that are accessible to all.

Start your accessibility journey

  • Attend the following Quick Start Accessibility Workshops:
    • Make Your Canvas Courses Accessible
    • Checking Documents for Accessibility
    • Make Your Word Documents Accessible
    • Using the Pope Tech Accessibility Canvas Tool (recommended, not required)
  • Address accessibility errors in course pages. Achieve a 100% score using the Pope Tech Dashboard for Canvas.
  • Ensure your course syllabus meets accessibility standards. Accessible syllabus templates are available for download in Word and HTML formats.
Level 2 badge

Challenge level 2: Core practices

Challenge Level 2 continues your learning journey. You will learn how to create accessible course documents and presentations.

Continue your accessibility journey

  • Two Quick Start Workshops are required for Level 2:
    • Make Your PowerPoint Documents Accessible
    • Make Your PDF Documents Accessible Part 1

  • Make files you created accessible. Use digital accessibility best practices to ensure word processing files (Word, Google docs, etc.), presentation files (PowerPoint, Google Slides, etc.), and PDFs you created meet accessibility standards.

    Not sure where to start or need assistance? We recommend reviewing the seven fundamentals of accessible authoring prior to editing your files. You may want to download the available checklists to structure your content review. Finally, student accessibility consultants can help with documents that you are uncertain about.

  • Enable captions for videos. Check that video content includes accurate captions and the captions are enabled. Do not forget you can always review the quick reference for accessible multimedia.
  • Provide transcripts for audio-only content. Check that any audio-only content includes accurate transcriptions and that transcriptions are enabled. Reach out to your IT accessibility liaison if you are unsure how to do this.
Level 3 badge

Challenge level 3: Access champion

Challenge Level 3 completes this arc of your journey. You will learn how to make the remaining materials in your course, such as third-party PDFs, accessible.

Finish your accessibility journey

  • Challenge Level 3 requires the following Quick Start Accessibility Workshops:
    • Make Your Excel Spreadsheets Accessible (three parts)
    • Make Your PDF Documents Accessible Part 2
  • Make remaining course materials accessible. Ensure that Excel files, third-party PDFs and other remaining course materials meet accessibility standards. The Student Accessibility Consultants can help.

Level up!

If you haven't accepted the challenge yet, 
what are you waiting for? Start your journey!

Have you completed a challenge level?
Don't forget to update your progress.

Get Started / Level Up

Useful links