About accessibility - ODEE Resource Center · Web accessibility refers to how easily people with disabilities can navigate and interact with websites. Disabilities may be physical

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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > About Accessibility

About accessibilityWeb accessibility refers to how easily people with disabilities can navigate and interact with websites. Disabilities may be physical (such as blindness, low vision, deafness, or fine motor skills difficulty), or cognitive (such as dyslexia or attention deficit disorder). People with disabilities often use assistive technologies to help them navigate the web. An assistive technology is any device that helps a person with a disability. Common web assistive technologies include modified mice and keyboards, screen readers and screen magnifiers.

Web accessibility occurs when websites support web accessibility standards, are compatible with assistive technologies, and are easy for people to navigate and understand.

At Desire2Learn we follow web accessibility standards closely and work with interested clients to test the usability of our products for people with disabilities. We believe that instructional practices should focus on helping people learn, and should not be limited by the learning management system the material is delivered in.

Accessibility help topics

LearningScreen reader tips

Screen reader accessibility features

Keyboard-only navigation tips

Keyboard-only navigation accessibility features

Screen magnifiers, zooming and color contrast tips

Screen magnifiers, zooming and color contrast accessibility features

TeachingAccessible course design

Organizing your course accessibly

Setting release conditions and special access to support students with different needs

Meeting web content accessibility standards

Accessible HTML templates

Referring students to accessibility resources

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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Accessible course design

Accessible course designDesire2Learn is dedicated to developing technology that meets the teaching and learning needs of all clients. We believe that instructional practices should focus on helping people learn, and should not be limited by the learning management system the material is delivered in. We work with interested clients and accessibility groups to continuously improve the usability and accessibility of our products.

What you can doAs a course designer you hold a pivotal role in ensuring that Learning Environment is accessible to all users, regardless of their learning needs. It is your content that students must access, assess, and respond to. We strongly encourage you to follow accessibility best practices to ensure you meet the learning needs of all your students.

We have created the following topics to support your efforts to create accessible content in Learning Environment.





Referring students to accessibility resources

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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Accessible HTML templates

Accessible HTML templatesThe following template packages were designed by Desire2Learn to make it easier for course instructors to create accessible, professional looking HTML content files.

The templates use a cascading style sheet (CSS) to format the content in HTML files. To use a template effectively, you must save the TemplateFiles folder containing the stylesheet.css file and supporting images in the same root folder as your HTML files and reference the CSS file appropriately.

NOTES

If you upload a template package to the Manage Files area for a course and unzip it, it will be structured properly and the sample files will reference the CSS file correctly.

All of the template packages use the same folder structure and folder name "TemplateFiles." This makes it easy to swap out your CSS files for different CSS files if you want to change the appearance of your course content files. However, it also means you should only have one template package saved in Manage Files at a time.

Available templatesAdd a template package to Manage FilesUse a template file in the Content toolSwap CSS files to change the appearance of your HTML content topicsEdit a CSS file to change the appearance of your HTML content topics

Available templatesClassic Contemporary

Desk Paper

Modern Red

Notepaper

Ordinary Blue

To the extent possible under law, Desire2Learn Incorporated has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to the accessibility templates listed above.

Add a template package to Manage Files1. Save the template package you want to use to your local machine as a zip file.

2. Go to the Manage Files tool.

3. At your course root, select Upload.

4. Select the template package zip file and click Upload.

5. Unzip the file.

6. Use the Manage Files tool to view the HTML files available with the package.

http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

7. Create copies of the HTML files you want to use as templates in the Content tool.TemplateStyles This file demonstrates each template style

TemplateDetails This file provides an overview of accessibility principles related to the different template styles

SampleSyllabus This fie contains a sample syllabus using some of the styles

SampleContentTopic This file contains a sample content topic using most of the styles

We suggest that you create copies of the sample HTML files so you always have unedited template files to refer to.

Use a template file in the Content tool1. Go to the Content tool.

2. Select New Topic.

3. Select Course File.

4. Give your new topic a Parent Module and Title.

5. Select the Browse button beside the Course File field.

6. Select the copy HTML template file you want to use as your template, and click Select File.

7. Update the file with your course content using the HTML Editor. If you copy, paste and overwrite content in the editor view (WYSIWYG), the style formatting should be maintained.

NOTE You cannot see all of the template styles and images in the editor. Preview the file periodically to ensure it is formatted as expected.

8. Click Save.

If you want to create another content topic based on the template topic, you can copy the file you just created or create another new topic based on the copy HTML template file.

Swap CSS files to change the appearance of your HTML content topics1. Go to the Manage Files tool.

2. Open the TemplateFiles folder.

3. Select and Delete all of the template files.

4. Save the Desire2Learn template package you want to use to your local machine and unzip it.

5. Upload all of the files in the TemplateFiles folder of the new package to the TemplateFiles folder in Manage files.

Edit a CSS file to change the appearance of your HTML content topics1. Go to the Manage Files tool.

2. Open the TemplateFiles folder.

3. Use the context menu to select Edit File for the stylesheet.css file.

4. Make your changes and click Save.

See alsoAbout accessibility


Accessible course design




About the HTML Editor

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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Keyboard-only navigation accessibility features

Keyboard-only navigation accessibility featuresThe Desire2Learn Learning Suite includes a number of features aimed at improving the usability of our systems for people with disabilities. The following list outlines some of the design decisions that benefit people that navigate our products by keyboard or using an assistive technology that emulates a keyboard:

Standard page designs. Similar functionality is located in the same place and accessed in the same way across tools.

Full keyboard accessibility. The tab order is logical and tab focus visually indicated.

Keyboard alternatives for drag-and-drop functionality and other dynamic features.

Simplified pages that divide content across tabs and hide secondary content in expandable/collapsible sections.

Unique link, button and field names for easy searching.

Keyboard accessible HTML Editor (WYSIWYG).

WAI-ARIA markup is used for tabs, context menus, error and confirmation messages, and page landmarks to help improve navigation.

See alsoKeyboard-only navigation tips


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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Keyboard-only navigation tips

Keyboard-only navigation tipsLearning Environment is a learning management system that enables you to access course material online. There are a number of learning tools within the system that course content is contained in. This topic provides some basic advice for people who navigate Learning Environment using a keyboard or assistive technologies that emulate a keyboard.

Navigating pages using a keyboardBrowser accesskeysNavigating the HTML EditorAccount SettingsNavigating the Capture PortalGetting additional support

Navigating pages using a keyboardNOTE If your organization's Learning Environment includes integrations with Kaltura or Capture, we recommend that you use Internet Explorer 8 or higher to avoid possible keyboard traps in those media players.

Use the Tab key on your keyboard to navigate the options on a page. Use Shift + Tab to return to a previous option. Learning Environment highlights page elements that you can interact with (such as links, fields and buttons) as you tab through them, to make it easier for you to complete tasks and select options.

Press the Enter or Return key to select a link or button.

Use the Down Arrow and Up Arrow keys to navigate drop-down lists that have an Apply or Go button beside them.

Use Alt + Down Arrow keys (Windows and Linux) or Option + Down Arrow keys (Mac) to open drop-down lists that do not have an Apply or Go button, and then use the Down Arrow, Up Arrow and Enter keys to select an item in the drop-down.

Use the Enter or Return key to open a menu (such as a context menu, an alert or the course selector), and then use the Tab key and Enter key to select a link.

Use the Space Bar to select a check box or radio button option.

Use the Down Arrow and Up Arrow to change a radio button option.

IMPORTANT Do not use Alt + F4 to close pop-up windows or pages. This action closes your browser.

Browser access keysDifferent browsers use different keystrokes to activate access key shortcuts:

Internet Explorer 8+: Use Alt + [accesskey] (Windows/Linux) or Control + [accesskey] (Mac)

Firefox: Use Alt + Shift + [accesskey] (Windows/Linux) or Control + [accesskey] (Mac)

Chrome: Use Alt + [accesskey] (Windows/Linux) or Control + Option + [accesskey] (Mac)

Safari 4+: Use Alt + [accesskey] (Windows/Linux) or Control + Option + [accesskey] (Mac)

Navigating the HTML EditorUse the Tab key and Shift + Tab keys to navigate through the options in the HTML Editor.

Use the Shift + Arrow Keys to highlight content in the main content area of the editor.

Use the Shift + Alt + Q keys to jump to the top tool menu of the editor.

Use the Shift + Alt + Z keys to jump to the main content area of the editor.

Use the Shift + Alt + X keys to jump to the element path for the editor.

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Account SettingsThere are a number of settings in the Account Settings tool that you may find useful when navigating Learning Environment by keyboard.

Account Settings tabThe Login Destination option lets you log directly into a course, rather than My Home. This option can simplify navigation if you are only taking one or a few courses.

Select the Show secondary windows as pop-ups option to simplify secondary window navigation.

Some keyboard dependent users find the HTML Editor cumbersome to use and prefer to create HTML content in external tools. There is an option to Turn off the rich text editor and view source. The HTML Editor is replaced with a text field that supports HTML content.

Discussions tabClear the Show the discussion topics list and Show the preview pane options to simplify the layout of discussion lists.

Some users also Include original message text in replies so they don’t have to move between discussion messages as frequently.

Email tabClear the Show the Message Preview pane and Show the Folder List pane options to simplify the layout of your Inbox.

Some users also Include original message in email replies so they don’t have to move between messages as frequently.

Metadata tabChoose the Basic option to simplify movement through the main metadata page.

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Navigating the Capture PortalWe recommend that you use Internet Explorer 8 or higher to navigate the Capture Portal.


Use the Tab key and Shift + Tab keys to move through the Capture Portal.

The first tab stop enables you to Skip Over Navigation.

The second tab stop displays media player controls to control presentation playback. These player controls also have access key equivalents (keyboard shortcuts):

Toggle Playback is access key 1.

Seek Reverse is access key 2.

Seek Forward is access key 3.

Volume Down is access key 4.

Volume Up is access key 5.

Focus Video is access key 6.

If you are tabbing inside the media player, use the Space Bar to select an option.

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Getting additional supportIf you are having difficulty using Learning Environment to complete your course work, consider seeking help from your course leader or a disability services group at your institution. Most institutions have support centers to help users learn new technology, seek special accommodations, and organize tutoring and other support.

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See alsoKeyboard-only navigation accessibility features


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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Meeting web content accessibility standards

Meeting web content accessibility standardsThe Organizing your course accessibly and Setting release conditions and special access to support students with different needs topics provide guidance on organizing your course and setting release criteria to better support students with disabilities. This topic and the Accessible HTML templates topic discuss design decisions you should consider when creating HTML content. Most of the tips provided are web content standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

We recommend that you create HTML topics for your course content when possible. HTML code is easier for assistive technologies to interpret than application based files such as MS Word. It also allows you to link content topics together and link content to different tools in Learning Environment.

TIP Consider using one of our accessible HTML templates to streamline your content creation process.

Use a simple layout that does not organize content in tables or columns. Simply organized material is easier for students to read and understand, is easier for assistive technology to interpret and present, and is easier for mobile and handheld devices to resize.

Use headings to communicate the relationships between sections. Use Heading 1 for the title, Heading 2 for major sections, Heading 3 for subsections, etc. If headings are used correctly, screen reader users can quickly search a page by heading and participants with cognitive disabilities can understand how sections and content relate easier.

Make sure each heading is unique. Do not use the same text for a Heading 3 (subsection) that you used for your Heading 1 at the start of the document. The same principle applies to file/item names. Make sure each file or item you create has a unique name.

Include a table of contents that links to each section and "Back to top" links at the end of each section for longer documents.

Include alternative text descriptions (alt text) for all graphics. Use double quotes (null) "" as the alt text if the object is a decorative element that does not add meaning. If the graphic is a link, begin the alt text "Link to". The HTML Editor in Learning Environment automatically prompts you to include alt text when you insert an image.

Include detailed captions below tables and graphs. These captions should explain what the objects convey, including important trends and statistics. This will help all students interpret the objects. For tables, include a summary element in the table tag that explains how the table is organized and make sure tables make sense when read from left to right. Screen readers have difficulty conveying information that reads from top to bottom.

Use the same text on-screen and in the alt text for links. Make sure the text describes the action that will occur. Never use text such as "Click Here" as the link. Screen reader users often use a list of links to quickly navigate actions on a page, this is not possible if links are not descriptive.

Include text alternatives of multimedia content, such as audio or video files. If you do not have the time to create a complete text alternative, include a descriptive label that summarizes the content.

Do not use blinking or flashing multimedia as it can cause seizures in individuals with photosensitivity. Use animation when it helps convey a concept and not to draw attention to an unchanging object. Use a combination of size, color, and prominence to draw attention to objects.

Never use only color to convey meaning. If you want to show how concepts and objects relate to each other use a combination of size, color, and text labels.

Ensure there is a strong contrast between the text and background colors used in your course materials. (See Editing course offering properties, for more information on setting course colors.)


Use relative font sizes and make sure the text and page layout adjusts when font sizes are changed. Users should not have to scroll horizontally.

Present material in HTML where possible. If you need to use other file formats (such as video files), choose formats that are recognized by most browsers and/or offer the material in multiple formats.

If you use PDF files, make sure they were scanned with optical character recognition (OCR) so the text can be read by screen readers. Scan pages with multiple columns one column at a time so that OCR works correctly. Add bookmarks for major sections to make the content easier to navigate.

If you create PDF documents from Microsoft Word or another word processor, make sure you format titles and sections using headings so they are tagged correctly in the PDF.






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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Organizing your course accessibly

Organizing your course accessiblyAll people learn differently. Organizing your course in a way that supports the learning needs and styles of all users can be a difficult task. Your learning materials need to engage, educate, evaluate and accommodate people effectively.

In this topic we discuss a number of design decisions you can make to help ensure your course is accessible to all users.

Set clear course expectationsMake time limits and deadlines flexibleProvide alternative learning materials

Set clear course expectationsWhen you set up an online course it is important to remember that for many students it marks a big change from a traditional classroom. This can be challenging for students with physical or learning disabilities as they can feel disconnected from their instructor and other support systems.

Furthermore, Learning Environment provides course designers a lot of flexibility in how they set up and organize their course materials. Although there are many benefits to this flexibility, it can be daunting for students with learning disabilities and students who rely on assistive technologies to navigate pages to find all of your course materials and assignments.

There are some easy design decisions you can make that will help all students use your online course effectively:

Use Course Home to help familiarize your students with your course content.

Create a news topic on Course Home that introduces yourself (the course instructor) and any teaching assistants. Include relevant contact information and a note encouraging students to contact you if they have any questions, concerns, or additional needs.

Include your course syllabus as a news topic (or a link to your course syllabus) on Course Home. This helps all users clearly understand your course expectations up front. Make each syllabus item a Quicklink to the actual item in your course. This provides a navigation shortcut to important content and helps students with learning disabilities clearly see how course content relates to course expectations.

Include a news topic on Course Home that highlights some of the personal tools available to students, especially the Preferences tool and User Progress tool.

Build redundancy into your course by repeating course information within different tools. For example, include all course syllabus information in the course calendar and include information on how much a quiz, discussion topic, assignment, etc. is worth in the description of that item. The more clearly course expectations are communicated through your course design, the more students can focus on learning content.

Set up enumerations in the Content tool's Settings to establish a clear hierarchy in your course content. Well-defined course structure is easier to navigate for screen reader users and students with learning disabilities.

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Make time limits and deadlines flexible

Many course designers create course materials that put users with learning and physical disabilities at a disadvantage without intending to. Usually disadvantages result from users not having enough time to complete tasks or not having appropriately designed resources.

Here are a few things to consider when organizing course materials in a time-sensitive manner:

Use the Discussions tool rather than instant messaging tools (such as the Chat tool) for user participation and reflection. Instant messaging tools can be difficult for users with visual, motor, or learning disabilities because they require users to process and respond to information quickly using technology that does not match their needs. Discussion areas give all users time to reflect. If you use instant messaging, be aware that some users may require an alternative solution such as phone or face-to-face contact. Also consider the accessibility of the instant messaging interface, the Desire2Learn Chat tool is specifically designed to be accessible by keyboard and screen readers.

Provide readings and assignments well in advance of deadlines so users can work ahead and prepare. Many students need the extra time to organize extra help and to read through content multiple times. If you use tools such as the Conditional Release tool to release course content on a module by module basis, make sure you give students plenty of time to complete each component. See the Setting release conditions and special access to support users with different needs topic for advice on setting release conditions in a course.

Traditional examinations usually have a time limit in which students must prepare their responses. This can be difficult for students with learning or physical disabilities as they often need more time to articulate or record their responses. As an instructor you should be aware of the limitations that timed examinations place on students. Consider whether strict time limits are really necessary for your course material. If these time limits are necessary, ensure students are aware that they can request extra time if needed. See the Setting release conditions and special access to support users with different needs topic for information on setting up alternative time limits.

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Provide alternative learning materialsOne of the most effective course design decisions you can make to improve student engagement is to offer course materials and assignments that appeal to more than one sense. For example, the same material or assignment can have an audio, video and text component. This type of redundancy helps engage students with different learning types, reinforces important concepts, and helps ensure that users with physical disabilities can access content in a suitable format.

Use the Content tool for readings and course material. HTML code is easier for assistive technologies to interpret than application based files such as MS Word. Follow web standards, such as those described in the Meeting web content accessibility standards topic, when creating your content.

If you need to use PDF files for additional content, use optical character recognition (OCR) if you are scanning documents so the text can be read by screen readers. Also consider adding tags to your documents to enable screen reader users to navigate them more easily. For more information about PDF accessibility, go to http://webaim.org/techniques/acrobat.

If your readings and lecture materials use many graphics, tables, videos, or audio recordings, provide a text-only alternative. Text-only material should supplement, not replace, other delivery methods. Videos, graphics, and audio files are a great way to generate interest in a topic, present material from different perspectives, and help students with learning disabilities through redundancy. Make the text-only alternatives easy to compile for print so that all students can use them as study aids at their leisure.

Allow students to demonstrate learning through different assignments associated with the same grade item or competency activity (for example, a written reflection, a recorded interview, or a slide show presentation).

Set up discussion areas that encourage peer-to-peer support. Regularly review information in the forums and adjust your content appropriately.

Use the Equation Editor in combination with written descriptions of the formulas. Although the Equation Editor supports accessible equations through MathML, these standards are not supported by all browsers or assistive technologies. Written descriptions help all students interpret what they need to do to complete the equation.

http://webaim.org/techniques/acrobat


Use a vertical layout for quizzes so that only one answer/concept appears per line. Screen readers will interpret the order of the material easier, it will minimize formatting problems when text sizes are adjusted, and most students will interpret their options quicker.

Do not convert PowerPoint presentations to images in LiveRoom if you have visually impaired students because screen readers won’t be able to read the content and participants won’t be able to resize the text or graphics. PowerPoint slides are converted by default; you will need to clear Convert Word documents to HTML and PowerPoint slides to images on the Create File Resource pop-up page. Alternatively, make it easy for users to request the originals so they can adjust and print them as desired.

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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Referring students to accessibility resources

Referring students to accessibility resourcesUser Preferences

The Account Settings tool includes a number of settings that can be adjusted to improve accessibility. These settings are controlled by individual users. Make sure users enrolled in your courses are aware of options that might benefit them.

Learning Environment accessibility help materialsScreen reader tips

Screen magnifiers, zooming and color contrast tips

Keyboard-only navigation tips

Organization specific resourcesYour organization likely has a Disability Services office, library support staff, and tutoring staff available for students seeking additional help. Familiarize yourself with the programs at your organization and share this information with students who seek additional support.

See alsoAccessible course design

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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Screen magnifiers, zooming and color contrast tips

Screen magnifiers, zooming and color contrast tipsLearning Environment is a learning management system that enables you to access course material online. There are a number of learning tools within the system that course content is contained in. This topic provides some basic advice for using the system with screen magnifiers, zooming functionality and color contrast functionality.

Screen magnifiers, zooming functionality and color contrast functionality are often used by people who have difficulties reading online. Difficulties can include low vision, color blindness, eye strain, or dyslexia. Screen magnifiers and zooming functionality are also used by individuals who have fine motor skills difficulty as they increase the target for selectable content (such as links, icons and form fields).

Magnifying vs. zoomingCustomizing colorsAccount SettingsGetting additional support

Magnifying vs. zoomingThere are a couple of ways you can increase the size of content in Learning Environment to improve readability:

Use the Account Settings tool in Learning Environment to increase the system font size. This only increases the size of system fonts, it does not increase the size of icons and other graphics or user-created content.

Use an assistive technology or browser that supports zooming. This increases the magnification of the entire page. This option works well in Learning Environment as images and navigation panels resize well (with the exception of legacy navbars).

Use a screen magnifier to magnify a portion of the page, such as the area around the cursor. Many users like screen magnifiers because they preserve the layout of the page, but allow you to focus on the content in a specific area.

Double-click on inline equations to view them at a larger size. This works only for equations built in the Equation Editor.

Customizing colorsYour institution or individual course instructors can customize page colors and text font as desired. As a result, the readability of Learning Environment depends a lot on your institution.

If you are having difficulty using Learning Environment because of the text and background colors used, we recommend that you use a screen magnifier or other assistive technology that allows you to invert or adjust the colors on a page.

Another popular option is to use a custom cascading style sheet (CSS). There are many free cascading style sheets available on the internet. CSS works best in Learning Environment when background images are turned off, but normal images and icons are left unaltered. Learning Environment is a complex site with a number of different tools and page designs, as a result a fairly detailed style sheet is needed to display content effectively.

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Account SettingsThere are a number of settings in the Account Settings tool that you may find improves the readability of Learning Environment.

Account Settings tabThe Login Destination option lets you log directly into a course, rather than My Home. This option can simplify navigation if you are only taking one course or a few courses.

Select a different Font Face and Font Size than your organization’s default if there is a font you prefer. You can use this option in combination with a screen magnifier or zooming.

If you disable style sheets to navigate Learning Environment we recommend you select Show secondary windows as pop-ups; otherwise, some secondary pages may not be distinguishable from the main page.

Discussions tabClear the Show the discussion topics list and Show the preview pane options to simplify the layout of discussion lists.

Select the Grid Style message list if you want to see only a list of messages in discussion lists and open messages to read their contents. This results in less text on discussion lists.

Some users also Include original message text in replies so they don’t have to move between discussion messages as frequently.

Email tabClear the Show the Message Preview pane and Show the Folder List pane options to simplify the layout of your Inbox.


Metadata tabChoose the Basic option to simplify movement through the main metadata page.

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Getting additional supportIf you are having difficulty using Learning Environment to complete your course work, consider seeking help from your course leader or a disability services group at your institution. Most institutions have support centers to help users learn new technology, seek special accommodations, and organize tutoring and other support.

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See alsoScreen magnifiers, zooming and color contrast accessibility features


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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Screen reader accessibility features

Screen reader accessibility featuresThe Desire2Learn Learning Suite includes a number of features aimed at improving the usability of the system for assistive technology users. The following list outlines some of the design decisions that benefit screen reader users:

Standard page designs. Similar functionality is located in the same place and accessed in the same way across tools.

Simple heading structure. Heading 1s are used for page titles. Heading 2s are used for widgets and major page sections. Heading 3s are used to organize information within widgets and for subsections.

Unique, contextual link and button names.

Title attributes on links that “open in a new window”. We recommend that you adjust your assistive technology’s settings to read the title attribute when different from link text if you want to be warned when a link opens in a new window.

Descriptive alternative text on all system images and graphics. Learning Environment also prompts course designers to include alternative text when uploading images.

Table row and column markup and table summaries.

Toggle icons (such as show/hide) indicate the state of the control.

Skip navigation links and ARIA landmarks so you can skip sections of a page.

Account Settings for simplifying the layout of many tools. Additional settings specifically related to accessibility, including the ability to change system fonts and font size, change modal dialogs to windows, and turn off the HTML Editor (WYSIWYG).

Full keyboard accessibility. The tab order is logical and tab focus visually indicated. Drag-and-drop and other dynamic features have keyboard alternatives.

WAI-ARIA markup is used for tabs, context menus, and error and confirmation messages to help improve navigation.

Support for browser and assistive technology scaling and contrast options. System content uses styles that can be overwritten by cascading style sheets (CSS), although the complexity of the system requires detailed style sheets.

See alsoScreen reader tips


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Home > Learning Environment > Accessibility > Screen reader tips

Screen reader tipsLearning Environment is a learning management system that enables you to access course material online. There are a number of learning tools within the system that course content is contained in. This topic discusses how the system is laid out, and how different functionality, settings, and preferences benefit individuals that navigate the system using a screen reader (or other assistive technologies that interpret the contents of a page).

This topic does not document how to use specific assistive technologies. Please refer to help material for the software or device you are using if you want to learn about its specific functionality, shortcuts, and commands.

Logging inLogging outSite organizationGeneral page layoutPersonal settingsCalendar page layoutGetting additional support

Logging inThe Login page for Learning Environment has three form elements: Username, Password, and Login. The Username field has focus when you enter the page. The Password field and Login button are the next tab options.

There are two additional options displayed as links:

1. The Forgot Password? link opens a new window where you can request a password reset link be sent to the email address associated with your username.

2. If enabled for your organization, the System Check link opens a new page that lets you know if your computer meets the minimum criteria for using Learning Environment. If you do not meet the criteria, a message displays explaining what components need updating.

Logging outThe Logout link is available in your personal menu on the minibar at the top of all pages. The personal menu opens when you click on your name on the minibar. You can access your personal menu using an assistive technology's links list, or by tabbing through the minibar links at the top of the page.

System time-outsThe system may log you out if you are inactive for an extended period of time. The length of time is determined by your institution. A JavaScript warning will provide an option to remain logged in before your time expires.

Site organizationLearning Environment is typically organized into two levels of information: organization related information and course related information. Organization related information typically appears on My Home, while course related

information typically appears on Course Home and different course tools.

My HomeMy Home is generally the first page you access when you log into Learning Environment. It is a central area for checking institution-wide news and events, and accessing organization-level tools.

Like all pages in Learning Environment, My Home has a navigation area across the top of the page. This navigation area includes the minibar and navbar. The minibar is a navigation area that contains links and menus specific to you, such as links to your courses and alerts about events related to you. The navbar typically contains links to different tools. Since My Home is an organization-level page, the links on the navbar for My Home usually go to organization-level or course-independent tools, such as your personal Locker, Email, and ePortfolio. The navbar has a Heading 2 called "Navigation". It is organized using unordered lists.

Other My Home content is organized in widgets. Typical widgets include: News, My Courses, Tasks and Calendar. You can navigate and search for widgets by Heading 2s, and navigate sections within a widget by Heading 3s.

One of the main purposes of My Home is to provide access to organization-level tools and information. We recommend you use your screen reader to view a link list and heading list for your My Home to get a feel for what options are available to you.

To access a Course Home, you must select it from the course selector on the minibar or the My Courses widget. If you are using the My Courses widget and have more than one role in Learning Environment (for example, you are both a Graduate Student and a Teaching Assistant) you need to select the tab for the role you want to view courses for. Depending on your screen reader, widget tabs may be read as tabs or links. They should always be the first content after the widget's heading.

Course HomeCourse Home is the first page you visit when you enter a course. It is a central area for accessing course specific information. Like My Home, Course Home pages have a navigation area across the top of the page and a number of widgets that contain information and links. Information and links on Course Home are specific to that course (unless they are for course-independent tools). For example, the navigation area for a Course Home might contain links to Grades, Discussions and Quizzes for that specific course. Use Heading 2s to navigate to the main Navigation area and the different course widgets.

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General page layout

Navigation area and Skip to main content linksAt the top of each page is a navigation area that includes the minibar and the navbar. You can skip the navigation area on any page by selecting the Skip to main content link.

The minibar appears at the top of every page. It contains links to: My Home; a course selector that enables you to switch between courses; alerts about events and updates specific to you and your courses; and a personal menu for setting your preferences and logging out.

The navbar contains an unordered list with the main tool links for the course you are viewing (or for My Home or a department if you are not in a course). You can jump to the navbar by selecting the heading "Navigation".

Headings and ARIA landmarksHeadings and ARIA landmarks are used throughout the system to help you navigate pages. Heading 1s and Main landmarks are used for page titles. Heading 2s are used for widgets and major page sections. Heading 3s are used to organize information within widgets and major sections. Navigation, Search and Complementary ARIA landmarks are used to provide context.

NOTE If you do not set the accessibility preference "Show secondary windows as pop-ups," your screen reader’s heading and landmark lists will read two heading 1s and two Main ARIA landmarks when you open dialog boxes.

Tool navigation and and action buttonsTool navigation and action buttons are used to navigate areas and perform tasks within a specific tool. Typically, the tool navigation links are used for complicated tools that need to be divided into different types of tasks. For example, in Grades the tool navigation divides the Enter Grades and Manage Grades areas. You can find the tool navigation links under the hidden heading 2 called Tool Navigation. Action buttons encompass page specific tasks. For example, the Manage Grades page include a New action button to add grade items or categories.

Context menusWhile tool navigation and action buttons are used to navigate between tool areas and perform tasks, context menus are used to select an action for a specific item on a list page. Every context menu has unique link text that references the item it applies to. For example, a file in your Locker will have a context menu beside it named "Actions for [file name]" which opens a menu with item specific actions.

TablesTables (grids) are often used to organize content within a tool.

All tables use proper table summaries and headings. However, the easiest way to navigate items in a table is by a check box, since most table items have a Select [item] check box before their name.

Most items also have a context menu after their name. These menus contain item specific actions. Each context menu has unique link text so you can use a links list to locate the context menu for the item you want to perform actions on.

You can also select multiple items from a table using the Select [item] check boxes and then selecting an action that can apply to multiple items. Actions that can apply to multiple items appear at the top and bottom of a table and use the alt text format [action] Selected Items. For example, you could use a links list to "Select Topic 1" and "Select Topic 2" and then "Edit Selected Items".

Complex tables often have drop-down lists for filtering information in the table. For example, some tables have a View drop-down list that allows you to change how information is sorted. Most drop-downs have an accompanying Apply or Go button that initiates the action.

A few drop-downs, such as per page drop-downs, update on selection so you must use Alt + Down Arrow (Windows/Linux) or Option + Down Arrow (Mac) to open the drop-down and then use the Up Arrow or Down Arrow and Enter key to select an option.

If there are more items in a table than will display on a single page, use the Page drop-down list, Next Page icon, or Previous Page icon to navigate to other pages.

FormsPages that use form fields for entering data or changing settings have a logical tab order. If a page is divided into multiple tabs, your screen reader may read the tabs as tab stops or as links. You normally cannot open a secondary tab until you have filled in all the mandatory fields on the first tab. Mandatory fields are indicated with an asterisk (*). The last options on a form are usually Cancel and Save. Sometimes the Save button is called something else related to completing the action, such as Select or Upload.

Many forms allow you to create content using our HTML Editor (WYSIWYG). The HTML Editor is fully accessible by keyboard, but lacks non-visual feedback when options or formatting are selected in the editor view. You can make changes in the source view so you can read your changes in the code as you work, or turn off the HTML Editor in your Account Settings. If you turn off the HTML Editor it is replaced by text fields that accept HTML.

Some form pages contain links to additional actions, which may not be recognized as form elements by your screen reader. For example, there is a link to create a New Folder on the Add Contact form in Email. Always

check for links when filling out a form in Learning Environment and other Desire2Learn products.

Most form pages provide either a confirmation or error message when you submit the form using an ARIA alert. The message appears at the top of the page and should take focus. If there were errors in your submission the message explains each error and provides links to the appropriate fields so you can resolve the issues.

Treeviews and framesWe have tried to keep page layouts as simple as possible. However, some tools, such as Manage Files and Email, use treeviews and frames to layout complicated lists of items and options. Most of these pages have options to Hide Tree (Manage Files) or Show (or hide) the folder list pane (Email). Check the tool's settings and tool bars for ways to simplify the page layout.

Help textMany forms contain inline help; Help icons and links to additional help material appear either immediately after the page heading or section heading, or after individual fields. It is a good idea to read the entire contents of a form before filling it out, and to look for help text or a help link immediately after a field if you have difficulty understanding its purpose.

Show/HideSome pages contain sections that are collapsed by default. Collapsed sections contain advanced or supplemental information that is not required to complete standard tasks. To expand a collapsed section using a keyboard or screen reader, select the appropriate Expand or Show link.

Load MoreWhen a list contains more items than the page currently displays, a Load More link appears at the bottom of the list as the final list item. Clicking this link appends more items to the list.

Pop-upsSome links open secondary pop-up windows for completing page-specific tasks. These links should indicate that they open in a new window through a title attribute. Use the Down Arrow and Tab keys to read the contents of the pop-up. The last options should be buttons to cancel or complete the task. Occasionally, these buttons are in a separate frame.

IMPORTANT Some secondary pages use modal dialogs instead of separate windows to display information. If you primarily navigate the web using a screen reader we recommend that you select Show secondary windows as pop-ups in the Account Settings tool.

SearchMost pages that contain lists of items or users have a Search For field near the top of the page. To perform a search, enter a word or partial word in the Search For field and select the Search button or press the Enter key.

Use the Show Search Options link to select advanced search options.

Use the Clear Search link to clear the Search For field.

WAI-ARIA supportDesire2Learn uses WAI-ARIA markup in a number or areas to help support navigation by keyboard and assistive technologies. For example, WAI-ARIA markup is used for tabs, context menus, error and confirmation messages, and for page navigation landmarks.

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Personal settingsThe minibar includes a personal menu with links to tools that store your personal information and settings. To open the personal menu, select the link that is your name. The following links are available:

Profile Edit your shared personal information.

Notifications Set how you receive notifications about activity in your courses.

Account Settings Change display settings for Learning Environment.

Account SettingsWe recommend that you adjust the settings available in the Account Settings tool to meet your personal needs. Here are some recommendations:

ACCOUNT SETTINGS TAB

The Login Destination option lets you log directly into a course, rather than My Home. This option can simplify navigation if you are only taking one or a few courses.

Use the Font Face and Font Size options to adjust the appearance of text in Learning Environment. If you want to adjust the size of icons as well, we recommend using a zooming or magnifying tool such as the zoom feature built into most browsers.

If you rely on a screen reader to navigate Learning Environment we recommend you select Show secondary windows as pop-ups; otherwise, some secondary pages may not be distinguishable from the main page.

Many screen reader and keyboard-only users select the Turn off rich text editor and view source option. This option simplifies form pages, while still allowing users to upload HTML content authored in an external editor.

Select the option, Optimize video presentation for programmatically-driven assistive technologies, to enable detection of embedded videos.

DISCUSSIONS TAB

Clear the Show the discussion topics list and Show the preview pane options to simplify the layout of discussion lists.

Select the Grid Style message list if you want to see only a list of messages in discussion lists and open messages to read their contents. This results in less text on discussion lists.

Some users also Include original message text in reply so they don’t have to move between discussion messages as frequently.

EMAIL TAB

Clear the Show the Message Preview pane and Show the Folder List pane options to simplify the layout of your Inbox.


METADATA TAB

Select the Basic and Expand all Categories options to simplify movement through the main metadata page.

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Calendar page layoutThe Calendar tool can display events from multiple calendars in one view. Read the following sections to help orient yourself to key elements of the Calendar interface.

Calendar view modesIn addition to standard Day, Week, and Month views, the Calendar tool also displays calendar events in an Agenda and List view. The mode in which you're viewing the calendar appears as part of the heading 1 on the page.

The Agenda view groups course events from your active calendars by Date, Course, or Type. Events display in chronological order and all-day events display at the top of each grouped listing.

List view displays all events from your active course calendars in chronological order. You can filter this list by event type. Click an event's name to view more details about that event. If the list contains many items, a Load More link appears at the bottom of the list as the final list item. Clicking this link appends more items to the list.

Default calendarThe default calendar is always set as the course from which you accessed the Calendar tool; its name appears as a link on the page. If you have permission to create course events, those events appear on the default calendar.

You can change your default calendar by selecting the link labelled with the default calendar's name. This opens the calendar selector where you can select a course to view its calendar. Changing your default calendar also switches your current course in Learning Environment to correspond to the course calendar you select.

Calendar selectorA bulleted list of calendars available to you displays once you select the link for the current calendar. Each calendar corresponds to an individual course you are enrolled in. If one of your courses is missing from the calendar selector, you can add course calendars to your list by selecting the Add Calendar link. Select a course link from the bulleted list to display its calendar events in the main calendar display.

NOTE If you have Calendar set to display all calendars, events in the main calendar display do not currently distinguish which courses they are part of when you scan the calendar. To distinguish which course an event is part of, you must select the event name for its details.

Mini calendarThe mini calendar appears after a heading 2 that matches the current month and year. It's a quick reference for the active calendars in the Calendar tool. It indicates which dates have events and the day, week, or month currently selected in the main calendar display.

The mini calendar includes leading and trailing dates. This means that you might see the last days of the previous month and the first days of the next month depending on which day of the week the current month begins.

TasksTasks are not connected to specific calendars. The task pane enables you to keep a personal list of tasks and set their deadlines to keep track of things to do.

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Getting additional supportIf you are having difficulty using Learning Environment to complete your course work, consider seeking help from your organization’s disability services, or your assistive technology’s help documentation.

Disability Services Many organizations offer support centers where you can get help learning new technology, tutoring for difficult course material, or advice on seeking accommodation for disabilities.

Assistive Technology There is a wealth of assistive technology products available to help people use computers and the internet. A few examples include: special keyboards and mice, speech recognition


software, screen magnifiers, screen readers, and Braille displays. Investing the time to find the hardware and software that is right for you, and then learning how to use it effectively, is worthwhile. Take advantage of help documentation and tutorials to learn commands, shortcuts, frequent tasks, and special tips.

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See alsoScreen reader accessibility features


About accessibility - ODEE Resource Center · Web accessibility refers to how easily people with disabilities can navigate and interact with websites. Disabilities may be physical

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