Faculty Guide for Blackboard Ally Accessibility …...Faculty Guide for Blackboard Ally Accessibility Software Created 4/21/2020 Faculty Benefits Benefits are student-centered at this

Faculty Guide for Blackboard Ally Accessibility Software

Created 4/21/2020

What Is Ally?

A revolutionary accessibility software product that: Integrates into Blackboard Learn seamlessly to help make digital course content more

accessible. Provides a number of accessibility support tools for students that the College currently does not

have in place. Provides students immediate access to content in alternative formats that may be more suitable

to their specific needs. Runs course materials through an accessibility checklist/searches for accessibility issues for

faculty to improve accessibility in individual courses. Provides guidance to faculty on how to improve the accessibility of content for all students. Helps Tri-C improve its overall institutional accessibility score, simply by turning the tool on in

Blackboard.

Timeframe for Ally Activation Sunday, May 17, at 11:59 p.m.

Why enable Ally for all Blackboard course sites now? Given that Tri-C has increased the number of courses offered in the online environment this spring and summer due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the College-wide activation of Ally will greatly enhance accessibility for students. Enabling the Ally tool for all courses in Blackboard will allow all students to view and use alternative formats for documents embedded in Blackboard course sites.

Student Benefits Blackboard Ally is a third-party technology that works with Blackboard Learn to provide alternative formats of existing documents. These formats include:

Tagged PDFs (structured PDFs for improved use with assistive technology)

HTML (for viewing in the browser and on mobile devices)

ePub (for reading as an e-book on an iPad and other e-book readers)

Electronic braille (version for consumption on electronic braille displays)

Audio (version for listening)

BeeLine Reader (enhanced version for easier and faster on-screen reading) These alternative formats will:

Greatly improve electronic course delivery

Provide a greater opportunity to access information in the way students need or want it

Benefit every student using Blackboard

Be available alongside the original file in one convenient location

The alternative formats icon will appear next to the listed document. Students can simply click on it to choose the format that best fits their needs.

Faculty Guide for Blackboard Ally Accessibility Software

Created 4/21/2020

Faculty Benefits Benefits are student-centered at this time. However, faculty will have the opportunity to improve the accessibility of their course materials once further Ally features are implemented.

Changes to Faculty View The faculty view will now include the alternative formats icon as well as the gauge icon, which can be green, orange or red depending on the document’s accessibility score.

The gauge icon denotes the accessibility of available document(s). Students will not see this additional icon. If faculty wish to improve the accessibility of the documents listed, Ally will provide additional resources when they click the icon. A low score indicates the file has severe or multiple accessibility issues; a high score means there are minor or no accessibility issues. Faculty need not respond or take action based on these scores at this time and course accessibility reports will not be viewed by anyone other than the instructor for the course. Training and more information will come later.

Changes to Student View The student view will now include the alternative formats icon. When students click on it, they will be presented with alternative formats and can choose the version that best fits their needs.

Overall Impact on Blackboard Ally will not tax the Blackboard Learn since it is a third-party add-on. There will be no impact on the system.

Training Needs

No additional faculty training is necessary at this time. Videos describing the alternative formats for students have been generated and presented via web and email.

More Information Should you have general questions about Ally, contact the Help Desk at 216-987-HELP (4357) or [email protected]. If you wish to receive training on the Ally software, email [email protected].