Ally provides two basic services:
- Automatic creation of alternative formats for students.
- Instructor reports of content that isn鈥檛 fully digitally accessible.
Automatic creation of additional formats allows students to choose the format in which they want to view or access educational materials. These options include PDFs, HTML, electronic Braille, audio files and transcriptions. Students can choose based on what works for their needs, whether based on the device they are using, physical need, or study preference.
Instructor accessibility reports help faculty take the first steps to make content more inclusive for all learners by providing direct and specific feedback on improving the accessibility of course files. The product is integrated through WorldClassRoom (Canvas) and provides feedback on how to improve accessibility of documents and educational resources to provide better student access and opportunities for success. Ally does NOT modify documents and materials 鈥� it scans documents and makes recommendations for how to make them more accessible.
For Students
Ally provides a score regarding digital content for instructors to make improvements to their classes over time. This score provides instructors with a report on how accessible content is based on standards used by things like screen readers for people who are visually impaired. If Ally cannot read the content, the file won鈥檛 be readable in other situations, such as when a student wants to use an electronic reader or even something as simple as searching a file for key terms. Ally generates a report of the challenges it has with a file to help in making improvements for these situations. Some challenges affect all students, like poor scans of documents, while others may affect students with specific needs, such as missing descriptive text on images or potential color contrast issues.
For example, suppose a student wanted to listen to a document on the way to school, and there was an important graph on the second page. Without 鈥渁lternative text鈥� provided for that graph, the audio would simply say 鈥渋mage,鈥� and a student would miss out on knowing that the
graph showed important ideas (e.g., 鈥淭his graph shows the decrease in mortality rates over time, starting in 1990 and declining by an average of 2% annually until 2010.鈥�). Instructors can address these types of challenges over time to make the course more accessible to all students.
Contact Us
Faculty with further questions about Ally at 黑料网 should access the for additional resources, guidance, and support information.
Students with technical issues about Ally or other features in WorldClassRoom (Canvas) may contact the IT Service Desk for support. For questions about how to use Ally to support your success as a student, including support for assistive technology formats or general use with time management or study skills, please contact the Reeg Academic Resource Center.