Make existing Brightspace pages accessible
Additional Brightspace Accessibility Considerations
The Accessibility Checker can identify common issues in Brightspace files, announcements, and descriptions. However, it is equally important to ensure uploaded files are accessible and that your online course is designed to be accessible and usable.
Well-designed online course material:
- Communicates effectively
- Is well-organized
- Has deliberate structure
- Uses appropriate file types
Making intentional choices with your online course material enhances the learner experience by promoting efficiency, fostering independence, reducing anxiety and confusion, and improving communication.
Consider the following best practices for accessible and user-friendly online course design:
Communication
Make communications easy to find. Display communications prominently on the course home page, in module descriptions, and activity instructions. Ensure instructions come before an interaction, not after it.
Include clear, concise instructions about activities to help learners ensure they have completed all necessary steps. Avoid ambiguity to assist learners to complete activities with maximum independence.
Use consistent language in instructions. For example, always use the same date format and the same terms for the same basic actions, such as “move to the next page.”
Clear communication, particularly instructions, help learners work through material and activities without having to repeatedly ask for clarification. Remember, your course may be only one of several a student is in. Unclear, vague, or otherwise confusing communications will only lead to additional overwhelm and less time for learning. Open SUNY Course Quality Review offers additional information about instructions.
Descriptions
Use topic and module description to provide learners with instructions and overviews. For modules, consider including what will be covered, learning objectives, and how the module fits into the overall course structure. Descriptions can be used to remind learners of important dates and upcoming deadlines. Using descriptions helps students understand the significance of each module and its content.
Links
Internal links are excellent navigational waypoints to help learners find content and engage with relevant material. Use the Insert Quicklink tool to link to activities and content within a Brightspace course.
Do not modify the default appearance of links. Only use underlined text for links.
Naming Convention
Use a consistent naming convention. All content such as links, files, activities, and pages should have easy-to-understand, self-describing, unique, and meaningful names. Be consistent when naming material, such as using the prefix “Topic n” for each module.
Organization
The organization of your content is essential to student success. Making deliberate efforts to improve the organization of your Brightspace content will help your learners:
- Find what they need.
- Understand what they find.
- Use what they learn.
Well-organized content allows learners to focus on the material you want them to learn, not spending excess time locating information or interpreting what they are supposed to do. Better organization is key to an accessible, inclusive, and useful online experience.
Structure
A Brightspace course is typically organized into modules. Modules are like folders. The modules may be organized by weeks or topics covered in the course.
Submodules are subfolders of modules; each submodule is nested inside a module. Modules and submodules are populated with material such as Brightspace content pages, links to external resources, media, or documents.
Avoid submodules as they interrupt the flow of content. Try viewing your course as a student and use the Next and Previous buttons to navigate through your course. Consider how submodules affect flow of information. Keep your module structure as flat as possible by avoiding submodules. Where necessary, include clear instructions that additional material is located in a submodule.
Use clear and consistent navigation, including navigational cues such as announcements and links, to guide students. Make it easy for learners to find and engage with the materials you want them to focus on.
Organize content in a logical sequence that scaffolds understanding.
Chunk content using
- Headings
- Lists
- Different pages or documents for different topics
Reduce visual distractions such as decorative images, coloured backgrounds, and unnecessary graphics. While aesthetic design is important, excessive decoration will only distract learners from material.
File Types
Brightspace can host material in a variety of formats. Consider the following best practices:
Limit uploading documents that would function more efficiently as a web page.
- Create web pages using the Upload / Create menu and select Create a File.
- Word Documents and PowerPoint Presentations can be added to Brightspace via the Upload / Create menu and the Upload a File option.
Avoid PDFs.
- PDFs are not designed to be read on screen.
- PDFs have significant accessibility and user experience concerns.
- The University of Washington Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology Centre suggests avoiding PDFs and providing PDFs only as a secondary source of information.
Avoid uploading video and audio directly into modules.
- Host content on Kaltura MediaSpace and embed media in Brightspace web pages.
- Ensure videos have closed captions and audio files have text transcripts.
No matter the content type, ensure files have unique, descriptive titles.
Expertise
You don’t need to be an expert in accessibility or using Brightspace. When you have a question, ask. Search the web for resources and engage with your educational technology or teaching and learning centers.
