Keeping the layout of your course organized and consistent will help all students navigate the course more easily. Screen readers read every link on a page, so it would be helpful if instructors removed any navigation buttons that are not being used for a course. For example, if you're not using the Virtual Classroom, go to Control Panel - Manage Course Menu and either remove the Virtual Classroom button or modify it to make it unavailable. Consider using course links to help students navigate. The next planned upgrade to App Pack 3 (possibly in Dec. 05) will include adaptive release options which will allow instructors to create custom learning paths through course content and activities and other accessibility enhancements.
The Blackboard system is in compliance with Section 508 accessibility guidelines. For more information, go to this Blackboard accessibility webpage -link to Blackboard Section 508 Implementation.
For best results using Blackboard, students should use a current version of JAWS for Windows and a current version of Internet Explorer. Current versions of JAWS for Windows work with many of the advanced HTML features that Blackboard uses. Newer versions of Jaws support frames, forms, JavaScript alert boxes, graphics (via alt tags), and multi-columned tables. Versions of JAWS 3.5 and up are optimized to take advantage of newer accessibility features in IE 5.5 and above. More information about Jaws for Windows can be found at http://www.hj.com Some users have also reported good results using Window Eyes as their screen reader with Blackboard.
Navigating Blackboard using a screen reader takes more time, but navigation can improve with repetition and practice and effective use of various features of the screen readers. It is also quite helpful when instructors use a consistent course layout and keep accessibility issues in mind while designing a course.
For more information, go to - Screen readers and Blackboard for Students.
To view video clips in Quicktime format of an instructor at University College in Maine using Blackboard with a screen reader, go to http://www.maine.edu/faculty/access/
Check documents and webpages for accessibility before uploading them to Blackboard. Use online accessibility check software, such as WebXACT ( Bobby) or The Wave.
Links to uploaded files and all hyperlinks should be unique and descriptive. "click here to open" is not quite clear enough to someone using a screen reader. Include specific text such as a unique name and the type of file. Screen readers read every link on the page, including the navigation links and breadcrumbs, so a unique name and a consistent naming strategy will help users identify links more readily.
Avoid using embedded files. Have documents open in a new window and/or in their own applications. Inform the user what exactly will happen when they click on a link.
Include descriptive text and a link to download any required plug-ins such as Word Viewer, PowerPoint Viewer, Adobe Acrobat Reader, etc.
Word files that open embedded in the Blackboard frame may be difficult for screen readers to navigate. Identify the file as a Word file in the instructions or naming structure. Users who do not have Word can download the free Word Viewer. You could also copy and paste the content of the Word document into Blackboard as an item or convert the Word file to html. Consider posting files in both Word and html formats. In general, embedded files can cause difficulties for students using a screen reader who may not realize that a document is open within a web page browser and has not opened in the Word program itself.
If you post your slideshow as a PowerPoint slideshow or presentation, consider also adding an HTML version of the PowerPoint slideshow to ensure maximum accessibility for visually impaired users using screen readers. However, the frames created with the Save as html option in PowerPoint may still cause some problems for screen readers. For more information, see Adding PowerPoint presentations to Blackboard from MATC TRC and PowerPoint Accessibility Techniques from WebAIM.
The screen reader programs Window Eyes and JAWS can read accessible PDF files. To create an accessible PDF file, a recent version of Adobe Acrobat - Acobat 5.0 or later, must be used to create the PDF file. The user must also have the accessible version of Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later. The document must contain real text either converted from a word processing program or scanned using OCR (Optical Character Recognition). The document must be in tagged PDF format and must be marked up for accessibility. For more information, go to Defining PDF Accessibility from WebAim or Accessibility from Adobe. Consider converting a PDF file to a more accessible html file as an option for students using screen readers.
Screenreaders read the alternative text or alt tags associated with pictures and graphics. All Blackboard system images should have alt tags. Instructors should add alt tags to uploaded image files in the content creation areas of Blackboard. For assessment images, descriptions should be included in the question or answer text.
Alternate text must also be added to images in Word or PowerPoint files before they are saved and uploaded to Blackboard. Once the Word or PowerPoint file has been saved and uploaded, the alternate tags cannot be changed or added through Blackboard.
Website frames need to be set up properly in order to be read by screen readers. In Blackboard, Framesets are appropriately titled and have meaningful (noframes) content, describing the functionality of the frames layout. The Blackboard Learning System Screen Reader Tutorial describes the layout of the navigation and content frames. For more information, go to Creating Accessible Frames from WebAIM.
Users with screen readers should use the table reading mode to read information in tables. In Blackboard, data tables are optimized for use with screen readers by adding attributes to associate column headings with table content. If you are adding additional data tables, identify row and column headers. For more information, go to Creating Accessible Tables from WebAIM.
Make sure there is good contrast between the foreground and background colors. Avoid red-green and yellow-blue combinations because people who are color blind may be unable to read them. Avoid busy or patterned backgrounds which may make the text harder to read. Use white space effectively. Avoid moving or blinking text. Don't use font colors to convey meanings.
Use relative font sizes. Use accessible html tags. For example, for Bold: use the <strong></strong> tags. Open links within the Blackboard content page. Announce the link with descriptive text, not just "click here". If you do want a link to open in a new window, make sure that your text also mentions that this is what will happen. Mention any required plug-ins and provide links to where they can be downloaded. You may want to include a course link to the MATC Blackboard browser check page. When adding new content, in the Blackboard Text Textbox check html or smart text so that html tags can be used. Don't underline text. Use an accessibility checking tool such as such as WebXACT ( Bobby) or The Wave.
For more information on HTML Authoring software and accessibility, see the following links to Dreamweaver and Accessibility or Frontpage and Accessibility.
Provide a transcript. Provide audio. Provide text descriptions. If possible, Provide closed captioning. Provide keyboard controls.
For more information on creating accessible Flash content, see Creating Accessible Macromedia Flash Content from WebAIM or Accessibility Resource Center from Adobe
Avoid 1 question per page. Keep quiz names brief so the text in the gradebook does not get so long. Add text descriptions for images or equations.
MATC Disability Resource Services
Screen readers and Blackboard for Students
Web Site Accessibility
Video: Keeping Web Accessibility in Mind from WebAIM
Section 508 from U.S. Government and Section 508 Checklist from WebAIM
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from W3C
Evaluating Web Site Accessibility
Ten quick tests to check your website for accessibility
Designing More Useable Websites from University of Wisconsin
Blackboard
Blackboard Learning System (Release 6) Screen Reader Tutorial from Blackboard (note: a new window will open)
See Screen readers and Blackboard for Students for suggestions on navigating and customizing Blackboard
The gradebook can be a very large table which may be difficult to navigate using a screen reader.
Consider using alternate gradebook views. To grade assignments submitted through the assignments feature, go to the control panel - gradebook views - view grades by user. To enter attendance or other grades by item, go to control panel - gradebook views - view grades by item.
Another alternative would be to download the gradebook from Blackboard as a csv file. Open in Excel and enter grades. Then upload the grades back to Blackboard.
CETL Instructional Technology : http://matcmadison.edu/cetl/ You may also obtain technical and educational support by contacting: Dennis James at 608-243-4501 or by e-mail to djames@matcmadison.edu
Last Updated: November 12, 2007