Designing for Everyone: Practical Ways to Build Accessible Learning Experiences in Canvas

Understanding Disability in Today’s Learning Environments 

Across the United States, one in four adults has a disability under ADA definitions. Disabilities may be present at birth or develop over time. John Bramblitt, internationally recognized blind painter, has reflected on the idea that if we live long enough, all of us will experience disability in some form. 

Despite this high prevalence, many disabilities remain unseen. Neurodivergent learners, students with chronic health conditions, and individuals with sensory processing differences often develop sophisticated strategies to mask or minimize their challenges in public settings. While masking may create the appearance of smoother classroom interactions for those around them, it places a significant and often invisible burden on the individual. Sustained masking—constantly adapting one’s behavior, suppressing needs, and prioritizing the comfort of others—can lead to nervous system depletion, chronic stress, adverse health outcomes, and long-term erosion of personal identity. In short, the effort to appear “unproblematic” to the outside world can come at profound––and often long-term––personal costs. 

In his 2019 memoir Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic, comedian Michael McCreary shares that growing up on the spectrum, he had to learn a set of elaborate social rules—not because they came naturally, but because he was taught to ‘act normal.’ He later realized that many of his classmates had never learned these rules at all. 

These perspectives remind us that accessibility is not a niche concern; it is a defining feature of an inclusive learning environment. When educators design intentionally for diverse ways of perceiving, processing, and engaging with content, they support not only students with documented disabilities but all learners. Research consistently shows that integrated learning environments—where students with and without disabilities learn together as equal peers— produce mutual benefits across academic, social, and emotional domains. Ultimately, ethics driven educators strive to ensure that every student has equitable opportunities to learn, participate, and move toward their full potential. By addressing a variety of learning styles and abilities, we elevate the learning experience for everyone. 

Why Digital Accessibility Matters More Than Ever 

Over the past decade, digital learning has shifted from optional to essential. With this shift comes a critical responsibility: ensuring that online course content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for the widest possible audience. 

Between 2020 and 2025, I researched and created hundreds of digital learning resources for learners with visual impairments, as well as those with neurodivergence, hearing loss, and memory challenges. One clear pattern emerged: 

Small accessibility decisions have outsized impact on students’ ability to learn independently and confidently. 

Canvas has built a strong accessibility foundation to support this work—including regular audits, a dedicated accessibility engineering team, and a transparent VPAT. But the educators designing course pages, modules, and assignments play a key role in bringing that powerful foundation to life. 

The Power of Asynchronous Design: Beyond Flexibility 

Asynchronous learning is often framed as a convenience feature, but for many students it functions as an accessibility tool. 

Canvas lends itself to this well. A multimodal course—with video, downloadable text, audio, and discussion-based engagement—operates like a well-designed buffet. When a dining hall includes vegan, gluten-free, and kosher options, more guests can participate fully. When a course offers multiple pathways for engagement, more learners can access content in a way that matches their strengths. 

Common benefits for students with disabilities include: 

• Reduced cognitive load: Self-paced navigation allows students to process at their own speed. 
• Improved comprehension and retention: Rewatching, rereading, and replaying content supports deeper learning. 
• Lowered social pressure: Students who may feel self-conscious asking clarifying questions in a live session can revisit material privately. 
• Greater sensory control: Students sensitive to noise, movement, or rapid transitions can exercise greater control over regulating their chosen learning environment. 

In short: asynchronous instructional design is an equity practice. 

Beginners’ Canvas Tools That Strengthen Accessibility

Canvas includes several built-in tools designed to help educators create barrier-free content— many of which are underused simply because educators don’t know they exist. 

Accessibility Checker 

The Rich Content Editor’s checker surfaces issues in real time, including: 

• missing alt text 
• insufficient color contrast 
• table formatting issues 
• improper heading structure

It’s one of the easiest ways to build accessibility into daily workflow. 

High Contrast UI 

Ideal for learners with low vision or contrast sensitivity, this mode improves interface visibility and reduces visual strain.

Immersive Reader 

A powerful reading support tool that enables students to: 

• adjust font type, size, and spacing 
• listen to text with customizable narration 
• translate text into multiple languages 
• highlight grammatical structures for comprehension 

Immersive Reader is a significant accessibility asset for students with visual impairments, dyslexia, and ADHD, as well as those taking courses outside of their native language. 

High-Impact Accessibility Practices for Course Authors 

Even without advanced training in accessibility, educators can make meaningful improvements simply by adopting a few core habits. 

Use Structured Headings 

Headings function like road signs for learners using screen readers, allowing them to quickly navigate course content. Properly nested headings (H2, H3, etc.) create a logical hierarchy, making it easier for students to skim, locate key sections, and understand the flow of information. In Canvas, headings can be added directly through the Rich Content Editor—ensuring both readability and accessibility. 

Example: A module might have H2 headings for main topics and H3 subheadings for lessons or activities, giving students a clear roadmap. 

Write Effective Alt Text 

Alt text communicates the purpose of an image to learners who cannot see it. It should describe the content and its function, rather than just visual details. Decorative images, such as borders or background graphics, should be marked as decorative so they are skipped by screen readers. 

Tip: In Canvas, alt text can be added when uploading images through the Rich Content Editor or when inserting media. For charts or infographics, focus on summarizing the key insight the visual conveys. 

Choose Accessible Fonts and Colors 

Fonts and color choices affect readability for all learners, including those with low vision or color blindness. Use simple, legible fonts, a sufficient font size, and high contrast between text and background. Avoid relying solely on color to convey meaning—pair it with labels, patterns, or symbols. 

Example: Instead of using red text alone to indicate an error, combine it with an icon or label that communicates the same message. 

Maintain Consistent Layouts 

Predictable layouts reduce cognitive load and help learners orient themselves. Consistency in module structure, headings, and navigation supports executive functioning and improves focus, particularly for neurodivergent learners. 

Tip: Decide on a template for your lessons (e.g., objectives → content → activity → assessment) and apply it consistently across your course. 

Break Up Dense Content 

Long, uninterrupted blocks of text can overwhelm learners. Shorter pages and segmented modules help students process information, retain key points, and navigate at their own pace. 

Example: Instead of one long 20-page reading assignment, break it into multiple Canvas Pages with clearly labeled sections and checkpoints. 

Provide Text Versions Whenever Possible 

Many PDFs, scanned documents, and publisher files are not inherently accessible. Providing a text-based Canvas Page often ensures all learners can access the material. Whenever feasible, include both the original file and a fully accessible text version. 

Tip: Copy key content from PDFs into Canvas Pages, and include headings and links properly formatted to maintain accessibility. 

Offer Multiple Content Formats 

Learners absorb information in different ways. Offering content visually, aurally, and textually allows students to engage with the material in ways that match their strengths. This multimodal approach benefits not only students with disabilities but all learners. 

Example: Provide lecture slides with captions, a transcript of a video, and an optional audio summary. Canvas makes it easy to embed videos with captions and link text alternatives. 

Why Accessibility Is an Act of Care 

Accessibility work is not solely about meeting federal requirements or passing audits. It is, fundamentally, a practice of care. When we design with diverse learners in mind, we acknowledge that the classroom—virtual or physical—must adapt to the learner, not the other way around. 

When educators take even one step in the direction of accessibility, they signal belonging: “You are seen. You matter. You have an equal place in this learning community.” 

Canvas provides the critical infrastructure; educators bring the empathy and intentionality. By designing for access, we act on our highest responsibilities, ensuring every learner has an equitable chance to succeed. Together, we transform classrooms into places where every student can belong, participate, and rise.

About Erin Schalk

Erin Schalk holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and focuses on accessibility-centered education at the intersection of writing and instructional design. She teaches, as well as develops and leads professional learning for virtual and in-person environments, helping nonprofits and higher education institutions create more inclusive, accessible experiences for all learners. As both an educator and mentor, she supports fellow educators in implementing equitable practices. Her written work includes over 60 published pieces; she has received multiple Writer’s Digest awards, the ASAP National Scholarship, and a Best of the Net nomination.