Explore and use the Accessibility Toolkit to create content that empowers all learners—because inclusion begins with intention.
According to GAAD, over 1 billion people worldwide live with a disability. That’s more than 1 in 6 of us—and a powerful reminder that accessible design isn’t optional, it’s essential.
Whether you're just getting started or refining your practice, this toolkit brings together trusted resources, Instructure-specific tools, and community-shared insights to help you design with empathy and clarity.
Accessibility isn’t a checkbox—it’s a mindset. And every thoughtful decision you make helps remove barriers and open doors for learners of all abilities. Let’s keep learning, sharing, and building a more inclusive experience for everyone.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Accessibility Foundations
- Tools & Global Standards
- Instructure Features
- Training & Skill Building
- Designing Accessible Content
- UDL: Universal Design for Learning
- Partner & Marketplace Resources
- Community of Practice Spotlights
- Connect & Collaborate
Accessibility Foundations
Resources that explain the “why” and the core principles behind accessibility.
- Accessibility in Online Course Design
- Accessibility in Higher Education: Building a Better Student Experience
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
- Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)
Tools & Global Standards
Key external tools, global standards, and helpful references for accessibility work.
- Tools
- WebAIM Contrast Checker - This tool allows easy contrast testing of any content on your screen by using the foreground and background eyedropper tools.
- WebAIM: Keyboard Accessibility - This table includes many of the most common online interactions, the standard keystrokes for the interaction, and additional information on things to consider during testing.
- Accessibility Insights for Web - Accessibility Insights for Web is an extension for Chrome and the new Microsoft Edge that helps developers find and fix accessibility issues in web apps and sites.
- WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - WAVE can identify many accessibility and Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) errors, but also facilitates human evaluation of web content.
- Color Save - Empowering designers with beautiful and accessible color palettes based on WCAG Guidelines of text and background contrast ratios.
- ColorBlindly - Colorblindly is an extension that helps developers create websites for the people with colorblindness by allowing them to simulate the experience those users have on websites.
- NaviLens Accessible QR Code - NaviLens is designed to be more user-friendly than traditional QR codes, as it doesn't require precise focusing or alignment for scanning and can be detected from greater distances.
- The Noun Project Free Accessibility Icon Set - This set of accessibility icons provide visual representation and are available for download in PNG or SVG format on Noun Project and are free for everyone to use as public domain.
- Global Standards
Instructure Features
How Instructure supports accessibility out of the box.
- VPAT
- What are the Canvas accessibility standards?
- Accessibility Features in Canvas LMS and Studio for Teachers
Training & Skill Building
Learn how to design, teach, and support access for all learners.
- [On Demand Training] Fundamentals of Accessible Digital Content in Canvas
- Design and Develop Overview | Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) | W3C
Designing Accessible Content
How-tos and best practices for creating accessible learning materials.
- Canvas Course Accessibility Checklist
- 5 Common Accessibility Mistakes to Avoid
- An Empowering Thank You: Free Accessibility Resources for Teachers
- Not Sure About Alt Text? This Chart Can Help
- W3C Web Accessibility Tutorials
- Community Guides
UDL: Universal Design for Learning
Support all learners by designing with flexibility, equity, and access in mind. Many of these UDL resources were featured during InstructureCon 2025 - Hack Night.
- UDL Guidelines v. 3.0 downloads page with three representations
- Center for Applied Special Technology: CAST is a nonprofit research and development organization that works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through UDL.
- Universal Design for Learning Strategy Database: Overview of v.3.0 changes to the UDL framework.
- UDL Curriculum Toolkit - This open-source web application is designed to support the creation of interactive, multimedia curricula according to the principles of UDL.
- A teacher’s guide to UDL (Free Download)
- Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education – This video, from Humber Center for Teaching and Learning, gives an overview of how UDL is used in higher education. View time: 4:42
- Applying Universal Design for Learning in Online Courses: Pedagogical and Practical Considerations – This paper discusses the inclusion of the UDL model as a guiding set of principles for online curriculum development in higher education.
- Barriers with Implementing a Universal Design for Learning Framework – This journal article discusses various barriers that might be encountered while implementing the UDL framework.
- Universal Design for Learning Evaluation Tools:
Partner & Marketplace Resources
EdTech partners committed to accessibility.
Community of Practice Spotlights
Real-world examples of accessibility efforts from educators and institutions in the Instructure Community.
- CALM program at Virginia Tech
- Mission Accessible at Northeastern University
- Accessibility Training for Post Secondary Faculty - Ball State - Make Your Canvas Course Accessible is available in Canvas Commons
Help us celebrate real-world accessibility champions and inspire others by sharing what’s working at your institution. Submit a nomination to help us feature these impactful examples!
Connect & Collaborate
Join the Community working to make learning more inclusive.
This list will continue to grow with more resources, so bookmark this page to stay up to date!
