Did folks in this group know that the default link color in Canvas is out of WCAG AA compliance?

[tom_gibbons]

Hi everyone--

I'm just curious how many people know that the default link color is out of WCAG AA compliance. It was a surprise to me.

There's currently a feature request to adjust that color, but it only has 38 upvotes (which seems odd, given that this is such a simple thing to adjust).  @jess_thompson  posted the request.

[Renee_Carney]

Hey  @tom_gibbons  

Thank you for the reference to the feature idea.  It is a good one!  

The solution is that 'high contrast mode' does provide a compliant link color.  I'm not saying we won't adjust this in the future, but if anyone is having difficulty viewing the color, please advise them to use the high contrast mode.

[tom_gibbons]

This seems like a "yes, and..." kind of thing. 

High contrast mode is great for mitigating bad design choices made by people in control of institutional branding for an instance of Canvas, for example. 

But it's not a fun time to try to explain why the standard interface isn't standards-compliant. 

[Renee_Carney]

I understand your position,  @tom_gibbons , and I empathize with it, but there is a solution/option.

[keefern]

I'm so frustrated by this issue. I started to reply to an auto response I got this a.m. to my query on it with this, giving me the ways to fix it (in MY class only, by the way):

Yes, I completely understand how *I* can fix the setting; the issue is that *I* do not control every faculty member at my college. I work to give them guidance.

Do you honestly think every single faculty member who uses your product will:

1. Change to high contrast, which might be outside of their college’s template?

2. Spend the time to fix the color for every single link?

I doubt it. It seems to me the most logical fix – and best for the entire community, especially students with low-level visual acuity – would be for Instructure to simply make that change to that they fall within ADA guidelines.

I do not understand the push back I’m getting on this. It’s not within contrast guidelines, so it should be changed. Why is everyone else expected to make a work around when what is given to us – bottom line – doesn’t work for a portion of the population who deserve to be treated equally.

Then I deleted it because I figured it wasn't going to make a bit of difference to the folks who haven't already taken the steps to change it. 

So I guess I'm just venting with others who care.

[Renee_Carney]

Hey  @keefern 

We really appreciate your passion here. 

It had been about a year since we brought this up with our product and accessibility teams, so we've raised the conversation with them again.  No promises, but they are looking into it.  About a year ago they toyed with changing the contrast on links and it made them very difficult to distinguish from general paragraph text, which is when the underline was added.

We're super passionate about accessibility as well, which is why we like revisiting conversations like these. I'll let you know if/when I hear if we're able to make a change.

[fathaulg]

I can tell you that our expectation as an institution at this time from companies that we work with is that they are able to provide a roadmap to WCAG AA compliance; which would include expected timeframe for resolving known issues.

[keefern]

Laura:

I'm a 1981 Miami grad! Go Redhawks!