Accessibility Checker Alt Text Character Limit

[maryz]

Hello!

I work in accessibility of online courses.  I recommend instructors write alternative text to be as extensive as needed to relay the essential detail or data of an image or graphic to students. 

While Canvas has an excellent platform that allows instructors to do this, the accessibility checker tool flags descriptions as too long if over 120 characters per this page on the Alt Text Tool.

This is an outdated screen reader guideline and not a technical restriction of Canvas. Today's screen readers can handle any length of alt text and the checker tool guideline confuses instructors. 

Can this guideline be changed to reflect the latest capabilities of screen readers?  

I welcome other perspectives.

Thank you,
Mary

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

Hi @maryz ...

This would be something to submit to the "Ideas and Themes" area of the Canvas Community so that it could be evaluated by other Canvas Community members and the folks who make Canvas.  There are some Guides I can direct you to that explain how to submit this as a new idea:

Instructure Community Guide - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)

Check out the "Ideas and Themes" section on the above link, and specifically check out the Guide on how to create a new idea:

How do I create a new idea in the Instructure Comm... - Instructure Community - 2986

I hope these links will be helpful to you!  Sing out if you have any questions...thanks!

[maryz]

Hi Chris,

As others have now mentioned, the 120 character alt text limit is an outdated restriction - and prevents educators from meeting current accessibility guidelines to describe educational content comprehensively for students.

I never submitted this as an "idea" as it is not my idea at all -- it is an incorrect flagging of content. Please remove the accessibility checker tool that flags descriptions as too long if over 120 characters -- as these longer descriptions are what makes the content accessible.  

Thank you!

Mary

[Chris_Hofer]

Hello @maryz ...

Thanks for coming back to this posting.  As much as I would love to help honor your request, I do not work for Instructure, and I have no way of making these kinds of changes to Canvas.  (I work for an arts college in Detroit.)  That is why I had mentioned you should make a new feature idea using the links that I gave you previously.

Also, just so you know, the entire idea process is currently on hold because of upcoming changes to the Canvas Community website.  You can read more about this at:

• Community Migration Update: Read-Only Window Sched... - Instructure Community - 659709
• Turning Your Feedback into Better Prioritization a... - Instructure Community - 637959

While I understand your concern about an incorrect flagging of content, if you want to see things changed in Canvas, one of the ways to do that is by submitting a feature idea here in the Community.

• What is the feature development process for Instructure products?
• How do Ideas work in the Instructure Community?
• What are the guidelines for submitting a new idea?
• How do I create a new idea in the Instructure Community?

I hope these links will be helpful to you.  Good luck!

[andrew_newhouse]

I note this has been marked as answered, but it has not. We also have this problem! We also use Ally accessibility tools (and manual alt text). Sometimes more than 120 characters are required and this then get's flagged by this archaic Canvas 120 character limit. When will this be updated? I note the release notes for this 120 character change were circa 2017, accessibility has moved on.