Accessibility Checker Alt Text Character Limit

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maryz
Community Novice

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This is an outdated screen reader guideline and not a technical restriction of Canvas.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

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1 Solution
Chris_Hofer
Community Coach
Community Coach

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!

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