Tools That Support ADA Compliance in Online Courses
Ensuring ADA compliance in online learning is a shared responsibility, and having the right tools makes a big difference. Here are six tools that have made a direct impact in my workflow:
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Adobe Acrobat – Essential for formatting accessible PDFs. Tagging headings, adding alt text, and setting the correct reading order ensures screen reader compatibility.
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Vivo Video Captioning – Delivers accurate, time-synced captions for instructional videos, supporting students who are deaf or hard of hearing and enhancing overall comprehension.
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Ally (Canvas LTI) – Identifies accessibility issues directly within Canvas and offers alternative formats. It provides real-time guidance to help maintain compliant content.
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Microsoft Word – A foundational tool. Proper use of headers, alt text, and accessible table formatting helps ensure documents meet accessibility standards before sharing or exporting.
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ChatGPT – Useful for reformatting instructional content, improving clarity, and enhancing consistency, supporting cognitive accessibility and helping reduce content barriers.
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Adobe Photoshop – Helpful for quickly editing or enhancing images to meet accessibility needs, such as improving contrast or preparing visuals for alt text inclusion.
Each of these tools plays a role in building inclusive, accessible learning environments.
