Digital Accessibility at Montana State University
Notice: this webpage is still being developed to provide actionable steps for faculty and staff on how to begin working on making digital content accessible.
Updates to accessibility for all online content
Montana State University is committed to providing digital content that is accessible to everyone. New federal regulations require that all digital materials be accessible, including course materials, webpages, PDFs, videos, and other online resources.
We are asking faculty and staff who create or share digital content, especially instructional content, to begin preparing now to ensure their materials meet these accessibility requirements.
Additional training, resources, and support will be shared in the coming months to assist you in this transition.
Accessibility is not optional and not dependent on accommodation.
Where do we start?
Digital content includes course materials, webpages, PDFs, videos, and other online resources.
Digital content created after April 24, 2026, needs to be accessible.
Digital content created before April 24, 2026, but in use after this date, needs to be made accessible.
Archived digital content created before April 24, 2026, does not need to be immediately made accessible, only by request.
MSU has tools to support updating course materials and other online content. Canvas contains an accessibility tool called Yuja, which helps identify common accessibility concerns, allowing instructors to make improvements over time.
The Digital Accessibility Rule of 5
To support faculty, instructors, and staff, MSU is introducing the Digital Accessibility Rule of 5. By focusing on these five practices, faculty and staff will address the majority of accessibility barriers.
#1. Avoid scanned PDFs
Documents must contain selectable text and be readable by screen readers. Any handwritten or scanned materials should be converted to text-based formats.
#2. Add alt text to images
Provide a brief, meaningful description of what the image conveys.
#3. Ensure videos have captions
Use captioned videos whenever possible. All new course recordings should be created in Panopto to ensure captioning support.
#4. Use headings for structure
Organize Canvas pages and documents using built-in heading styles to support navigation by assistive technologies.
#5. Fix major issues flagged by accessibility tools
Start by addressing the red indicators in Canvas and YuJa, which identify the highest impact accessibility issues.
Digital Accessibility Resources
- Making PDFs accessible - start with the original media and use their accessibility checkers.
- How to write good alternative text for images - #1 in CFE's Accessibility Core Concepts.
- Videos - creating a more equitable learning environment (Panopto).
- Using headings for structure - Web's CMS headings instructions, which can apply to Canvas.
- Using Canvas and Yuja to address accessibility issues.
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YuJa Panorama is a tool designed to help everyone improve the accessibility of course content. It is integrated directly into the Canvas LMS.
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Here's a visual example of how Yuja identifies accessibility issues and helps fix them
By selecting the Yuja icon next to your files in Canvas, Yuja can help you identify and fix accessibility issues.
Where can we ask for help?
Academic Technology and Outreach (ATO), the UIT Helpdesk, the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE), the MSU Library, the Office of Disability Services (ODS), and University Compliance have formed the Digital Accessibility Task Force (DATF). We are working together to build resources and provide support for this work. Utilize the resources listed as much as you can, and reach out to your preferred office for assistance.
Not sure who to ask? Email canvas@montana.edu and your request will be routed to the appropriate department.