Getting Started with Blackboard ALLY

AccessibilityBlackboard ALLYBlackboard LearnCourse Content

What is Blackboard ALLY?

Your class is full of diverse students with unique learning abilities. Providing them with more accessible original content means they can choose formats that work best for them: HTML for improved reading on mobile phones, Electronic Braille for the visually impaired, and Audio for learning on the go. Ally automatically scans your original content, and performs a series of steps to make them more accessible.

  • Generate alternative formats for students to download
  • Provide accessibility scores for you as an Instructor
  • Give Instructor feedback on how to improve your accessibility score

Accessibility score indicators for Instructors

Ally measures the accessibility of each file attached to your course and shows you at-a-glance how it scores. Scores range from Low to Perfect. The higher the score the fewer the issues.

Low:
File is not accessible and needs immediate attention.

Medium:
File is somewhat accessible and could use improvement.

High:
File is accessible but could be improved.

Perfect:
File is accessible. No improvement needed.

For files with Low to High scores, Ally shows you the issues and gives a step-by-step guide on how to fix them.

Find a file and select the Accessibility score. Follow the steps in front of you to go step-by-step. Select All issues to see every issue in the file and decide what issues to fix first.

Select All issues if you want to see how much each fix will improve the accessibility of the file.

>> More on accessibility scores

Instructor feedback

Ally provides you detailed feedback and support to help you become an accessibility pro. Learn about accessibility issues, why they matter, and how to fix them. Green is the goal!

Select the Accessibility score to open the instructor feedback. Follow the steps in front of you to go step-by-step. Select All issues to see every issue in the file and decide what issues to fix first.
Image showing the Accessability gauge clicked on and the Instructor feedback sidepanel open.

Alternative formats for Students

Ally creates alternative formats of your course files based on the original. These formats are made available with the original file so students can find everything in one convenient location.

You don’t need to do anything. The alternative formats are created for you.

Select the menu beside your file and select Alternative formats to see the different formats now available to your students.
Image showing the chevron menu next to a file open and the Alternative Formats option highlighted.

>> More on alternative formats for students

Where to get help?

>> Still haven’t found what you’re looking for? Email it@reading.ac.uk with your question