Explore this set of tools to support your digital accessibility work.
All listed resources are available to UTHealth Houston faculty and staff, and some are also free to the public.
Canvas accessibility tools
Improve the accessibility of course content in the Canvas Learning Management System.
- Accessibility Checker in Canvas
- Instructure Accessibility Toolkit
- Canvas Course Accessibility Checklist
Color contrast
Measure the color contrast of text and graphics against their background. This list also includes tools for identifying contrasting color combinations..
- WebAIM: Color Contrast Tool | WebAIM
- Accessible Color Palette Generator
- Contrast Grid | Directed Edges
PDF testing
Check PDF files for accessibility barriers.
Automated tools can identify some accessibility issues, but human review is also necessary. Some tools can also walk you through making important accessibility decisions, such as setting a document’s correct reading order.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro (Built-in Accessibility Tools)
- Siteimprove
- Accessibility Tools: Best Practices for Making Accessible Documents
Screen readers
Assistive technologies that announce digital content aloud or convert it into a braille display.
Testing with screen readers can help identify some potential accessibility issues, but feedback from daily users provides a real-world perspective.
- VoiceOver for Mac (Apple Desktop) - Built-in
- VoiceOver for iOS (Apple Mobile) - Built-in
- Talkback (Android Mobile) - Built-in
Web and mobile accessibility tools
Check webpages and mobile apps for accessibility barriers with automated tools. The listed tools are either free or offer a free version.
Automated tools are useful to quickly review a webpage or mobile app’s overall accessibility. Follow up with human review to catch accessibility barriers that the automated tools have missed.
Webpages:
- Axe Dev Tools Extension
- WAVE: Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
- Siteimprove Accessibility Checker Extension
Mobile apps:
- XCode: Accessibility Inspector - for Apple (iOS)
- Accessibility Scanner - for Android
Resources
- LinkedIn Learning - Courses related to all phases of building accessible digital content.
- Section 508 Accessible Content Creation - Resources for accessible documents, meetings, presentations, social media, and more.
- Digital.Gov Guides - Guides related to human-centered design, plain language, accessibility for teams, and other topics
- Web Accessibility Initiative’s Design and Develop Guides - Tips and Tutorials for all aspects of designing and building accessible websites
- Introduction to Understanding the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 - Accessibility guidelines related to web content such as web pages, web apps, mobile apps, and digital documents.
- Texas Department of Information Resources - Expanded list of resources and guidelines for digital accessibility.