Ally
Ally is an accessibility tool built into Canvas that helps instructors identify and address accessibility issues in course materials. It automatically checks supported files, provides guidance for improving them, and creates alternative formats that students can download based on their learning needs and preferences.
Cost
No costAudience
Students, faculty & staffPurpose
AccessibilityCanvas integration
Automatically included in your courseGetting started
Choose the starting point that fits what you want to do with Ally.
- New to Ally?
Ally is already available in ASU Canvas and does not require installation. Use the Tool Guide: Ally in Canvas to learn how Ally evaluates course materials, displays accessibility scores and provides instructor feedback. - Improving an individual course file?
Select the Ally accessibility indicator next to the file in Canvas to review identified issues and guidance for addressing them. Explore the Canvas FRAME course for videos, guides and strategies to help you create more accessible course materials. - Reviewing accessibility across your course?
Open the Accessibility Report from your Canvas course navigation to see an overview of your course content and decide what to address first. Learn more about using the Ally Course Accessibility Report.
Activity examples
- Review a course before the semester begins: Check Ally indicators and prioritize low-scoring syllabi, assignment instructions, readings, and presentations.
- Improve an inherited or copied course: Use Ally to locate accessibility issues in materials carried over from a previous course.
- Remediate frequently used materials: Improve files that students will use repeatedly or that contain essential course information.
- Help students choose formats that work for them: Show students how to access available formats such as audio, ePub, electronic Braille, or mobile-friendly HTML.
- Improve a scanned reading: Use Ally’s feedback to identify a scanned PDF and replace it with a searchable, accessible version whenever possible.
Compare your options
| Tool | Best used for | What it can do |
|---|---|---|
| Ally | Files already added to a Canvas course | Helps instructors identify accessibility issues in uploaded course files and provides students with alternative formats when available. |
| Grackle | Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets | Checks the original Google Workspace file and provides guided fixes. It can also export accessible PDFs from Docs and Slides and accessible HTML from Sheets. |
| Microsoft Accessibility Checker | Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files | Built into Microsoft Office applications and designed for checking and correcting accessibility issues in Office files. |
| Canvas Accessibility Checker | Content created directly in the Canvas Rich Content Editor | Reviews the individual Canvas page, assignment, discussion, or other content you are currently editing. It does not check linked Google files or uploaded documents. |
FAQ
No. Ally is built into ASU Canvas and automatically checks supported course materials after they are added. No installation is required.
Not necessarily. Ally is an automated checker and cannot evaluate every aspect of accessibility, including whether alternative text is meaningful or whether content is clear and logically organized. A strong Ally score should be combined with a manual review of the material.
Ally identifies issues and provides some guidance for addressing them. Some corrections can be made through Ally, while others require you to edit the original document and upload the revised version to Canvas.
Students can access an Alternative formats option next to supported course content. They do not see Ally’s instructor feedback. Alternative formats are available to any student with access to the course content, not only students with approved accommodations.
Ally may still be processing the file, or the file type may not be supported. Processing can take longer for complex files or courses with a large amount of content.
An Ally score of 100% is a helpful goal, but the score is not a grade or a guarantee that the course is fully accessible. If your course is below 100%, use Ally’s feedback to prioritize severe issues and materials that are required or used frequently. Continue addressing the remaining issues and manually review aspects that Ally cannot fully evaluate. The goal is to remove barriers for students, not simply raise the score.
Accessibility, privacy, and other considerations
Accessibility
Ally provides accessibility features for its products and reports conformance with WCAG 2.1 AA, the accessibility standard used for web content.
Student and course information
Ally has been approved for use at ASU. When creating activities or sharing course materials, use ASU-supported options and consider what student or course information is included.
Resources
Explore ASU and Ally resources to learn about how to make course content accessible.
ASU resources
- The Canvas FRAME course offers videos, guides, and accessibility resources to help ASU faculty create inclusive course materials.
- Tool Guide: Ally in Canvas
- LX Accessibility Resources
Ally resources
Get support
Need technical help?
Contact the ASU Experience Center for general technical support or problems accessing Ally.
Want to explore ways to use this tool in your course?
Learning Experience (LX) offers workshops and consultations where you can explore how Ally or other enterprise technologies might support your teaching goals.