Ally is a tool integrated with WebCampus that scans your course content and measures the accessibility of each file in your course. This guide contains information for instructors on how to use Ally within WebCampus to help improve the usability and accessibility of your content.
Accessibility Score Indicators
When enabled for a course, Ally score indicators (color dials) will appear next to supported file types [1] and files/images added to the Rich Content Editor [2] (such as in assignment instructions, quizzes, discussions, and course pages). Accessibility scores will only be visible from the instructor view of a course.
Ally supports and checks these file types for accessibility:
- PDF
- Word
- PowerPoint
- OpenOffice/LibreOffice files
- Uploaded HTML file
- Image files (jpg, jpeg, gif, png, bmp, tiff)
- YouTube videos embedded in the WebCampus Rich Content Editor.
Score Indicators
Color dials will appear next to your course files and content. This indicates the file’s accessibility score and is designed to identify what content needs the most attention to make it more accessible.
Score indicators are grouped from low to perfect with higher scores meaning content contains fewer accessibility problems.
- Red - Low (0-33%): Needs help. There are severe accessibility issues.
- Orange - Medium (34-66%): A little better. The file is somewhat accessible and needs improvement.
- Light Green - High (67-99%): Almost there. The file is accessible but more improvements are possible.
- Dark Green - Perfect (100%): Perfect! Ally did not identify any accessibility problems but further improvements may still be possible.
Select the dial to see your percentage score, specific issues affecting the file, and instructions for improving the file.
How to Improve Your Score
Some improvements (such as adding descriptions to images or links in the Rich Content editor) can be done directly in the Ally instructor feedback panel. Other changes require the content be edited in the application that it was created it. The instructor feedback panel will then guide you to upload/replace the existing file.
To review accessibility feedback and make changes,
- Select Accessibility Score next to your content to open the feedback panel
- Review the issues identified with the item.
- Make the recommended fixes.
- Click Save.
Additional Resources for improving scores using Ally:
You can also reach out to UNLV’s Office of Accessibility Resources for assistance with improving your accessibility scores.
Alternative Formats
Another benefit of enabling Ally in your WebCampus course is that it will automatically create alternative formats for your course content.
Alternative formats are not just for a select group of students. They benefit everyone. For example, your students may be prone to eye strain or maybe they are an auditory learner. Ally provides these students with an option to listen to an audio format of the content. HTML or ePub formats are also available to allow for easier reading on a mobile device or eReader such as a Kindle.
Alternative formats are generated and made available for content added by an instructor or TA. At this time, alternative formats are not generated on content created by a student (such as discussion posts).
To access the alternative formats, instructors and students select download alternative format (
) to the right of the title of the page or document.
To disable alternative format option on a file/page:
- Find the content with the Download Alternative Formats icon and click on the icon.
- Select the down arrow next to the Download alternative formats heading.
- Select Disable alternative formats for this file.
- Click Close.
Repeat the same process to re-enable alternative formats.
Course Accessibility Report
An Ally Course Accessibility Report is available to review all supported content in your course and find all accessibility scores. This can generate a full report to help get a comprehensive list of all content that may have accessibility issues to resolve.
If the Ally Course Accessibility Report is not available in your course menu or you would like to remove it, you can enable/disable it by following these steps:
- In your course, in the left navigation, select Settings
- In the tab bar, select Navigation.
- Select the 3 dots to the right of Ally Course Accessibility Report.
- Select Enable to add it to your course menu or Disable to remove it from your course menu.
- Select Save.
The report page will then be added to your course navigation. Select it to open the report. Only instructors will see this link.
What Students Will See
Students will not see the Ally score indicators.
Unless disabled, students will have access to alternative formats for content showing alternative format available (). You can refer your students to Ally’s student quick start guide for using these alternative formats in your course.
We recommend switching to Student View if you are presenting your WebCampus course to students so that students do not see the score indicators.
Troubleshooting Tips
- Ally Score Icons not appearing or ‘No course content has been identified’ message in Accessibility Report
- If you added content via a course copy, you may need to either upload a new file or make changes to a page within your course to trigger the Ally score indicators. While the score indicators will appear almost immediately next to the new or edited content, it may take up to 24 hours for the score icons to appear next to the imported content.
- Ally Course Accessibility Report Message: The course report is currently not enabled for this course. Please contact your administrator to find out more.
- This means that Ally has not been enabled for the course. Please submit a ticket to the IT Help Desk for assistance.
Need Additional Help?
For additional assistance, please visit the WebCampus Knowledge Base for additional articles or select a Related Service to submit a support ticket. You can also contact the IT Help Desk.