eCampus Ally for Instructors
- Shana Blackshire
- Cassandra Rinker
Ally is an integrated tool in eCampus that can help make sure the content in your course is easily accessible to all your students - with or without specific accommodation requests. Ally helps you build inclusive and universal design into your course with minimal effort! It automatically checks that files and materials placed in the course meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and provides feedback on how the accessibility of your course can be improved. Ally also generates alternative formats of content items so each student can access the version that works best for them.
Ally is already enabled for all courses in WVU’s eCampus application in Fall 2023.
Watch the training video about Ally and read the eCampus Ally FAQ for more.
Alternative Formats
When you place a file in a content area for your course, the Ally icon will be available to create alternative formats that can benefit all of your students. Click the icon to choose an alternative format to download.
Ally can produce alternative formats for any PDF, Word, PowerPoint, OpenOffice, or HTML and eCampus editor text content that you share in eCampus. When you upload any of the above formats, your students will be able to access that content in other formats that work for them. The alternative formats available will depend on the document’s original format. Certain kinds of content, such as Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, cannot be converted.
Alternate formats include:
Tagged PDF - a structured PDF document that can be used with a screen reader or text-to-speech software. Tags identify different parts of the document such as the titles, subtitles, paragraphs, and include alt text for images. Learn more about accessible PDFs from Adobe.
HTML - a responsive web page version of the file, which can be comfortably displayed on any size screen (phone or tablet, split-screen on computer) without zooming and resizing.
ePub - a digital publishing file for e-book reader software or devices; e-book readers may include options for text-to-speech reading, searchability, bookmarking, and display adjustments (color, font, line spacing).
Electronic Braille - a BRF file for use with an electronic braille display that allows students to read online content in Braille or listen via text-to-speech translation.
Audio - an MP3 file that students can listen to; includes tags outlining document structure, like a screen reader. This allows students to alter the play speed, go back to repeat content or skip ahead.
BeeLine reader - an enhanced print copy for use with the BeeLine speed reading tool for easier on-screen reading. BeeLine uses progressively changing colored text to help your eye move along lines of content.
Immersive Reader - Microsoft’s learning and reading comprehension tool. It works with Office files (such as Word) and includes text-to-speech functionality, voice options, and the ability to change text and background font, size, or color. It can also separate syllables in words or highlight different parts of speech with color or markers, focus on only a few lines at a time, or translate to a different language.
Translated version - an HTML translated version of the file, created by Amazon’s translation software in the student’s selected language.
Disabling Alternative Formats for a File
Instructors can disable the alternative formats for individual files if it is important for academic reasons that students view only the exact configuration you have provided. Examples might include translating a document in a language class or presenting equations or formulas in a math or science class.
Click the Ally icon next to the file to view the alternative formats options.
Click the drop-down arrow next to the Download alternative formats title at the top.
Select Disable alternative formats for this file to limit this file to only the original version.
You will see a message that other formats have been disabled. Click Close.
Accessibility Feedback
Instructor Feedback Meter
Each file uploaded or content item created displays a color-coded (red, yellow, green) meter icon that indicates the accessibility score. You can mouse-over the icon to view if the item receives a low, medium, or high score.
Click the meter for any item to see the Instructor Feedback page. This is where you can learn more about how you can improve the accessibility of that item. Ally will provide a percentage score, and some guidance on what could be done to improve it. You might need to add descriptive alt-text to an image, change the font color to allow for greater visual contrast, or add structure tags to a document. Ally will explain how each change will make the document easier to consume, and provides step-by-step instructions on how to make the changes!
Accessibility Report
You can also view a report on the accessibility of the whole course. The report shows you the overall accessibility of all content and suggests lists of the easiest fixes, and those that will have the most impact to improve the accessibility of the course.
Overview Page
On the Overview page of the report, you’ll see:
Content Types - a chart showing how many of each type of content item or document in this course
Easy List - click the Start button to begin correcting items with the easiest to fix accessibility issues.
Low Scoring List - click the Start button to begin correcting items with the lowest accessibility scores, that will most improve the overall score of the course content.
Remaining Issues List - a listing of all the types of outstanding accessibility issues, showing the severity, type, and number of content items affected. Click any issue to view and resolve those items.
Content Page
The Content page lists all the content items in this course with the item name and type, the number of accessibility issues, and each item’s accessibility score. You can change the sort order by clicking on any column header. View the Instructor Feedback information to see how you can improve the accessibility of each item by clicking on the item in the list.
More Accessibility Resources
WVU Help with Ally
If you would like assistance with using Ally in eCampus, you can submit a request to the WVU IT Service Desk. ITS eCampus Support or the Office of Accessibility Services will help you find an answer.
Blackboard Ally Help
WVU’s eCampus system is the Blackboard/Anthology Learn platform. You can find the vendor’s guides and videos for using Ally on the Blackboard Help Site: Blackboard Ally for Instructors page.
Office of Accessibility Services
WVU’s Office of Accessibility Services assist students with academic, housing, and transportation accommodations, and provide various programs and services for the campuses at large. Visit the WVU OAS Faculty Resource Page to get the required syllabus statement on inclusivity and an FAQ with answers to all your questions, easy to follow content guidelines and help on how to refer students to OAS.