Getting Started
Blackboard Ally works seamlessly with Blackboard to gauge the accessibility of your content. Ally provides guidance and tips for lasting improvements to your content accessibility.
- Receive feedback on the accessibility of your content
- Improve content accessibility with Ally's step-by-step instructions
In addition to providing you with insight to your content accessibility, Ally automatically creates alternative versions of your files. This allows students to choose the type of file they want that best suits their needs. While you're in the process of improving files, students still access alternative copies.
What's New
Blackboard is continually evolving to improve the teaching and learning experience.
See the What's New in Ally help page to find out the the most recent improvements to Blackboard Ally.
Quick Start
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
- Give instructor feedback on how to improve your accessibility score
See the Ally Quick Start for Instructors help page for information to help you get started.
Instructor FAQ's
Blackboard has developed a list of Frequently Asked Questions for Ally. Topics include General Information, Accessibility Checklist, Alternative Formats, Translated Version Alternative Format, Instructor Feedback Panel and YouTube videos.
See the Instructor FAQs for Ally help page for more information.
Watch Videos about Ally
Blackboard has published videos for Instructors and Students to assist with learning more about Ally.
See the Watch Videos About Ally help page to view the videos.
Accessible Technologies
The Teaching Transformation & Development Academy (TTaDA) works closely with Disability Services for Students (DSS) and University Information Technology (UIT) to provide assistive technologies for UND. To learn more about faculty responsibilities regarding accessibility visit with DSS.
Creating Accessible Content
It is important to keep in mind that accessibility is not a feature to be added after the design of your course and/or content. It is a set of principles to be considered throughout the design process. For information on designing your course to meet the needs of all learners visit the Universal Design for Learning webpage.
When creating content, there are a few basic steps that should be followed in order to assure your content is accessible.
See the Creating Accessible Content web page for information on making your documents accessible.
Universal Design
Universal design principles for online learning environments are based on the knowledge that a broad range of human abilities exist. Therefore the creation of content needs to be made as usable as possible for as many people as possible regardless of age, ability, or situation.
Usable content accommodates people with disabilities, older people, children, novice technology users, and others in ways that benefit all users. Online courses and communities add the dimension of anytime, anywhere access. This creates many different scenarios for students and instructors engaged in the process of teaching and learning not defined just by ability, but by time and place as well.
Designing for a wide range of users from the beginning of the building process can increase usability without significantly increasing the time it takes to build. The results benefit everyone and reduce modifications later when students, instructors, or content changes.
See the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) web page for more information.
Attend a Workshop
TTaDA offers a variety of professional development workshops and events for faculty and staff focused around four competency areas: Personal & Professional Development, Policy & Procedure, Software & Technology and Teaching & Learning. Check out the Upcoming Sessions for available session dates and times.
We also offer workshops and specialized training to departments on a variety of topics. Please contact us for more information or to schedule a session.
Instructional Design Consult
A team of Instructional Designers are available to provide assistance to instructors, administrators and staff. Whether you need to develop a full course or program, review and revise an existing course, or flip all or part of your course, Instructional Designers are here to help. We provide instructional design assistance for fully online, flipped, hybrid, blended and traditional face-to-face courses. If instructors have any questions or concerns about a course, we are available in person, over the phone, by email, or through web-conferencing tools.
UND Tech Support
UND Tech Support provides support to students, faculty and staff to provide technology tools for success in and outside of the classroom.