What it is
An accessibility checker is a digital tool that automatically scans and evaluates documents, websites, or other content for potential accessibility issues affecting people with disabilities, comparing the material against established guidelines.
Impact
Accessibility checkers have a significant impact in educational contexts by streamlining the process of creating inclusive course materials, resources, and digital platforms, ensuring that students with disabilities encounter fewer barriers to learning. By automatically identifying and helping remediate common accessibility issues—such as missing alternative text, poor color contrast, or improper document structure—these tools empower instructors to proactively meet legal standards. As a result, accessibility checkers contribute to improved student engagement, equitable access to academic content, and overall institutional compliance, though they remain most effective when paired with intentional human review and inclusive design practices.
Dos and Don'ts
Do’s
- Use accessibility checkers early and throughout course material creation, not just immediately before delivery of materials to students or ahead .
- Address flagged issues, such as missing alt text, improper reading order, and color contrast, based on recommended fixes from checkers.
- Combine automated results with manual review to catch issues that checkers might miss (like ambiguous link text or complex tables).
Don’ts
- Don’t rely only on accessibility checkers—automated tools can miss important context and quality issues.
How-To
- CAT Resource: Word Accessibility Tool
- CAT Resource: Panorama Accessibility Tool
- CAT Resource: PDF Remediation Using Panorama
- Microsoft: Improve accessibility with the Accessibility Checker
- YuJa support for Panorama
- Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro)
Need More Help?
You can always book a one-on-one consultation, visit one of our ed tech labs, or email cat@temple.edu for additional assistance!