Navigating Canvas and Resources at the University of Utah: A Comprehensive Guide
The University of Utah provides a wealth of resources and tools to support students, faculty, and staff. This guide offers a comprehensive overview of Canvas, the university's learning management system, and other essential resources, including IT support, library services, accessibility tools, and more. It aims to help users navigate the digital landscape effectively and ensure an inclusive and accessible learning environment for everyone.
Accessing Canvas and University Resources
Many university services require you to log in using your University Network ID (uNID) - which you received from Admissions when you were accepted - and password. You can access Canvas by logging in with your uNID and university password, or by selecting “Canvas” in the CIS portal. Canvas provides access to information, grades, financial services, library research tools, and more.
IT Support and Knowledge Base
To quickly find answers to your questions, search the IT Knowledge Base. Digital Learning Technologies offers support and tutorials for Adobe products and Canvas.
Enhancing the Learning Experience with Technology
Device Checkout
Through Marriott Library and Eccles Health Sciences Library, students can check out various technology/devices for a limited amount of time. In-person pickup and home delivery are available.
UOnline Resources
UOnline provides proctored exam support. The main campus test lab is located in Marriott Library in the UOnline Center.
Read also: Mastering Canvas at IC
Grammarly Premium for Graduate Students
Graduate and professional students have access to Grammarly Premium free of charge, thanks to a licensing agreement by the Graduate School.
Student Employment in IT
The university values its student employees, offering them hands-on experience within an enterprise environment and a stepping stone to full-time positions in a related field. Students can also explore other opportunities through campus membership and/or subscription to IT-related groups.
Library Resources
There are four major libraries on campus: J. Willard Marriott Library, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, S.J. Quinney Law Library, and the Fine Arts & Architecture Library. The Marriott Library also offers a RedPrint machine for printing needs.
Course Reserves
The Marriott Library Course Reserve services are now offered through Course Materials, powered by Leganto.
Connecting to the University Network
UConnect is a secure connection requiring a valid uNID login, providing a seamless online experience for students, employees, alumni, and Athletics fans.
Read also: Accessing Merrimack Canvas
University Television (UTV)
University Television (UTV) can be found in Housing & Residential Education (HRE) buildings and other buildings subscribed to UTV.
Accessibility: Creating an Inclusive Environment
The University of Utah is committed to providing an accessible learning environment for all students. This includes ensuring that digital resources and course materials are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Assistive technologies are all around us, and the university strives to make its services accessible so that people with disabilities can use them as their peers. These aren't only specialty tools used for specific impairments, like screen readers.
Understanding Accessibility Standards
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standards are crucial for creating accessible content. Meeting these standards is simpler than you'd think!
- Provide alternative text for images.
- Use headings correctly.
- Ensure sufficient color contrast.
- Create descriptive link text.
The focus areas listed above are not a comprehensive list of all WCAG 2.1 AA requirements.
Alternative Text for Images
Alternative text (also known as alt text) is a written description of a non-text element on a web page, like a picture or a chart. It's displayed when the image can't be loaded or when a user is navigating with a screen reader software. Descriptions should be short (i.e., fewer than 125 characters). If your image is a graph, infographic, or other complex content, it needs both a short and long description. Not sure how to do this? There are many online resources available to help.
Read also: Canvas: Deleting Quiz Attempts
Video Accessibility
Videos need to have closed captions in order to be considered accessible at the University of Utah. In other words: think YouTube, but just for the U! This ensures that video content is private and safe from piracy. You can upload your own files and also set Zoom recordings to automatically upload.
Make sure to review your video captions. Captions are autogenerated, so some words may be jumbled up or misspelled - you can edit captions for your video easily. If you want to go above and beyond, these captions can then be used to generate a transcript. If you would like to add visual descriptions to your transcript file, check out these tips for writing descriptions from W3.
Effective Use of Color
Color should be used intentionally and appropriately. Color alone should not be the only method to communicate with your students.
- Avoid using color as the sole method of conveying information.
- Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors.
On average, it's best to aim for a 4.5:1 ratio between the text and background color.
Proper Heading Structure
Imagine… You are listening to an audio book. You are able to follow along because the narrator announces each chapter of the book from the start. For learners who use screen readers, formatting is essential. Using bold text or a larger font isn’t sufficient for screen readers to identify headings. Headings should be placed in numerical order. Sub headings should nest from there (e.g. Heading 1 leads to Heading 2, which leads to Heading 3, etc.). Do not choose what heading level to use based on visual style.
Descriptive Link Text
Descriptive link text is essential for creating an accessible online experience. It helps users understand where a link leads to. Retitle files that will be linked throughout your course with meaningful names. Link titles should be descriptive and as concise as possible. Links should be visually identifiable.
Accessible File Formats
Using accessible file formats ensures that content can be accessed and used by everyone, regardless of their abilities.
PDF Documents
Canvas provides access to a wide range of resources, including academic articles and lecture slides. Whenever possible, save documents (inserted in Word, PowerPoint, etc.) as PDF files so users can view and use the same file across different platforms. PDF documents are easy to annotate, and they are compatible with almost any device! PDF documents are the most common filetype that flagged for accessibility issues.
EPUB Files
Publishers and online book distributors are shifting to sharing EPUB files over PDFs. EPUB files do not support stable pagination, allowing text to reflow to fit the screen size of the device being used to read the book.
Tools for Improving Accessibility
Several tools are available to help improve the accessibility of course materials:
- TidyUp: Use TidyUp to clear out unnecessary files from your current course. Learn more about TidyUp from Digital Learning Technologies.
- Adobe Acrobat Pro: Edit your document using Adobe Acrobat, a PDF document viewing and editing tool. Learn how to use the Accessibility Checker in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Planning for Accessibility
Improving accessibility can be a time-consuming, difficult process. It is important to start with a project and a deadline to consider. Setting consistent, achievable goals for yourself is key to fully overhauling your courses to reach compliance. To make this simple, we've created a planning template to get you started!
Additional Resources and Support
The University of Utah offers various resources and support for accessibility and other needs:
- Digital Learning Technologies: Provides support and tutorials for Canvas and Adobe products.
- Center for Disability & Access (CDA): While the CDA handles disability accommodations for students, faculty and staff can also play a crucial role in creating an accessible learning environment.
- IT Help Desk: For technical support and assistance with university systems.
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