In 2020, my university introduced a new accessibility extension called Blackboard Ally for accessing digital materials in alternative formats. Now known as Anthology Ally, this tool has been a tremendous help for converting files and making assignments easier to read in large print and responsive formats, and has provided more flexibility for how I access my assignments for in-person, hybrid and online classes. Here is how I use Anthology Ally as a student with low vision, along with a list of Anthology Ally formats and how to access Anthology Ally in the classroom setting.
For students, Anthology Ally is an automatic file conversion tool that provides students with the option to access text-based content and assignments in alternative formats designed for use with assistive technology such as large print, screen magnification, screen readers, braille displays and simplified reading displays. This provides students with more flexibility in how they access course content and read materials both online and offline, and students can download the same file in multiple formats if they choose. Due to the automated conversion process, files converted with Anthology Ally are not 100% perfect, but they are still a helpful resource to have for students with print disabilities.
For instructors and institutions, Anthology Ally provides insights on course content accessibility and the use of accessible materials in their classes, along with recommendations for improving digital accessibility for assistive technology users. Anthology Ally does not automatically correct issues, rather it provides instructors and administrators with the knowledge and tools to highlight potential accessibility issues and fix them on their own. Instructors can also use this feedback to improve the accessibility of their original documents to provide higher quality file conversions for students using the Anthology Ally tool.
Anthology Ally is an external app /LTI plugin that is available across multiple learning management software programs, including Blackboard Learn, Canvas, Brightspace (Desire2Learn) and Open LMS (Moodle). These are configured either by the instructor of the course or by IT Admin at the system level. Students cannot manually enable Anthology Ally for individual courses, but they can contact their instructors to request the feature or file an IT request to add the Anthology Ally LTI plugin if it is not available in their classes.
For students, the Anthology Ally icon will appear next to supported content, such as attachments, course modules and text-based content. This icon looks like a capital letter A with a down arrow next to it and is labeled as Alternative Formats on many platforms.
To access Anthology Ally as a student:
Please note that not all file formats may be available for a particular file, and that content such as scanned PDFs, distorted text, text embedded inside images and similar content will likely impact the accessibility or usability of the automatically converted file. In addition, Anthology Ally may not be available for all course content or may be disabled for specific assignments such as quizzes or tests. For students that need files converted into accessible formats manually, I strongly recommend reaching out to Disability Services or an assistive technology specialist for further resources.
Anthology Ally offers several file formats for students with print disabilities that can be used to promote access to text. Again, not all formats may be available for a specific file, but here is a list of formats I have encountered for files in my classes.
Students are typically expected to use these formats for reading materials or instructions, and then writing up assignments or answers in a separate document that is submitted to the professor for grading.
HTML formats are designed to be read in the web browser and offer a responsive layout with options for using browser zoom, enlarging the text size, adjusting line spacing and other digital text preferences. With the responsive layout, I can often avoid horizontal scrolling to read to the edge of a line (which can be tedious) and can also use tools like Read Aloud or browser extensions to access text.
PDF documents can take many different forms, but their main feature is that they cannot have content edited or altered by default. Tagged PDFs don’t visually look any different than un-tagged PDFs, but they contain essential information for navigating a document with a screen reader, such as headings, OCR text, links, formatted lists and more. However, this will not work for PDF documents that contain scanned files, images, or tables.
In full transparency, I don’t like using PDFs very much because of their non-responsive layout and the fact it is challenging to zoom in on text. I prefer to convert PDF content to another format when possible, and Anthology Ally makes that process easier.
EPUB files are designed to be read with eReading programs and often have a responsive layout that can be useful for reading text in large print or with text-to-speech. Many EPUB files also offer a table of contents or other navigation tools for users to navigate a document. One of my favorite ways to use EPUBs for school is to sideload the content into another reading app or an eReader so I can access text without having to sit at my computer or read from a bright display. Another benefit of EPUBs is that users can take notes, highlight, and make other annotations within their eReading app of choice.
Audio files are shared in MP3 format and use a synthesized voice to read all content from a page, similar to text-to-speech. Some users prefer to listen to text while it is also read out loud, or listen to the audio files without looking at their screen at all.
Students cannot set their own custom voices or audio settings for downloading MP3s from Anthology Ally. All of my classes used an English US female voice, though Anthology Ally supposedly detects the language that the document/content is shared in and converts the voice accordingly. MP3 audio is not available for documents longer than 100,000 characters.
Instead of displaying text in its original color, Beeline Reader converts text content to HTML and changes the colors to show a color gradient for each line, which can help with line tracking and following along with text. Beeline Reader uses the following color gradients for displaying text:
Since Beeline Reader also uses HTML, the responsive layout design is still intact and can be used for enlarging text, adjusting line spacing and using browser zoom when open in a web browser.
For students that use a refreshable braille display or electronic braille formats, Anthology Ally can automatically convert files to the BRF format, including elements such as tables, text, images with alt text and similar content. The braille code used for BRF files is configured at the institutional level by filing a support ticket with the learning management program. For English, the braille code can be mapped to Unified English Braille contracted (Grade 2) or uncontracted (Grade 1).
I don’t always need to download something on a course website if I only plan to read it once or twice, but I still have trouble reading Blackboard’s default font size. One of my favorite features is the Immersive Reader option, as it will open the text in a new tab with the option to customize the font size, spacing and have text read out loud. This is really helpful for reading discussion board prompts or assignment instructions, as well as course announcements posted by my professor.
Microsoft Immersive Reader extensions and similar reading extensions cannot be used to read Blackboard content due to the fact it is password protected, so users will need to open Immersive Reader within Anthology Ally if they want to use a simplified reading display to access content in the web browser.
If a link to library reference information is available for content, such as a research article or book excerpt, Anthology Ally will display reference information and/or a link to the content that can be used to locate content in alternative formats or from the university library.
I have used Anthology Ally in several Blackboard courses over the years, and have recommended it to many other students who use different learning management systems. Here is how I personally use Anthology Ally for my classes:
By Veronica Lewis/Veronica With Four Eyes, www.veroniiiica.com
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