7.2: Text Formatting

Criterion Overview

Accessible text formatting ensures that course content can be interpreted accurately by assistive technologies while remaining readable and consistent across devices and browsers. Learning Management Systems such as Canvas provide built-in fonts, heading styles, lists, and formatting tools that create the semantic structure needed by screen readers and other accessibility technologies.

Unlike visual formatting alone, built-in heading styles communicate the organization of a page through underlying HTML structure. Screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver recognize headings as navigational landmarks, allowing students to move efficiently between sections without reading an entire page from beginning to end.

Faculty should use the LMS default fonts, built-in heading styles, and formatting tools rather than manually changing font sizes, colors, or bolding text to organize content. These practices improve compatibility with assistive technologies, create consistent page structure, and support compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

Why It Matters

Students using screen readers experience course pages differently than sighted learners. Rather than visually scanning a page for headings, assistive technologies rely on the underlying document structure created by built-in heading styles. If headings are created simply by enlarging or bolding text, screen readers cannot recognize them, making navigation slower and more difficult.

Using the LMS's built-in formatting tools creates a consistent semantic structure that improves accessibility across computers, tablets, mobile devices, and assistive technologies. While these practices benefit all learners, they are essential for students who rely on screen readers or keyboard navigation to access course content.

While Standard 3.2 (Content Organization) focuses on organizing instructional content to support learning, this criterion focuses on formatting content so assistive technologies can accurately interpret and navigate that learning.

What This Looks Like

A well-designed course typically includes:

• Canvas default fonts used consistently throughout course pages.
• Built-in heading styles that establish a logical heading hierarchy.
• Bulleted and numbered lists created using the LMS formatting tools.
• Consistent formatting throughout instructional materials.
• Pages that can be efficiently navigated using screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.
• Course content that passes the Canvas Accessibility Checker.

Students using assistive technologies can efficiently navigate instructional materials and understand the organization of each page.

Design Tips

Ask yourself: If a student were using a screen reader or keyboard navigation, would they experience the same page organization and structure as a sighted student?

✔ Use the Canvas default fonts whenever possible.

✔ Organize content using the LMS's built-in Heading styles rather than manually changing font size or bolding text.

✔ Maintain a logical heading hierarchy (Heading 2 → Heading 3 → Heading 4).

✔ Create bulleted and numbered lists using the LMS formatting tools.

✔ Avoid manually formatting text to imitate headings or page organization.

✔ Use the Canvas Accessibility Checker before publishing course pages.

✔ Consider testing important pages using a screen reader such as JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver to better understand how students navigate your course.