The following page collates together help and advice that you may find useful to improve your experience of using Aston’s learning technologies, as well as links to other accessible learning tools.
Aston University Blackboard Learn Accessibility Statement
This accessibility statement details Aston’s commitment to accessibility legalisation and details areas of compliance.
Using and navigating Blackboard
Guides are available on the following topics:
- Understanding the structure and tag use of Blackboard pages
- Using ARIA based landmarks in Blackboard
- Keyboard navigation in Blackboard
- Using Screen readers with Blackboard
- Using Quick Links in Blackboard to navigate the current page
- Using Blackboard with a screen reader
Alternative Formats
Blackboard Ally is a tool that aims to improve the accessibility of the learning resources that your tutors upload to your Blackboard courses. In addition, it also converts documents into other formats so that you can choose the one that best meets your needs. For example, if your tutor uploads a Word document, you can choose to select a PDF, HTML, ePub, electronic braille or audio MP3 instead.
In addition to the tool available to convert content from Blackboard, Ally have temporarily released File Transformer a “self-service” version that can be used as a standalone tool. This means that content that you access on other platforms, such as from the library or found elsewhere on the web, can be converted to a format that better suits your needs, devices, and learning preferences.
Enabling live captions in Google Chrome
Chrome offers a live captioning feature that you can use for all browser based audio, including Collaborate webinars and watching Panopto recordings.
General tips
Using accessibility features in your web browser
You can adjust your browser to easily change the display of the current page.
- General advice
- Better Web Browsing: Tips for Customizing Your Computer from W3C
- Firefox
- Accessibility features in Firefox – Make Firefox and web content work for all users
- Chrome
- Use Chrome with accessibility extensions
- Safari
- Accessibility on the Mac – includes Safari
- Edge
- Ease of Access in Microsoft Edge
Using accessibility features in your device’s operating system
You can configure your computer, laptop, or mobile device so that you can magnify details, have the computer readout interface elements aloud, change the colour scheme, and many other aspects.
- General advice
- My Computer – My Way (from AbilityNet)
- macOS
- Mac Accessibility Support
- iOS (iPhone / iPad)
- iPhone and iPad Accessibility Support
- Windows
- Windows accessibility: Find out how Windows accessibility features help you do more
- ChromeOS
- Turn on Chromebook accessibility features
- Android
- Android accessibility overview
Enabling Team
The Enabling Team offers advice and support for students with disabilities, including ongoing health conditions and learning differences.
Tools for Learning
This resource of Tools for Learning has been developed to support students with the production and presentation of written assignments.