Faculty and staff who manage Blackboard courses in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences should review their content for accessibility. This page offers a starting point for understanding expectations, identifying common issues, and improving access for all users.
Who should use this page?
This guidance is for anyone who teaches or coordinates a current or future Blackboard course within the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Inactive Blackboard courses from terms before Spring 2026 do not need to be remediated retroactively.
How to review your course site and make it accessible
Copying content from previous semesters is often a natural first step in preparing a Blackboard course. When copying content, be sure to only bring in items that you will actively use in the upcoming semester, and check that your course doesn’t contain duplicate items.
Remember, you can always access past Blackboard courses if you ever need an item from a previous semester.
Even hidden content is included in your Ally accessibility score, so remove anything unnecessary.
Creating Content: Use Blackboard-native tools like Documents, Links, Assignments, and Tests whenever possible. These are HTML-based and accessible across devices and screen readers.
Videos: Use Panopto or another captioned platform to host videos so students can stream captioned content without downloading large files.
Readings: Link to articles or textbooks in University Libraries’ databases or request course materials support. Avoid uploading scanned PDFs unless they are fully accessible and copyright-compliant.
All course content must meet USC’s Digital Accessibility Policy and federal laws.
Use learning modules to group content by topic or week. Keep structure consistent so students know what to expect. Learning modules are containers used to organize course materials.
Give each module a clear title and include all materials, activities, and assessments in one place.
Create a “Start Here” or “Getting Started” module so students know what to do first.
Include the syllabus, schedule, contact info, and instructions for navigating your course.
Ally scans your course and provides an accessibility score along with step-by-step fixes.
Some updates (like alt text or formatting) can be made directly in Blackboard. Others require downloading and fixing files.
Ally is helpful but not perfect—always do a manual review for accuracy.
To access Ally: Books & Tools → View course & institution tools → Accessibility report
Use the Digital Accessibility Toolbox to fix documents before uploading.
Review the Course Accessibility Checklist to confirm everything is complete.
Accessibility is an ongoing process
Remediating course content can seem like a daunting task. Remember, all progress is valuable, and even small improvements can help students more easily navigate and engage with your course materials.
Making materials accessible to all can also reduce the number of clarifying questions and one-off accommodation requests you’ll need to respond to, freeing up time for more meaningful engagement with your students.
Need a new Blackboard course site sandbox?
If you need a clean slate for rebuilding course materials, consider a Blackboard sandbox. Sandbox courses provide a space for you to create or revise content, privately or collaboratively with colleagues. When you’re ready, copy individual items or an entire course into your live Blackboard site for students.
To request a sandbox course, log in with your USC credentials to submit the DoIT request form. In the “This request concerns” drop-down menu, select “Create course/organization”, and add the relevant details.
Need help?
If you have questions or need help with academic course content, contact Lydia Frass at lfrass@sc.edu.