Beyond “Looks Fine”

Reading with Tabs | Video | Quick Check

When you link to an external website, you’re asking people to leave Canvas and rely on someone else’s design decisions. This page introduces a few ways to get a sense of whether a site is likely to work for most users—or whether it may create extra barriers.

The goal here isn’t to certify websites as “accessible” or “not accessible.” It’s to help you make more informed choices about what you link to, how you describe it, and when additional context or support might be helpful.

Ways to Get a Sense of Accessibility

Please review the three tabs below.

Note: No single approach catches everything, and none of these are meant to be exhaustive.

Use a Browser Extension

WAVE Tool

The WAVE browser extension provides a quick visual scan of common accessibility issues, such as missing alt text, heading structure problems, or low color contrast. It’s useful for noticing patterns and deciding where closer attention might be needed.

WAVE also reports an Automated AIM score. Use the score to notice changes and guide review—not as a compliance grade or a goal of perfection.

WAVE icon displayed in the Chrome toolbar. — Chrome toolbar with the WAVE extension installed.

Heads Up: Using WAVE inside Canvas

When you run WAVE on a Canvas page, it will flag Canvas interface elements as well as your content. Not everything it highlights is something you can—or should—fix.

Focus first on findings in the main content area you control.
WAVE evaluates the rendered page. It does not follow links, inspect linked files, or analyze content inside many embedded frames.
Distinguish course-content findings from Canvas interface findings. Report platform barriers through the appropriate support channel rather than trying to edit system controls.
Use the results to inform decisions, not to chase a perfect number or a clean report.

Listen with a Screen Reader

Screen readers don’t just reveal technical issues—they reveal experience. Even listening briefly can show whether a page feels organized, understandable, or confusing.

NVDA (Windows): NV Access
VoiceOver (Mac): System Settings → Accessibility → VoiceOver

You don’t need to master screen reader use here. The goal is exposure, not expertise.

Move Without a Mouse

What to do:

Put your mouse/trackpad aside.
Press Tab to move forward through interactive items (links, buttons, form fields). Use Shift + Tab to move backward.
When you land on something you want to open or activate, try Enter. If Enter doesn’t work, try Space.

When do the arrow keys matter?

Arrow keys usually don’t move you through the whole page. They’re for moving within a widget after Tab has put you there.

For example:

In a menu or dropdown, use Up/Down arrows to move through options, then Enter to select.
In tabs, use Left/Right arrows to switch tabs, then Enter or Space to open the selected tab panel.
In radio buttons, use Up/Down (or Left/Right) to change the selection.
In a slider, use Left/Right arrows to adjust the value.

What you’re watching for:

You can reach the main content (not just the header/nav).
You can always see where you are (a visible focus outline).
Controls respond in a predictable way (Tab to reach it, arrows to move within it, Enter/Space to activate).
You don’t get trapped in something you can’t exit (try Esc, then Tab/Shift+Tab).

When to stop:

After a minute or two. You’re looking for obvious blockers, not doing a full audit.

Identifying Web Accessibility Issues

This short video from the National Center on Disability and Access to Education (NCDAE) shows several common ways people begin checking website accessibility. (Length: 5:59)

To access captions or change playback settings:

Select “Subtitles/CC” to turn on captions in English or other available languages.
Adjust playback speed in Settings to slow down or speed up the video.
If you experience loading issues, watch Identifying Web Accessibility Issues on a separate page.

Quick Check

Which method is not recommended for checking web accessibility?

Judging accessibility only by visually inspecting the page’s appearance.: Correct: Visual inspection alone misses many issues that other approaches can surface.
Using the WAVE browser extension to evaluate color contrast.: WAVE is a helpful starting point for spotting potential contrast issues.
Testing a page’s navigation using only the keyboard.: Keyboard navigation is a valuable way to notice usability issues.

Check Answer

Connection

External websites are often treated as “outside the course,” but they still shape whether someone can actually participate or complete a task. When a link leads to friction or barriers, the work doesn’t disappear—it shifts to the user.

This page supports a larger idea in the course: accessibility isn’t only about what we build ourselves. It’s also about the choices we make when we send people elsewhere.