Post - Release Notes - Ally User Group

Release Notes · Jan 17, 2020 ·

# Ally 1.38 (January 17, 2020) ## Accessibility Scoring The Ally institutional report used to provide a “Without Ally” score and a “With Ally” score. The “Without Ally” score was the baseline average accessibility score based on the content in the LMS or on the website, while the “With Ally” added an estimated level of automated improvement based on the alternative formats. The “Without Ally” and “With Ally” scores have now been replaced by the following scores: * Overall average accessibility score * Average file accessibility score * Average WYSIWYG accessibility score (for Ally for LMS integrations) * Average Web Page accessibility score (for Ally for WCM and Ally for Websites) The “Average file accessibility score” is the score for uploaded file content such as PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoint documents, Images, etc. The “Average WYSIWYG accessibility score” is the score for (HTML) content created through the LMS content editor. “Average Web Page accessibility score” is the score for the website’s pages. The “Overall average accessibility score” is the combined accessibility score for both files and WYSIWYG / Web Page content. Typically, HTML content is much more accessible in nature. This is especially true for WYSIWYG content in the LMS, as they are usually small and simple HTML fragments. Splitting out the scores in this way allows for a better distinction between content that tends to be more accessible in nature and content that tends to be less accessible in nature, allowing for a better understanding of the overall accessibility score and allowing for more informed training and remediation strategies to be identified. ## Bug fixes and improvements * Fixed a known issue that prevented the Ally LTI tools (institutional report, configuration UI, course accessibility report) from loading correctly in Chrome 80+. More information about this is available at [https://usergroup.ally.ac/content/perma?id=28359](https://usergroup.ally.ac/content/perma?id=28359). * Fixed an issue that would prevent the usage reports from generating for institutions with large amounts of usage data. * Fixed a bug in the display of the “Add description” button in the instructor feedback for images without a description for the Welsh translation. * Fixed a bug that prevented the “Download” icon in the instructor feedback from displaying correctly in the Swedish translation. * Implemented several screen reader accessibility improvements in the institutional report.

Ally 1.38 - Accessibility Scoring - Ally for LMS.png

Ally 1.38 - Accessibility Scoring - Ally for WCM and Websites.png

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Michael Shelmet · Jan 17, 2020

I appreciate the update to the scores. The With and Without scores were always so close that it didn’t have much impact. These new scores show a better breakdown of where the institution needs to focus their accessibility efforts. Thanks!

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Nicolaas Matthijs · Jan 17, 2020 · Last updated Jan 17, 2020 - 2:38 PM

[Michael Shelmet](mention:6e1a930c-5a77-446b-b3b9-ac615e17e079 "/u/mshelmet/") : Fully agreed! In many cases, there is also more WYSIWYG content than uploaded file content, which can cause the overall accessibility score to increase and the accessibility issues in uploaded file content to be buried.

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Michael Shelmet · Jan 17, 2020

[Nicolaas Matthijs](mention:feaeaa5c-e5d0-4308-89ab-87c59ba030f1 "/u/nicolaas/") Good point. Now that you have broken out Files from WYSIWYG content, I’m dying to know where the 2% of accessibility issues with that specific content exists. Any plans for exposing data in that way? By file type? If you like that, I have a number of other ideas to make your simple, elegant interface more complex. : )

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Claire Gardener · Jan 17, 2020

Woah - that was quicker than expected! You Ally folks move at super fast speed. When you said soon at Durham I thought maybe end of Feb not a week later!! :smiley:

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Dave Hallam · Jan 17, 2020

Indeed I was thinking about the same sort of time scale… Must be all the inspiring sessions and great networking at Durham. ????

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Nicolaas Matthijs · Jan 17, 2020

> Now that you have broken out Files from WYSIWYG content, I’m dying to know where the 2% of accessibility issues with that specific content exists. Any plans for exposing data in that way? By file type? That’s mostly there already. If you scroll down to “Accessibility Issues”, you should see the different WYSIWYG issues as \`HTML: …\`. Clicking one of those issues will show you which courses have that particular issue, and where in those courses those issues can be found. We do have designs and plans to allow this to be broken down even further though. > If you like that, I have a number of other ideas to make your simple, elegant interface more complex. : ) :joy: > Woah - that was quicker than expected! :athletic_shoe: :sweat_smile: [Claire Gardener](mention:da1ce534-0012-4daa-8636-91b5d889f28c "/u/cgardener/") : And I believe your WYSIWYG content is currently being processed, so you’ll soon have a ton of extra data to look at :smiley:

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Michael Shelmet · Jan 17, 2020 · Last updated Jan 17, 2020 - 4:53 PM

Okay [Nicolaas Matthijs](mention:feaeaa5c-e5d0-4308-89ab-87c59ba030f1 "/u/nicolaas/"), I see what you did there. That does work, and breaking out the content further would be nice. One thing that would help me with the current report experience are column headers for *~~Items with this accessibility issue~~* ~~and~~ *Accessibility score* so that I can sort the results to bring the ~~most incidents or~~ lowest score to the top. Then I can see the courses that need the most attention and easily direct resources to those. Reviewing the report again, it looks like it is default sorting by Items with accessibility issues, so the ability to sort by the score would be nice. As always, thank you for your responsiveness. I wish every vendor had someone like you to interface with their clients.

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Nicolaas Matthijs · Jan 17, 2020 · Last updated Jan 17, 2020 - 4:56 PM

> One thing that would help me with the current report experience are column headers for *Items with this accessibility issue* and *Accessibility score* so that I can sort the results to bring the most incidents or lowest score to the top. Then I can see the courses that need the most attention and easily direct resources to those. Yes, completely agree. And after having introduced sorting by column in the Course Accessibility Report, stay tuned for more sorting options in the Institutional Report as well :smiley:

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Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

[Nicolaas Matthijs](mention:feaeaa5c-e5d0-4308-89ab-87c59ba030f1 "/u/nicolaas/") I absolutely, positively, LOVE what you are doing here with the WSIWYG. I cannot agree more that HTML is far more accessible than typical content. I can see this all in the reports, but “where” is feedback on this shown to the user? Luckily, I had access to one of the shell courses to see for myself “where” a problem was, but I don’t see feedback on the page with the problem. Am I missing something? I’ve attached a couple of screen shots to show what I’m talking about. Thank you so much!

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Krista Greear · Feb 6, 2020

Hey [Sharon Austin](mention:45c5b4ef-93be-4414-bf52-959b9e03bae0 "/u/sharonaustin/") the Instructor Feedback and Alternative Formats are not yet available for WYSIWYG/content created within the LMS environment, but it is quite high on the roadmap.

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Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

[Krista Greear](mention:6db744af-772a-4731-9ed5-6f1ba2d84f2b "/u/greeark%40uw.edu/") You are awesome, thank you — as always! :smiley:. Also, if you have a chance, could you answer a follow-up question please? I just got through looking through the CSV files, and while I see an overall score for HTML WSIWYG by course level, I don’t actually see anywhere that lists errors per se. Is such a thing in existence, or available? If so, it would make the information actionable. Again, thank you so much for everything and for such an amazing product!

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Krista Greear · Feb 6, 2020

It’s a fabulous question. I think 2 help pages can answer your question. First, Ally’s Accessibility Checklist may offer some general insight. It does map to WCAG 2.1. [https://help.blackboard.com/Ally/Ally_for_LMS/Administrator/Institution_Report/Accessibility_Checklist#html-checklist_OTP-1](https://help.blackboard.com/Ally/Ally_for_LMS/Administrator/Institution_Report/Accessibility_Checklist#html-checklist_OTP-1) Second, there is a more detailed explanation of the specific HTML issues that Ally looks for in the Institutional Report, along with the severity level (1 = severe, 2 = major, 3 = minor). [https://help.blackboard.com/Ally/Ally_for_LMS/Administrator/Institution_Report/Export/Blackboard_Learn](https://help.blackboard.com/Ally/Ally_for_LMS/Administrator/Institution_Report/Export/Blackboard_Learn). I have copied the HTML specific items below for ease of use: 1. HtmlCaption:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that have YouTubeTM videos without captions. This is a major issue. 2. HtmlColorContrast:2 - Total number of HTML and WYSIWYG content that have poor color contrast. This is a major issue. 3. HtmlDefinitionList:3 - Total number of HTML content and files that are not properly defined. For example, every form element has a label and that p elements are not used to style headings. This is a minor issue. 4. HtmlEmptyHeading:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that have empty headings. This is a major issue. 5. HtmlHasLang:3 - Total number of HTML content and files that don’t have language presence identified. This is a minor issue. 6. HtmlHeadingOrder:3 - Total number of HTML content and files that don’t have headings in a logical sequence. This is a minor issue. 7. HtmlHeadingsPresence:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that don’t have headings. This is a major issue. 8. HtmlHeadingsStart:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that don’t have the appropriate H heading as the first heading. This is a major issue. 9. HtmlImageAlt:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that have at least one image without alternative text. This is a major issue. 10. HtmlImageRedundantAlt:3 - Total number of HTML content and files that have images with the same alternative text as other images. This is a minor issue. 11. HtmlLabel:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that have form elements without labels. This is a major issue. 12. HtmlLinkName:3 - Total number of HTML content and files that have links that are not descriptive. This is a minor issue. 13. HtmlList:3 - Total number of HTML content and files that don’t have properly formed lists. This is a minor issue. 14. HtmlObjectAlt:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that have object tags without alternative text. This is a major issue. 15. HtmlTdHasHeader:2 - Total number of HTML content and files that have table columns without proper a proper header. This is a major issue. 16. HtmlTitle:3 - Total number of HTML content and files that don’t have a title. This is a minor issue.

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Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

[Krista Greear](mention:6db744af-772a-4731-9ed5-6f1ba2d84f2b "/u/greeark%40uw.edu/") I think \*YOU\* are fabulous! I will read this right after I get back! Thank you so much!

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Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

Ah, I see. Thank you so much. What can I say but that you are AWESOME, and this is valuable, valuable information! What I’m looking for, however, is a way to track down errors to the individual “page”, so I can meet with faculty and show them why its a problem, and what to do about it. Because of time limitations, I’m simply not able to track down the errors just by looking at “overall” numbers of errors in many tens of thousands of files; to provide remedial training. I have to be “Bad Santa Clause” and know who was naughty and who was nice with their code! LOL!. That’s okay. This is a huge step forward, and when the feedback comes online, that will enable me to target my work with them. Thanks again, [Krista Greear](mention:6db744af-772a-4731-9ed5-6f1ba2d84f2b "/u/greeark%40uw.edu/") and keep fighting the good fight! :smiley: Take care

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Krista Greear · Feb 6, 2020

I hear what you’re saying. That kind of feedback is exactly what this pending feature of the the Instructor Feedback for the WYSIWYG will provide. I did some quick testing with the individual course export and while I can get a list of issues per document, it is limited to document, not the page. So, that export will not help you for this situation. \ \ One more thought - you could try to use the Institutional Report to drill down to specific issues on specific pages in the LMS. For example, log into the IR, choose an issue that starts with HTML (like The HTML content has contrast issues), select a course, then select one of the items from the list. It likely won’t pinpoint the accessibility issue on the page but maybe it gives you a smidge more information while we all anxiously await this feature!

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Sharon Austin · Feb 7, 2020

[Krista Greear](mention:6db744af-772a-4731-9ed5-6f1ba2d84f2b "/u/greeark%40uw.edu/") I will absolutely revisit that. I think I did that already, but let me give it another look after some coffee, and some rest. I’ll probably revisit this on Monday, and when I do, I’ll get back with you. Thank you so much!

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Michael Shelmet · Jan 17, 2020

Nicolaas Matthijs · Jan 17, 2020 · Last updated Jan 17, 2020 - 2:38 PM

Michael Shelmet · Jan 17, 2020

Claire Gardener · Jan 17, 2020

Dave Hallam · Jan 17, 2020

Nicolaas Matthijs · Jan 17, 2020

Michael Shelmet · Jan 17, 2020 · Last updated Jan 17, 2020 - 4:53 PM

Nicolaas Matthijs · Jan 17, 2020 · Last updated Jan 17, 2020 - 4:56 PM

Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

Krista Greear · Feb 6, 2020

Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

Krista Greear · Feb 6, 2020

Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

Sharon Austin · Feb 6, 2020

Krista Greear · Feb 6, 2020

Sharon Austin · Feb 7, 2020

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