Accessibility: D2L
Desire2Learn is the official learning platform for SDSU.
It includes built-in accessibility features that support accessible teaching and learning. D2L provides an equal learning experience to all users.
Anytime you are posting any content on D2L, such as course files, creating quizzes, recording lectures or organizing content.
- Use Panorama's checker to test your accessibility score. Submit documents before it becomes student-facing, and reprocess documents.
- Use the accessibility features to test how your documents will be read.
Below is an example of an accessible discussion post with some website accessibility widget features enabled, including outlining the titles, setting a larger font size, medium saturation, changing the title's color and highlighting all heading text.
Alternative Formats (D2L Panorama)
Panorama allows students to download course materials in alternative formats, such as audio, HTML, ePub and tagged PDFs, and can adjust individual browsing preferences, such as font size and color.
These formats support different learning preferences and assistive technologies.
Screen Reader Compatibility (D2L ReadSpeaker)
D2L is designed to work with screen readers. Proper use of headings, alt text and structured content ensures compatibility and improves navigation for students using these tools.
Additionally, ReadSpeaker provides text-to-speech tools inside D2L that enhances accessibility and supports learning. ReadSpeaker reads various content types aloud, including course materials, PDFs and math equations.
Closed Captioning in D2L Media Library
Videos uploaded to D2L Media and Panopto have closed captions to support students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those who benefit from visual reinforcement.
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Accessible Quizzes and Assessments (LockDown Browser and Monitor – For Faculty)
D2L allows instructors to create quizzes with extended time, accommodations, alternative formats, accessible question types and proctoring security through LockDown Browser and Monitor.
Use clear instructions, avoid timed autosubmissions and ensure compatibility with screen readers.
Content Layout and Course Organization (For Faculty)
Use D2L’s accessible content tool structure your course content. It provides proper heading levels, contrast ratios and layout options that support readability and usability. Organize your course using consistent module structures, clear titles and logical sequencing.
This helps all students (especially those using assistive technology) navigate your course more easily.
Accessibility Checker in D2L (For Faculty)
D2L includes a built-in accessibility checker for HTML content. Use it to identify and fix issues like missing alt text, poor contrast and improper heading structure before publishing materials.
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Creating Webpages in D2L
Creating accessible course materials in D2L doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the easiest ways to start is by building your content right in D2L with the HTML editor instead of uploading individual files.
In Classic View
- In a module, click New > Create a File.
- This opens the D2L HTML editor, where you can type content directly or copy and paste text.
- Use the formatting tools to add images, videos, links and other media.
In the New Content Experience
- In a unit, click Create New > Page.
- The D2L HTML editor will open for you.
Webpage Accessibility Best Practices
- When creating content in the HTML editor, it’s important to follow accessibility best practices to ensure all learners can access and understand your materials.
- For guidance on topics such as color contrast, headings, link text, alternative text and accessible multimedia, view the digital accessibility guide. These resources walk you through key principles and provide examples for creating accessible course content in D2L.
Use the Accessibility Checker
- Before publishing, use the D2L accessibility checker in the HTML editor. It will flag issues and provide guidance on how to fix them to ensure your content is accessible to all learners.
These features are for all different formats of content and include larger size font, different color text and pausing animations.
Color Adjustments
- Contrast: This setting sets the contrast of the webpage.
- Saturation: This setting sets the saturation of the webpage to low, medium or high.
- Color Blind Filters: This setting alters the webpage colors to improve accessibility for monochromatic vision, red-green color blindness or blue-yellow color blindness.
- Text Color: This setting sets the color of all text within the webpage to white, yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the text color with a slider to any color.
- Title Color: This setting sets the color of all titles within the webpage to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the title color with a slider to any color.
- Background Color: This setting sets the background colors of the webpage to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the background color with a slider to any color.
- Highlight Title: This setting highlights all titles to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the highlight color with a slider to any color.
- Outline Title: This setting outlines all titles to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the outline color with a slider to any color.
- Highlight Link: This setting highlights all links to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the highlight color with a slider to any color.
- Outline Link: This setting outlines all links to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the outline color with a slider to any color.
- Highlight Button: This setting highlights all buttons to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the highlight color with a slider to any color.
- Outline Button: This setting outlines all buttons to yellow, green or blue. There is also an option to customize the outline color with a slider to any color.
Content Adjustments
- Content Spacing: This setting sets the horizontal spacing between words light, moderate and heavy. There is also an option to customize the content spacing with a slider.
- Font Sizing: This setting sets the font size of text to light, moderate and heavy. There is also an option to customize the font size with a slider.
- Line Height: This setting sets the vertical space between lines to light, moderate and heavy. There is also an option to customize the line height with a slider.
- Letter Spacing: This setting sets the horizontal spacing between letters to light, moderate and heavy. There is also an option to customize letter spacing with a slider.
- Readable Fonts: This setting sets a standard, easy-to-read font for the webpage, such as Arial, Times New Roman, Tahoma, Comic Sans and Open Dyslexic.
- Alignment: This setting sets the horizontal alignment of text paragraphs to be left, center or right.
- Cursor: This setting sets the large cursor for the webpage to be either black or white.
- Hide Images: This setting hides all images of the webpage to either hide them completely or replace the image with alternative text.
- Pause Animations: This setting stops all animations on the webpage.
- Reading Mask: This setting helps readers to focus on the specific area of the webpage while reading by magnifying it by 1.5, 1.75 or two times.
- Reading Guide: This setting helps users to focus on a specific line in the webpage while reading. There is also an option to customize the reading guide with a slider.
Users can create their own profile for the website accessibility widget in the adjustments tab and save it as a profile. This will automatically update all parts of D2L to include specific preferences for individuals. To reset all settings, press the reset button on the bottom of the page.