Accessibility Training Opportunities

Quick Start Accessibility Workshops

January 2026

Make Your Canvas Courses Accessible (1-13-2026)

Date Offered: January 13, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Lindsey Sharp
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required:

Workshop Description:

Canvas websites must be accessible for all students, but don't panic! This hands-on workshop will cover what to look for and several tools to help you find and fix issues.

In this training session, you'll learn how to:

Use the text editor to create a navigable page structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts
Ensure readable color contrast
Design accessible tables and links.
Use Canvas accessibility tools, including checkers to find and fix common issues
Use tools in Illinois Media Space caption videos. We'll also cover how to use a number of accessibility checkers to find and fix common issues.

By the end of this session, you'll have the confidence you need to create Canvas course sites that meet State and Federal accessibility standards

Make Your Moodle Courses Accessible (1-15-2026)

Date: January 15, 11 AM - Noon
Facilitator: Julie Baker and Jae Moon
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required:

Workshop Description:

In this hands-on workshop, we will cover the key strategies for designing accessible course content in Moodle. Participants will learn how to create accessible headings, tables, lists, and hyperlinks, as well as how to write alt text for images, generate and edit video captions, and incorporate other elements that will help students navigate courses and access information more easily. We’ll also discuss the advantages (and limitations) of using Moodle’s accessibility checker and screen reader helper. Participants will leave this workshop with the knowledge and resources needed to create Moodle sites that meet state and federal accessibility standards.

Using the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Tool (1-15-2026)

Date: January 15, 1 PM - 2 PM
Facilitator: Lindsey Sharp
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed on using the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Guide to make Canvas pages more accessible for everyone! In this hands-on workshop, we'll start with an overview of the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Guide, how it functions, what the various errors, alerts, structural elements, and features mean, and how to fix these issues on a Canvas page. Then we'll jump into some hands-on practice using the Canvas Accessibility Guide to evaluate the accessibility of Canvas pages and remediate basic accessibility issues. We'll discuss the limitations of the tool and what still needs to be checked manually using basic digital accessibility principles.

By the end of this workshop, you'll understand how to fix Canvas pages using the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Guide tool and be well on the way to creating inclusive Canvas pages that meet State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your PowerPoint Documents Accessible (1-22-2026)

Date: January 22, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitators: Nancy Hightower
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your PowerPoint presentations accessible for everyone while meeting state and federal accessibility standards. In this hands-on workshop, we'll begin with a brief overview of common accessibility challenges in PowerPoint and then dive straight into practical solutions.

You'll learn how to:

Create clear, accessible slide content
Utilize accessible visuals
Structure slides for logical navigation, making sure your multimedia content is inclusive
Use PowerPoint's built-in Accessibility Assistant to find and fix common issues

By the end of this workshop, you'll be crafting inclusive presentations that captivate your audience.

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 1 (1-23-2026)

Date: January 23, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Ky Merkley
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on the basics of making your PDF documents accessible for everyone while meeting state and federal accessibility standards. In this hands-on workshop, we'll begin with a brief overview of common accessibility challenges in PDF and then dive straight into practical solutions.

You'll learn how to:

Create a PDF from an accessible Word document
Use Acrobat Pro to identify the basic architecture of that PDF, such as adjusting the reading order and tab order, using the table editor and adding alternative text description to images

By the end of this workshop, you'll be on your way to creating PDF documents that are more inclusive.

Important: To participate actively in this workshop, you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed (not Acrobat Reader). U of I, UIS, and UIC faculty and staff can obtain Acrobat Pro free from the U of I Webstore.

Make Your MS Word Documents Accessible (1-29-2026)

Date: January 29, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Dan Hahn
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your Microsoft Word documents accessible for everyone while meeting state and federal accessibility standards. In this hands-on workshop, we'll start with a brief overview of common accessibility challenges in Word and then jump right into practice.

You'll learn how to:

Use the Styles tool to create a clean, navigable document structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts, ensure readable color contrast and design accessible tables and links
Use the MS Word Accessibility Checker to find and fix common issues

By the end of this session, you'll be ready to create inclusive documents for all.

Checking Documents for Accessibility (1-30-2026)

Date: January 30, 10 AM - 11AM
Facilitator: Priyanka Pradeep
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Documents must be proactively accessible for all students. This hands-on workshop will cover what to look for and several tools to help you find and fix issues. You'll learn how to scan multiple document types for accessibility issues and remediate them.

February 2026

Make Your Canvas Courses Accessible (2-2-2026)

Date: February 2, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Lindsey Sharp
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Canvas websites must be accessible for all students, but don't panic! This hands-on workshop will cover what to look for and several tools to help you find and fix issues.

In this training session, you'll learn how to:

Use the text editor to create a navigable page structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts
Ensure readable color contrast
Design accessible tables and links.
Use Canvas accessibility tools, including checkers to find and fix common issues
Use tools in Illinois Media Space caption videos. We'll also cover how to use a number of accessibility checkers to find and fix common issues.

By the end of this session, you'll have the confidence you need to create Canvas course sites that meet State and Federal accessibility standards

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 2 (2-3-2026)

Date: February 3, 2 PM - 3:30 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your PDF documents accessible for everyone on campus. We'll cover common accessibility challenges in PDF and use practical solutions. You'll learn how to:

Use Acrobat Accessibility Checker to identify issues
Repair the PDF and make it accessible
Determine when to send complex PDFs to a remediation specialist

You'll be on your way to creating inclusive and accessible PDF documents and meeting State and Federal accessibility standards.

Using the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Tool (2-4-2026)

Date: February 4, 11 AM - Noon
Facilitator: Jenny Schwartzberg
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your Moodle Courses Accessible (2-13-2026)

Date: February 13, 1 PM - 2 PM
Facilitator: Julie Baker and Jae Moon
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Using the FACT Moodle Accessibility Checker (2-18-2026)

Date: February 18, 1 PM - 2 PM
Facilitator: Riana Beachey-Hasenick
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Learn how to improve the accessibility of your Moodle material by using the new FACT Accessibility Checker developed by ATLAS. This hands-on session will show you how to:

Identify accessibility issues across your course using the FACT Report.
Use the in-editor sidebar to remediate issues with guided fixes and autofix options.
Understand severity levels and access documentation for best practices.

By the end of the workshop, you will be able to confidently create more inclusive learning experiences for all students.

Make Your MS Word Documents Accessible (2-18-2026)

Date: February 18, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Dan Hahn
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Use the Styles tool to create a clean, navigable document structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts, ensure readable color contrast and design accessible tables and links
Use the MS Word Accessibility Checker to find and fix common issues

By the end of this session, you'll be ready to create inclusive documents for all.

Make Your MS PowerPoint Documents Accessible (2-19-2026)

Date: February 19, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Nancy Hightower
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create clear, accessible slide content
Utilize accessible visuals
Structure slides for logical navigation, making sure your multimedia content is inclusive
Use PowerPoint's built-in Accessibility Assistant to find and fix common issues

By the end of this workshop, you'll be crafting inclusive presentations that captivate your audience.

Checking Documents for Accessibility (2-20-2026)

Date: February 20, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Ky Merkley
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your Math Accessible (2-24-2026)

Date: February 24, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

This hands-on workshop will cover the nuts and bolts of what makes digital math accessible for all learners, including:

major accessible math formats
accessible math tools like EquatIO, MathPix, MathType, Desmos, and equation editors in Canvas, Coursera, and MS Office Documents
best practices for structuring workflows to deliver accessible math
how different math formats interact with different platforms like Canvas and Coursera, Jupyter Notebook, MS Office documents (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote), and webpages

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a better idea of how to create accessible math for your specific teaching or professional workflows.

Important: To participate actively in this workshop, you will need to have EquatIO and Brailleblaster installed. EquatIO is free for UIUC faculty, staff, and students from the University Webstore, and Brailleblaster is a free download. Other tools used are free, web-based, and require no installation.

March 2026

Make Your Canvas Courses Accessible (3-3-2026)

Date: March 3, 1 PM - 2 PM
Facilitator: Jenny Schwartzberg
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Canvas websites must be accessible for all students, but don't panic! This hands-on workshop will cover what to look for and several tools to help you find and fix issues.

In this training session, you'll learn how to:

Use the text editor to create a navigable page structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts
Ensure readable color contrast
Design accessible tables and links.
Use Canvas accessibility tools, including checkers to find and fix common issues
Use tools in Illinois Media Space caption videos. We'll also cover how to use a number of accessibility checkers to find and fix common issues.

By the end of this session, you'll have the confidence you need to create Canvas course sites that meet State and Federal accessibility standards

Using the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Tool (3-5-2026)

Date: March 5, 1 PM - 2 PM
Facilitator: Jenny Schwartzberg
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your PowerPoint Documents Accessible (3-10-2026)

Date: March 10, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Amber Dunse
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create clear, accessible slide content
Utilize accessible visuals
Structure slides for logical navigation, making sure your multimedia content is inclusive
Use PowerPoint's built-in Accessibility Assistant to find and fix common issues

By the end of this workshop, you'll be crafting inclusive presentations that captivate your audience.

Make Your Excel Spreadsheets Accessible, Part 1 (3-13-2026)

Date: March 13, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Lori Lane
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets accessible for everyone! In this hands-on workshop, we'll start with a brief overview of common accessibility challenges and solutions in Excel.

You'll learn how to:

Create consistent heading levels for sighted users
Create tables with column or row headers and avoid other pitfalls
Work with colors and color testing tools
Implement images in an accessible way for screen reader users
Use the Excel Accessibility Assistant to find and fix common issues

By the end of this workshop, you'll be well on your way to creating inclusive spreadsheets that meet State and Federal accessibility standards.

Checking Documents for Accessibility (3-17-2026)

Date: March 17, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Nancy Hightower
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 1 (3-20-2026)

Date: March 20, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Ky Merkley
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create a PDF from an accessible Word document
Use Acrobat Pro to identify the basic architecture of that PDF, such as adjusting the reading order and tab order, using the table editor and adding alternative text description to images

By the end of this workshop, you'll be on your way to creating PDF documents that are more inclusive.

Make Your Excel Spreadsheets Accessible, Part 2 (3-20-2026)

Date: March 20, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Lori Lane
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets accessible for everyone! In this hands-on workshop, we’ll start with a brief overview of common accessibility challenges in Excel and then jump right into practice. You’ll learn how to:

Name a Table
Label the empty header cell
Increase the column width and row height
Label the workbook title and sheet names
Create space between tables
Create accessible links
Work with colors and color testing tools

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be well on your way to creating inclusive spreadsheets that meet State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your MS Word Documents Accessible (3-24-2026)

Date: March 24, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Dan Hahn
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Use the Styles tool to create a clean, navigable document structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts, ensure readable color contrast and design accessible tables and links
Use the MS Word Accessibility Checker to find and fix common issues

By the end of this session, you'll be ready to create inclusive documents for all.

Make Your Math Accessible (3-24-2026)

Date: March 24, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

This hands-on workshop will cover the nuts and bolts of what makes digital math accessible for all learners, including:

major accessible math formats
accessible math tools like EquatIO, MathPix, MathType, Desmos, and equation editors in Canvas, Coursera, and MS Office Documents
best practices for structuring workflows to deliver accessible math
how different math formats interact with different platforms like Canvas and Coursera, Jupyter Notebook, MS Office documents (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote), and webpages

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a better idea of how to create accessible math for your specific teaching or professional workflows.

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 2 (3-26-2026)

Date: March 26, 3 PM - 4:30 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your PDF documents accessible for everyone on campus. We'll cover common accessibility challenges in PDF and use practical solutions. You'll learn how to:

Use Acrobat Accessibility Checker to identify issues
Repair the PDF and make it accessible
Determine when to send complex PDFs to a remediation specialist

You'll be on your way to creating inclusive and accessible PDF documents and meeting State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your Excel Spreadsheets Accessible, Part 3 (3-27-2026)

Date: March 27, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Lori Lane
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets accessible for everyone!

In this hands-on workshop, we’ll start with a brief overview of common accessibility challenges in Excel and then jump right into practice. You’ll learn how to:

Prevent reading and navigating order culprits
Freeze columns and rows
Hide unused columns and rows
Delete empty rows between elements
Create accessible links
Use the Accessibility Assistant

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be well on your way to creating inclusive spreadsheets that meet State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your Chemistry Accessible (3-31-2026)

Date: March 31, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson and Lauren Pellant
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

This hands-on workshop will cover the basics of what makes digital chemistry accessible for all learners.

With a focus on General Chemistry level topics, we will cover:

The what, why, and how of making chemical equations accessible.
The opportunities and limits of using accessible math tools like EquatIO, Desmos, Microsoft Equation Editor, and MathType for Chemistry
Choosing an accessible periodic table for your class
Tips for writing alt text and descriptions for common General Chemistry diagrams
Future directions in accessible chemistry

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a better idea of how to create accessible chemistry for your specific teaching or professional workflows.

Important: To participate actively in this workshop, you will need to install the following free software prior to the workshop:

For Windows users, NVDA screen reader and its Access8 math verbalization plugin
For Mac and Windows users: EquatIO accessible math tool
Other tools used are free, web-based, and require no installation

Participants are welcome to bring specific examples of General Chemistry materials that they would like advice on making more accessible.

April 2026

Make Your Canvas Courses Accessible (4-6-2026)

Date: April 6, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Jenny Schwartzberg
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Canvas websites must be accessible for all students, but don't panic! This hands-on workshop will cover what to look for and several tools to help you find and fix issues.

In this training session, you'll learn how to:

Use the text editor to create a navigable page structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts
Ensure readable color contrast
Design accessible tables and links.
Use Canvas accessibility tools, including checkers to find and fix common issues
Use tools in Illinois Media Space caption videos. We'll also cover how to use a number of accessibility checkers to find and fix common issues.

By the end of this session, you'll have the confidence you need to create Canvas course sites that meet State and Federal accessibility standards

Using the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Tool (4-8-2026)

Date: April 8, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Jenny Schwartzberg
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your Excel Spreadsheets Accessible, Part 1 (4-10-2026)

Date: April 10, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Lori Lane
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create consistent heading levels for sighted users
Create tables with column or row headers and avoid other pitfalls
Work with colors and color testing tools
Implement images in an accessible way for screen reader users
Use the Excel Accessibility Assistant to find and fix common issues

By the end of this workshop, you'll be well on your way to creating inclusive spreadsheets that meet State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your MS Word Documents Accessible (4-14-2026)

Date: April 14, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Nancy Hightower
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Use the Styles tool to create a clean, navigable document structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts, ensure readable color contrast and design accessible tables and links
Use the MS Word Accessibility Checker to find and fix common issues

By the end of this session, you'll be ready to create inclusive documents for all.

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 1 (4-17-2026)

Date: April 17, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Ky Merkley
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create a PDF from an accessible Word document
Use Acrobat Pro to identify the basic architecture of that PDF, such as adjusting the reading order and tab order, using the table editor and adding alternative text description to images

By the end of this workshop, you'll be on your way to creating PDF documents that are more inclusive.

Make Your Excel Spreadsheets Accessible, Part 2 (4-17-2026)

Date: April 17, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Lori Lane
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Name a Table
Label the empty header cell
Increase the column width and row height
Label the workbook title and sheet names
Create space between tables
Create accessible links
Work with colors and color testing tools

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be well on your way to creating inclusive spreadsheets that meet State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 2 (4-21-2026)

Date: April 21, 3 PM - 4:30 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your PDF documents accessible for everyone on campus. We'll cover common accessibility challenges in PDF and use practical solutions. You'll learn how to:

Use Acrobat Accessibility Checker to identify issues
Repair the PDF and make it accessible
Determine when to send complex PDFs to a remediation specialist

You'll be on your way to creating inclusive and accessible PDF documents and meeting State and Federal accessibility standards.

Checking Documents for Accessibility (4-24-2026)

Date: April 24, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Ky Merkley
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your Excel Spreadsheets Accessible, Part 3 (4-24-2026)

Date: April 24, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Lori Lane
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets accessible for everyone!

In this hands-on workshop, we’ll start with a brief overview of common accessibility challenges in Excel and then jump right into practice. You’ll learn how to:

Prevent reading and navigating order culprits
Freeze columns and rows
Hide unused columns and rows
Delete empty rows between elements
Create accessible links
Use the Accessibility Assistant

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be well on your way to creating inclusive spreadsheets that meet State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your Math Accessible (4-28-2026)

Date: April 28, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

This hands-on workshop will cover the nuts and bolts of what makes digital math accessible for all learners, including:

major accessible math formats
accessible math tools like EquatIO, MathPix, MathType, Desmos, and equation editors in Canvas, Coursera, and MS Office Documents
best practices for structuring workflows to deliver accessible math
how different math formats interact with different platforms like Canvas and Coursera, Jupyter Notebook, MS Office documents (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote), and webpages

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a better idea of how to create accessible math for your specific teaching or professional workflows.

Make Your MS PowerPoint Documents Accessible (4-29-2026)

Date: April 29, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Priyanka Pradeep
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create clear, accessible slide content
Utilize accessible visuals
Structure slides for logical navigation, making sure your multimedia content is inclusive
Use PowerPoint's built-in Accessibility Assistant to find and fix common issues

By the end of this workshop, you'll be crafting inclusive presentations that captivate your audience.

May 2026

Make Your Canvas Courses Accessible (5-5-2026)

Date: May 5, 11 AM - Noon
Facilitator: Jenny Schwartzberg
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Canvas websites must be accessible for all students, but don't panic! This hands-on workshop will cover what to look for and several tools to help you find and fix issues.

In this training session, you'll learn how to:

Use the text editor to create a navigable page structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts
Ensure readable color contrast
Design accessible tables and links.
Use Canvas accessibility tools, including checkers to find and fix common issues
Use tools in Illinois Media Space caption videos. We'll also cover how to use a number of accessibility checkers to find and fix common issues.

By the end of this session, you'll have the confidence you need to create Canvas course sites that meet State and Federal accessibility standards

Using the Pope Tech Canvas Accessibility Tool (5-7-2026)

Date: May 7, 11 AM - Noon
Facilitator: Lindsey Sharp
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 1 (5-8-2026)

Date: May 8, 3 PM - 4 PM
Facilitator: Ky Merkley
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create a PDF from an accessible Word document
Use Acrobat Pro to identify the basic architecture of that PDF, such as adjusting the reading order and tab order, using the table editor and adding alternative text description to images

By the end of this workshop, you'll be on your way to creating PDF documents that are more inclusive.

Make Your MS Word Documents Accessible (5-12-2026)

Date: May 12, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Dan Hahn
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Use the Styles tool to create a clean, navigable document structure
Write effective alt text for images and charts, ensure readable color contrast and design accessible tables and links
Use the MS Word Accessibility Checker to find and fix common issues

By the end of this session, you'll be ready to create inclusive documents for all.

Make Your MS PowerPoint Documents Accessible (5-14-2026)

Date: May 14, 2 PM - 3:15 PM
Facilitator: Chrissi Guarnieri and Kathy Adams
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

You'll learn how to:

Create clear, accessible slide content
Utilize accessible visuals
Structure slides for logical navigation, making sure your multimedia content is inclusive
Use PowerPoint's built-in Accessibility Assistant to find and fix common issues

By the end of this workshop, you'll be crafting inclusive presentations that captivate your audience.

Checking Documents for Accessibility (5-15-2026)

Date: May 15, 10 AM - 11 AM
Facilitator: Ky Merkley
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Make Your PDF Documents Accessible, Part 2 (5-19-2026)

Date: May 19, 3 PM - 4:30 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

Get up to speed quickly on making your PDF documents accessible for everyone on campus. We'll cover common accessibility challenges in PDF and use practical solutions. You'll learn how to:

Use Acrobat Accessibility Checker to identify issues
Repair the PDF and make it accessible
Determine when to send complex PDFs to a remediation specialist

You'll be on your way to creating inclusive and accessible PDF documents and meeting State and Federal accessibility standards.

Make Your Math Accessible (5-26-2026)

Date: May 26, 2 PM - 3 PM
Facilitator: Marc Thompson
Contact: Marc Thompson (thompso1@illinois.edu)
Registration: Registration is required.

Workshop Description:

This hands-on workshop will cover the nuts and bolts of what makes digital math accessible for all learners, including:

major accessible math formats
accessible math tools like EquatIO, MathPix, MathType, Desmos, and equation editors in Canvas, Coursera, and MS Office Documents
best practices for structuring workflows to deliver accessible math
how different math formats interact with different platforms like Canvas and Coursera, Jupyter Notebook, MS Office documents (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote), and webpages

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a better idea of how to create accessible math for your specific teaching or professional workflows.

Accessibility Training Opportunities

Quick Start Accessibility Workshops

January 2026

February 2026

March 2026

April 2026

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