Issue
This is how Ally describes this issue:
- The HTML content has tables that don’t have any headers.
- The document has tables that don’t have any headers.
A great way to help organize complex information for students is to use data tables in your HTML content and documents, but they need to be accessible. Properly identified headers help students understand the relationship between cells. You may have used bold text to make the first row or column look like a header. However, bolding alone does not create a table header. Headers must be specifically identified in CarmenCanvas so assistive technology can recognize them. Tools like Ally in CarmenCanvas can detect missing headers in tables and in your course documents.
Tip for adding new content: When adding new tables to the Rich Content Editor (RCE) in CarmenCanvas, use the RCE Accessibility Checker to identify if the table’s header row is missing. Here are the steps:
- Open the page containing the table and select Edit.
- Open the Accessibility Checker in the RCE, which will identify if the table is missing a header.
- Under Set Table Header, select Header row.
- Select Apply.
See this blog post about tables in Canvas for more information.
Quick Fix
Add table headers to data tables in CarmenCanvas.
To apply the quick fix:
- Locate the issue named “The HTML content has tables that don’t have any headers.”
- Select that issue to retrieve a list of pages with table header issues.
- Select the Ally Accessibility Indicator icon on the first issue to open the Instructor Feedback panel.
- The table will appear on the left side of the screen with a red outline and Instructor Feedback will be on the right.
- Under Apply a table header, choose the appropriate option. If the table exists in more than one place, Ally gives you a choice to apply the fix to all the tables.
- Select Apply.
- Close the issue and move to the next item in your list.
When You Have More Time
Correct table-header issues in source documents, including Microsoft Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and PDFs.
Microsoft Word
To fix a table missing a header row in a Word doc, select the table and then select the Table Design ribbon. Make sure Header Row is checked in the Table Design settings. When using headers, keep the table simple. Avoid merging or splitting header cells. Run the Accessibility Checker to check for additional table issues. The checker will provide some tips on how to correct issues. See this blog post for more info about inserting accessible tables in Word.
Microsoft PowerPoint
To add a header row to a table in a PowerPoint, select the table and then select the Table Design ribbon. Make sure Header Row is checked in the Table Design settings. Run the Accessibility Checker in PowerPoint to check for additional table issues. The checker will provide some tips on how to correct issues. See this blog post for more info about inserting accessible tables in PowerPoint.