Blackboard Ally Innovations: Building Accessibility into Education
Overview
Blackboard has launched new features for Blackboard Ally™ to assist educational institutions in addressing digital accessibility challenges, particularly ahead of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II compliance deadline.
Key Innovations
-
PDF Remediation Tools
- AI-driven suggestions for improving PDF content, subject to human review.
- PDF Auto Tagging: Automates tags for untagged PDFs.
- Decorative Image Workflows: Assists in managing non-essential images.
- OCRed PDF Guidance: Identifies unresolved accessibility issues post-OCR.
- AI Alt Text for PDFs: Generates alternative text for images in PDFs.
-
Reporting and Visibility
- Enhanced Course Accessibility Report: Insights for faculty on course accessibility.
- Ally Usage Report: Interactive visualizations for administrators to track usage and improvement areas.
-
Improved Student Experience
- Enhanced Reader: Customizable content engagement options for students.
These improvements are part of the standard Blackboard Ally license, allowing institutions to expand accessibility efforts without incurring extra costs.
Quote from Leadership
Dr. Amy Lomellini, Director of Accessibility at Blackboard, emphasizes the focus on fostering a culture of accessibility that benefits all learners.
Industry Recognition
Blackboard Ally is compatible with major learning management systems and has received awards for its innovative accessibility solutions.
For more information, join the upcoming live webinar on September 17 or visit Blackboard at EDUCAUSE 2026, September 29–October 2 in Denver.
About Blackboard
Blackboard is dedicated to creating transformative teaching and learning environments through advanced technology solutions. More information can be found at blackboard.com.
For the complete press release, visit: Blackboard Ally Innovations Press Release.
