SensusAccess is a self-service document conversion and accessibility tool that helps students, faculty, and staff transform documents into more accessible and usable formats. Users can upload a variety of file types, including PDFs, scanned documents, images, PowerPoint presentations, and other text-based files, and convert them into formats such as accessible Word documents, tagged PDFs, HTML, audio files (MP3), e-books, and digital Braille.
Although SensusAccess can aid in making documents more accessible, this resource does not replace accessibility remediation in accordance with WCAG 2.1.
Who Can Use SensusAccess?
SensusAccess empowers students, faculty, and staff to independently create alternative formats without requiring specialized software or advanced accessibility expertise in Canvas. This helps:
- Increase access to course materials and university resources.
- Reduce barriers for individuals using assistive technologies.
- Support institutional accessibility initiatives and compliance efforts.
- Save time by automating document conversion and remediation tasks.
What Accessible Formats are Supported?
Image-based documents include image-only PDFs, text PDFs, tagged PDFs, JPG images, and other image formats such as TIFF, GIF, and BMP files. These document types are often inaccessible because the text cannot be selected or read by assistive technologies, and the reading order may be difficult to determine.
When uploading multiple JPG images, you can choose to combine them into a single document, making it easier to convert scanned pages from a multi-page document all at once.
SensusAccess can convert image-based documents into the following accessible formats:
Word as either DOC or DOCX
These formats are ideal for reading, editing, and repurposing document content.
SensusAccess can also convert image-based documents containing Arabic text, including bilingual Arabic-English documents, into editable Word documents.
Rich Text Format (RTF)
Rich Text Format (RTF) is a widely supported file format that can be opened and edited in most word processing applications.
It is also compatible with many Braille note-taking devices.
Tagged PDF
Tagged PDFs include both the visual content of a document and its underlying structure, making them more accessible to screen readers and other assistive technologies. When SensusAccess converts image-based documents to tagged PDF, it attempts to identify and preserve structural elements such as headings and reading order.
Two tagged PDF options are available:
- Tagged PDF (text over image): Places OCR-recognized text on top of the original image. This often improves text clarity and readability but may slightly alter the appearance of logos or graphics.
- Tagged PDF (image over text): Keeps the original image visible while placing the recognized text behind it. This preserves the document's original appearance while still making the text accessible and searchable.
Both options provide the same text recognition quality and are suitable for use with screen readers and Adobe Acrobat's text-to-speech features.
Spreadsheet as XLS, XSLS, or CSV
For documents containing tables, schedules, statistics, or other structured data, converting to a spreadsheet format can make the content easier to navigate, analyze, and edit. SensusAccess can convert image-based documents into Microsoft Excel formats (.XLS or .XLSX) or a comma-separated values (.CSV) file for use with a variety of spreadsheet applications.
HTML
SensusAccess supports conversion of image-type documents into HTML if the user’s preferred reading platform is a web browser.
Plain text
Plain text files contain only the recognized text from a document. Formatting, images, and other visual elements are removed, creating a simple text-only version that can be easily read by screen readers and other assistive technologies.
This format is useful for users who need a clean, accessible version of a document or who plan to recreate the document's structure and formatting manually.
SensusAccess also supports converting Arabic and bilingual Arabic-English image-based documents into plain text files.
PowerPoint presentations can be challenging to navigate using screen readers. To improve accessibility, SensusAccess can convert PowerPoint files into alternative formats, including tagged PDFs (with or without speaker notes), HTML projects, and RTF outline documents. These formats can provide a more accessible reading experience for users who rely on assistive technologies.
Tagged PDF
SensusAccess can convert PowerPoint presentations into tagged PDFs while preserving accessibility features such as slide titles, reading order, color contrast, and image alt text.
It can also create tagged PDF handouts that include each slide as an image followed by its speaker notes in plain text.
HTML
SensusAccess can convert PowerPoint presentations into HTML files that can be viewed in a web browser. During conversion, it attempts to preserve existing accessibility features, such as slide titles, reading order, and alternative text for images.
RTF-outline
The presentation can subsequently be opened in a word processor or loaded on to a Braille notetaker. Only the textual contents of the PowerPoint presentation are kept in the RTF outline document. Slide titles are preserved as headings.
SensusAccess can convert unprotected EPUB e-books into plain text or Rich Text Format (RTF).
E-books protected by DRM or similar restrictions cannot be converted.
Plain text
Plain text outputs include only the recognized text from the source document, without formatting or visual elements. This format is useful when rebuilding a document’s structure manually or for use with assistive technologies.
Rich Text Format
Rich Text Format (RTF) is a widely compatible option for editing in most word processors and is also well supported by Braille notetakers.
Source documents in TeX and LaTeX containing mathematical equations can be converted into HTML5 with the mathematical contents represented as MathML. Documents may be uploaded as individual .TEX files or as self-contained ZIP archives.
Where Can I Find SensusAccess?
You will be required to manually enable SensusAccess each semester for every course. This is not a system-wide setting and SensusAccess will not automatically copy over into you will need to enable/per course not user or system wide/ will not copy forward
To enable SensusAcces, you must first toggle the Enabled SensusAccess Inside button on your course settings page:
- Navigate to the course you would like to enables SensusAccess in
- Select the settings button at the bottom of the course navigation column
- Under the course status menu on the right side of your settings page, scroll to where you see the SensusAccess icon (Blue circle with an 'S' in it) and click where it says enable SensusAccess Inside
Please note that it may take several seconds for the SensusAccess Icon and enable option to load on your settings page.
The blue SensusAccess Icon (Blue circle with an 'S' in it) can be found in several places depending on where in Canvas you are looking. The icon is typically located near the title of a Canvas page or to the right of the Edit Icon (three vertical dots) on individual assignment or file listings.
Need Additional Help?
- For help with Canvas, please contact [email protected]
To discuss strategies for implementing Canvas and DLD approved integrated learning tools into your course, please contact [email protected]