{"id":8673,"date":"2024-09-09T15:46:07","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T15:46:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/?p=8673"},"modified":"2024-09-09T15:57:42","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T15:57:42","slug":"enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/","title":{"rendered":"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>At the University of Northampton, we are committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve introduced the AI-powered tool in Blackboard Ultra that automatically generates alternative text (alt text) for images. This feature offers instructors the support they need to generate meaningful alternative text (alt text) for images quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Challenge of Creating Alt Text<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Writing descriptive and meaningful alt text isn\u2019t always straightforward. Many times, instructors need a bit of inspiration to find the right words. Enter <strong>Ally\u2019s AI Alt Text Assistant<\/strong>\u2014a tool designed to take the guesswork out of writing alt text by automatically generating suggestions. This not only saves time but also enhances the accessibility of learning materials for visually impaired students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-1024x544.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8676\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-1024x544.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-768x408.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-1536x816.png 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does the AI Alt Text Assistant Work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Integrated directly into the <strong>Ally Instructor Feedback<\/strong> interface, the AI tool empowers instructors to address images without alt text more efficiently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Auto-Generate Description Button<\/strong>: When an image lacks a description, instructors can simply click the &#8220;Auto-Generate Description&#8221; button. The AI Alt Text Assistant will provide a concise and accurate suggestion based on the image\u2019s content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Instructor Review and Control<\/strong>: Importantly, the AI does not automatically apply these suggestions. Each description requires instructor review, ensuring that the final text aligns with the course content and the image\u2019s educational purpose. You can easily edit, refine, or remove the suggestions to suit your needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This combination of automation and instructor control guarantees that the alt text meets both accessibility standards and the specific context of your course materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Features and Benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Time-Saving Automation<\/strong>: With just one click, you can generate accurate alt text suggestions, saving time while ensuring your materials are accessible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Instructor-Centred<\/strong>: The AI Alt Text Assistant empowers instructors by providing helpful suggestions, but leaves the final decision in your hands, giving you full control over the descriptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seamless Integration<\/strong>: This feature works within the existing <strong>Ally Instructor Feedback<\/strong> workflow, making it easy to fix accessibility issues as you work through your content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Is This Important?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating accessible content isn\u2019t just about meeting legal standards\u2014it\u2019s about ensuring that every student can engage with your materials. By incorporating alt text for images, you\u2019re helping students who use screen readers to fully participate in the learning experience. Ally\u2019s AI tool simplifies this process, helping you make your course content more inclusive with minimal effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Start Using the AI Alt Text Assistant Today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The new <strong>AI Alt Text Assistant<\/strong> is available now in Blackboard Ultra. Whether you&#8217;re updating old materials or creating new ones, this tool will help you maintain accessibility standards while saving valuable time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information or guidance on using this new feature, <a href=\"https:\/\/libguides.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/staff\/nile-guides\/blackboard-ally\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">check out our Ally guidance<\/a> and get in touch with your Learning Technologist if you have any questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By leveraging this tool, you contribute to making learning at the University of Northampton a more inclusive experience for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At the University of Northampton, we are committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve introduced the AI-powered tool in Blackboard Ultra that automatically generates alternative text (alt text) for images. This feature offers instructors the support they need to generate meaningful alternative text (alt text) for images quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n<p> The Challenge [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[25,270,135,269],"class_list":["post-8673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-learntech-news","tag-accessibility","tag-ally","tag-nile","tag-ultra"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra - Learning Technology Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra - Learning Technology Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At the University of Northampton, we are committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve introduced the AI-powered tool in Blackboard Ultra that automatically generates alternative text (alt text) for images. This feature offers instructors the support they need to generate meaningful alternative text (alt text) for images quickly and efficiently. The Challenge [...]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Learning Technology Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-09T15:46:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-09T15:57:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-1024x544.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"achollo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"achollo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/\",\"name\":\"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra - Learning Technology Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-1024x544.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-09T15:46:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-09T15:57:42+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#\/schema\/person\/43d73f21c588f4db310ce822f74179eb\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047.png\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1020},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/\",\"name\":\"Learning Technology Blog\",\"description\":\"News and Updates from the Learning Technology Team\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#\/schema\/person\/43d73f21c588f4db310ce822f74179eb\",\"name\":\"achollo\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3188fc93175f5fd1c76950234a8679356f6b79ca0230f684ae88498e9a11e742?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3188fc93175f5fd1c76950234a8679356f6b79ca0230f684ae88498e9a11e742?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"achollo\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/author\/achollo\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra - Learning Technology Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra - Learning Technology Blog","og_description":"At the University of Northampton, we are committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve introduced the AI-powered tool in Blackboard Ultra that automatically generates alternative text (alt text) for images. This feature offers instructors the support they need to generate meaningful alternative text (alt text) for images quickly and efficiently. The Challenge [...]","og_url":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/","og_site_name":"Learning Technology Blog","article_published_time":"2024-09-09T15:46:07+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-09-09T15:57:42+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-1024x544.png","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"achollo","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"achollo","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/","url":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/","name":"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra - Learning Technology Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047-1024x544.png","datePublished":"2024-09-09T15:46:07+00:00","dateModified":"2024-09-09T15:57:42+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#\/schema\/person\/43d73f21c588f4db310ce822f74179eb"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-09-163047.png","width":1920,"height":1020},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2024\/09\/09\/enhance-accessibility-with-ai-generated-alternative-text-in-blackboard-ultra\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Enhance Accessibility with AI-Generated Alternative Text in Blackboard Ultra"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/","name":"Learning Technology Blog","description":"News and Updates from the Learning Technology Team","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#\/schema\/person\/43d73f21c588f4db310ce822f74179eb","name":"achollo","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3188fc93175f5fd1c76950234a8679356f6b79ca0230f684ae88498e9a11e742?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3188fc93175f5fd1c76950234a8679356f6b79ca0230f684ae88498e9a11e742?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"achollo"},"url":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/author\/achollo\/"}]}},"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8673\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}