Professional Development
August 25, 2026
Promoting Alternative Formats to Students
# Accessibility
# Ally
An Instructor's Guide to Increasing Awareness, Access, and Engagement
Katie Grennell, PhD.
Promoting Alternative Formats to Students: An Instructor's Guide to Increasing Awareness, Access, and Engagement
Note: This resource will eventually become part of the expanded Communication and Adoption Toolkit, but we're sharing it now in case it's helpful as you prepare for the start of the academic year.
As instructors, we have an opportunity to help students make informed choices about how they access and engage with course materials. Proactively communicating the availability and value of Ally’s Alternative Formats can increase awareness, encourage adoption, and help students take advantage of tools that support their individual learning needs and preferences. Alternative Formats help ensure that course materials are accessible to disabled students while also giving all learners greater flexibility in how they access and engage with content. Students can choose the format that best meets their needs, whether that means listening to content, reading on a mobile device, accessing materials offline, or customizing their reading experience.
This resource is organized into several categories and provides practical ways to promote Ally’s Alternative Formats through course materials and student communications. Any text in < > indicates content that should be customized for your institution, such as the name of your LMS, student support resources, or other institution-specific details.
- Understanding and Explaining Alternative Formats
- Syllabus Statements
- Ready-to-Use Communication Resources
- Messaging templates
- Talking Points
- Alternative Formats for Students Guide
- Using Your LMS to Increase Awareness
- Gather Student Feedback and Testimonials
- Evaluating and Improving Awareness
Understanding and Explaining Alternative Formats
This section helps instructors understand what Alternative Formats are and provides language they can use to introduce them to students.
- Ally description (student-facing): Blackboard Ally is a digital accessibility tool integrated into the Learning Management System (LMS) that helps improve access to digital course content. Through Ally’s Alternative Formats, students can access course materials in a variety of accessible formats, including audio, HTML, ePub, electronic braille, and translated versions, supporting both accessibility needs and individual learning preferences.
- Alternative Format Types: audio, HTML, ePub, Electronic Braille (BRF), BeeLine Reader, Immersive Reader, Tagged PDF, OCRed PDF, Translated version (over 70 different languages available!).
How to access the Alternative Formats: to access, simply select the alternative format icon next to your course content and select which alternative format best suits your needs. The icon may look slightly different depending on your learning management system, but it is typically represented by a downward-pointing arrow (download) icon. Select the icon to view and download available alternative formats for the file.
Image description: Alternative format icon, a downward-facing triangle with a circular cutout and an upward-pointing arrow above it.
After you’ve selected the icon, you will be brought to a menu of available alternative format options. Select which alternative format option you’d like and then download.
Image description: Menu of available alternative format by Ally to download for a Word document.
One important thing to note: the alternative formats created depend on the original content. If you can’t find an option to download alternative formats, Ally isn’t turned on for that content or the file is not a supported content type.
Syllabus Statements
Promoting Ally’s alternative formats is an ongoing effort throughout the semester, and the syllabus is an excellent place to start. Some institutions may already require accessibility language in course syllabi, so adapt the sample statements below as appropriate for your context. The examples include both a general accessibility statement that reflects an instructor’s commitment to inclusive learning and a statement specifically focused on Ally’s alternative formats.
General Accessibility Statement
I am devoted to creating a learning environment that is inclusive and accessible by design. If there are any barriers to your success, involvement, and engagement in this class, please contact me so that together, we can explore creative solutions. I encourage students with disabilities to contact the Accessibility Services Office at [insert website] to arrange for an appointment, on-campus at <insert campus address>, <insert campus phone number>, or by email <insert email address>. If you have already been granted accommodations, please contact me so that we can work together to develop a plan that works for you and your learning preferences or needs.
Blackboard Ally Statement
<Insert Institution Name here> has a license for Ally, a digital accessibility tool embedded in <insert LMS name here.> Ally provides alternative formats of digital course content to all students, with no accommodations, permissions, or disclosures required. Alternative formats can help you access course materials in ways that fit your preferences and needs, including audio, translated versions, ePub (eReader), accessible PDFs, HTML, Microsoft Immersive Reader, BeeLine Reader, and Braille Ready Format. To access, look for the alternative format icon as seen below, select it, and choose from the list of alternative format options most suitable to your needs.
Image description: Alternative format icon, a downward-facing triangle with a circular cutout and an upward-pointing arrow above it.
Ready to Use Communication Resources
Promoting Ally is most effective when students hear about it more than once. While a syllabus statement helps establish awareness at the start of a course, ongoing reminders can encourage students to explore and use Ally’s alternative formats when they need them. The ready-to-use resources below can be copied, customized, and shared throughout the semester to help students understand the benefits of Ally and access course content in the formats that work best for them.
Messaging Templates
To support ongoing communication about Ally and alternative formats, this section includes customizable messaging templates that instructors can use in emails or LMS announcements. Any highlighted text within the templates should be customized with the appropriate course, institution, resource, or contact information before sharing with students.
Messaging Template #1: Discover Ally’s Alternative Formats
<Insert name of institution> has a license for Ally, a digital accessibility tool embedded in <insert LMS> that provides students with access to digital course content in alternative formats-no special requests or accommodations required!
Available formats include audio, translated versions, OCR’d and tagged PDFs, HTML, eReader-friendly files, Braille Ready Format, Microsoft Immersive Reader, and BeeLine Reader. To access them, select the Alternative Formats icon next to your course content and choose your preferred format. For more information, visit Ally for Students-Alternative Formats Help Page or contact <insert team info in charge of supporting Ally at your institution.>
Messaging Template #2: Need Study Flexibility? Use Ally’s Alternative Formats
Whether you’re reading course materials, completing assignments, or studying for exams, Ally’s Alternative Formats can help you access content in the format that works best for you.
Available directly in <insert LMS name here>, Ally lets you download course materials in a variety of formats to support different learning preferences and accessibility needs, including:
- Audio files: listen to readings while commuting, exercising, or multitasking .
- Translated versions: read content in your preferred language.
- OCR’d and Tagged PDFs – Improve compatibility with screen readers and assistive technology .
- HTML: Ideal for smaller screens, with a responsive design that adapts to your device and can be downloaded for offline reading.
- ePub: access course materials in compatible eReader apps and devices, allowing you to customize the reading experience adjustable font sizes, colors, and backgrounds, plus tools to bookmark, highlight, annotate, and search content as you study.
- Braille Ready Format (BRF): Access course materials in a format designed for use with refreshable Braille displays for a tactile reading experience, supporting independent reading and navigation.
- Microsoft Immersive Reader: Support reading comprehension and focus with read-aloud features, customizable text settings, translation options, and grammar tools that help you better understand content.
- BeeLine Reader: Use color gradients to help guide your eyes through digital text
No accommodations, approvals, or special requests are required. Alternative Formats are available to all students. Simply select the Alternative Formats icon next to your course materials and choose the format that works best for you.
For more information, visit Ally for Students-Alternative Formats Help Page or contact <insert team info in charge of supporting Ally at your institution.>
Messaging Template #3: Start the Semester with Ally’s Alternative Formats
As you begin the semester, did you know that many of your course materials are available in alternative formats through Ally?
Integrated directly into <insert LMS here>, Ally’s Alternative Formats are available to all students and provide more ways to access and engage with your digital course content based on your learning preferences and needs. For example, you can listen to content with audio versions, translate materials into another language, customize your reading experience with ePub and Microsoft Immersive Reader, or access content on the go using mobile-friendly formats like HTML.
As you become familiar with your courses, look for the Alternative Formats icon next to your course materials and explore the options available. You may discover a format that helps you read, study, or learn more effectively.
For more information, visit Ally for Students-Alternative Formats Help Page or contact <insert team info in charge of supporting Ally at your institution.>
Messaging Template #4: Alternative Formats for ALL Students
Did you know that Ally’s alternative formats are available to all students in <insert LMS here>? No accommodations or approvals needed.
While these formats were designed to support accessibility, they can benefit all learners by offering flexible ways to engage with course materials. Everyone learns differently, and Ally gives you multiple ways to access content, helping you choose the formats and tools that work best for you. Whether you want to listen to course materials while on the go, translate content into another language, read on a mobile device, or customize your reading experience, Ally provides options to support your preferences and needs.
And better yet, your use of the Alternative Formats remains anonymous. While Ally collects overall usage statistics to help institutions understand adoption, it does not collect personally identifiable information about which formats individual students download or use.
For more information, visit Ally for Students-Alternative Formats Help Page or contact <insert team info in charge of supporting Ally at your institution.>
Messaging Template #5: Flexible Study Tools for Finals Season
As the semester comes to a close, balancing final exams, projects, papers, and other deadlines can feel overwhelming. Ally’s Alternative Formats can help by giving you flexible ways to access and engage with your course materials as you prepare for the weeks ahead.
Available to all students in <insert LMS name here>, Ally offers multiple ways to access course materials. For example:
- Listen to readings and lecture materials as audio while commuting, exercising, or reviewing notes between classes.
- Translate course content into another language to support comprehension and review.
- Use ePub to personalize your reading experience with adjustable text size, fonts, colors, and backgrounds, while taking advantage of built-in tools to highlight, annotate, bookmark, and search content as you review key concepts for exams.
- Access HTML versions on your phone or tablet for responsive, mobile-friendly reading and offline access when you're studying on the go.
- Use Microsoft Immersive Reader's read-aloud and grammar support tools to help improve focus and understanding as you review course materials.
Give yourself every opportunity to succeed. Explore the available formats and find new ways to access, review, and engage with course content as you prepare for the end of the semester
Messaging Template #6: Midterms Are a Great Time to Rethink Your Study Strategy
By the middle of the semester, you've likely developed routines for keeping up with readings, assignments, and coursework. If you're finding that some materials are difficult to get through, challenging to focus on, or hard to fit into your schedule, now may be a good time to explore different ways of accessing your course content.
Ally's Alternative Formats, available to all students in <insert LMS here>, give you options for how you interact with your materials.
For example:
- Listen to Audio versions of course materials while commuting, exercising, cooking, or completing household tasks, making it easier to fit studying into a busy schedule.
- Use ePub files to customize your reading experience and organize notes, highlights, and bookmarks.
- Access HTML versions on your phone, tablet, or computer with a responsive layout that automatically adapts to your screen size, and download content for offline reading when you're on the go.
- Use BeeLine Reader to make digital text easier to follow with color gradients that can help maintain focus and reduce eye strain during long reading and study sessions.
Sometimes small adjustments can have a big impact on productivity, focus, and comprehension. If you haven't explored Alternative Formats yet, this is a great time to see whether a different format could help you work more effectively.
Talking Points
These talking points are designed to help instructors become more familiar and comfortable with Ally's Alternative Formats and the benefits they can provide to students. Use them as a starting point for class discussions, course announcements, or informal reminders throughout the semester to help students discover flexible ways to access and engage with course materials. The talking points are organized by theme, making it easy to find relevant messages for different teaching contexts, student needs, and points in the semester.
- Ally at a Glance/Ally Elevator Pitch: Ally is a tool integrated into <insert LMS name here> that gives students access to alternative formats of digital course content, including audio, HTML, ePub, translated versions, and more. Available to all students, these formats support different learning preferences, study habits, and accessibility needs. To access them, simply select the Alternative Formats icon next to eligible course materials.
- First Week of the Semester: Before we get started, I want to point out a tool available in <insert LMS name here> called Ally. It allows you to access many digital course materials in alternative formats, such as audio, ePub, translated versions, and more. These options are available to everyone in the course, so feel free to explore them and find what works best for you.
- Student Autonomy & Choice: One thing I appreciate about Ally is that it puts students in control of how they access course materials. Alternative Formats are available to everyone, so students can explore different options, experiment with what works best, and adapt their approach as their needs change throughout the semester. There's no need to request access, seek approval, or disclose personal information in order to use them.
- Designed for Accessibility, Beneficial for Everyone: While Alternative Formats were designed to support accessibility, their benefits extend far beyond a single group of students. Whether a student wants to listen to course materials, read on a mobile device, translate content, or customize their reading experience, Ally provides flexible options that can support a wide range of learning preferences and situations.
- Adjusting your Study Habits: As the semester progresses, it's worth taking a moment to think about whether your current study approach is working for you. If you're having trouble keeping up with readings, staying focused, or finding time to study, consider exploring Ally's Alternative Formats. Sometimes a small change, like listening to content as audio, using reading support tools, or adapting materials to better fit your needs and study habits, can make a meaningful difference.
Alternative Formats for Students Guide
This student guide introduces Ally and its alternative formats, explains the different formats available, and provides quick facts to help students choose the format that best supports their learning. Send this guide to students with one of the provided messaging templates or post it in an easily accessible area of your course for ongoing reference.
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Using your LMS to Increase Awareness
Your LMS is a central hub for course communication and content access, making it an ideal place to increase awareness of Ally's Alternative Formats. This section focuses on how to leverage your LMS to expand communication efforts, helping students discover and access course materials in the format that best meets their needs.
Announcements: take advantage of the announcements feature in your LMS to increase awareness of Ally’s Alternative Formats. Consider creating announcements based solely on Ally or incorporating information about them into existing course announcements throughout the term. Suggested opportunities for announcements:
- Before the semester begins
- Welcome students and introduce accessibility resources available through the LMS, including Ally’s alternative formats. Use Messaging template #1 and/or 3 and attach the student guide.
- Encourage students to explore the alternative format options before coursework begins and suggest they watch one of the Ally for Students videos (specific to your institution’s LMS) on our help site: Watch Videos about Ally .
- Beginning of the semester
- Highlight where students can access alternative formats and explain the types available (audio, electronic braille, immersive reader, tagged PDF, etc.). Use Messaging Template #2 and be sure to attach the student guide.
- Emphasize that these tools are available to all students and can support different learning preferences.
- Prior to major reading assignments
- Remind students that course materials can be accessed in formats that may better fit their learning needs and study habits. Use messaging template #2 or #5 and attach the student guide.
- Before exams: Encourage students to use formats that support studying and review. Use messaging template #2, #5, or #6.
- Mid-semester: Share a refresher on Ally tools and accessibility features. Use Template #6 and share the student guide.
- Before major assignments/projects: Highlight formats that can support engagement with lengthy materials. Use messaging template #2.
- Before finals: Remind students about alternative formats as a study aid. Use messaging template #2 and share student guide.
- Throughout the semester: Include brief Ally reminders when releasing new modules or content. Use the talking points, or components of the messaging templates, to craft your message.
- Time an announcement out with a certain awareness day/month related to disability or accessibility
- Global Accessibility Awareness Day (typically the third Thursday of every May)
- Disability Pride Month (July)
- World Mental Health Day (October 10)
- Dyslexia Awareness Month (October)
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3)
Include in modules: Embedding reminders directly within course modules helps students discover alternative formats at the moment they are accessing course materials. Consider the following suggestions:
- Add a brief Ally statement in the Start Here module and attach or link the student guide. Usage wording from the talking points section of this resource or any of the messaging templates, particularly #1.
- · Include a short reminder at the top of modules that contain readings, PDFs, presentations, or other downloadable files.
- Add a recurring note such as: "Need a different format? Select the Ally Alternative Formats icon next to the file to access options such as audio, Immersive Reader, HTML, and Tagged PDFs. Refer to the attached Alternative Formats for All Students guide.”
- Attach the student guide in modules where students may be accessing Ally for the first time.
- Link to the student guide before major reading assignments or content-heavy modules.
- Consider including suggestions on which formats would be more conducive to helping with heavy reading assignments, such as the BeeLine Reader, audio version, ePub, or Microsoft Immersive Reader.
- Provide information to students on where to find Alternative Formats for content items.
- Periodically remind students that alternative formats are available to all learners and can support different learning preferences and study strategies. Use language from messaging template #2.
Create Student Resources Content Folder/Module: to house all accessibility and Ally related resources and support links, create a separate content folder/module in your course that contains the following:
- Links to following internal offices: Disability Services/Accessibility Services, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Academic Services Center, Counseling Center, Health & Wellness Center, Student Activities, Library, any other pertinent resources.
- Link to Ally for Students Help Page .
- Instructor or Institution-created video demonstration of Ally’s Alternative Formats or link to one of the Ally for Students videos (specific to your institution’s LMS) on our help site: Watch Videos about Ally.
Demonstration of Ally’s Alternative Formats
As the individuals who communicate most directly with students throughout a course, instructors are uniquely positioned to promote Ally's Alternative Formats. A brief recorded demonstration can help students understand the available options and encourage use of tools that support different learning preferences and needs. Even if you plan to provide a live demonstration in a face-to-face course, sharing a recorded version allows students to revisit the information whenever they need it during the semester.
Pre-recording Considerations
Before creating your demonstration:
- Use a recording tool available at your institution, such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet.
- Log into your course in Blackboard before recording.
- Enter into student preview mode to ensure you are demonstrating the student experience.
Suggested Demonstration Components
The checklist below includes suggested components to include in your recorded demonstration.
- Show Students the Ally Icon: point out the Alternative Formats icon next to digital course materials in your LMS.
- Demonstrate the Process: click the icon, select an alternative format (such as audio, HTML, or translated text), and download the file.
- Highlight key benefits: explain how formats like audio files for on-the-go learning, OCR’d PDFs for screen readers, and BeeLine Reader for enhanced focus can help all students, not just those with vision impairments. If you are familiar with multiple formats, consider demonstrating several and discussing their primary use cases. If not, focus on the formats you know best and their benefits. Refer to messaging template #2 or Student Use Cases of Alternative Formats documentation .
- Encourage exploration: remind students that the alternative formats are available to all students and do not require permission, official accommodations, or a documented diagnosis to use.
Additional Tips
- Include captions for your video. If the video tool you have access to provides automatic captions, be sure to check them for accuracy as there may be errors.
- Consider attaching or linking the Ally Student Guide alongside the recording for additional support and step-by-step instructions.
- Sharing the recording: once your recording is completed, post it in your course and inform students it is there by way of announcement (and be sure to select the email this message to all students option as well to increase the likelihood that they will read the message!). If you created a content folder/module that houses all Ally and accessibility-related resources, this would be the perfect spot to include the demonstration recording.
Gather Student Feedback and Testimonials
Students often learn about campus resources and course tools from their peers. Sharing student experiences can increase awareness of Ally's Alternative Formats, illustrate their practical benefits, and encourage students to explore the options available to them. Consider incorporating student feedback in the following ways:
- Administer a brief student awareness survey to gauge awareness and understanding of Ally’s Alternative Formats. The survey could be launched after you’ve introduced Ally to students, mid-semester to see how they have used the alternative Formats, and or at the end of the semester. For example questions, please refer to our Sample Surveys for Instructors and Students , available in Ally’s Communication & Adoption Toolkit.
- Add a question to mid-semester or end-of-semester course surveys asking students about their experience with alternative formats.
- Create a short LMS discussion or reflection activity inviting students to share how they used alternative formats to support their learning.
- Request feedback after major assignments or exams to learn whether alternative formats were used during studying, reading, or review.
- Partner with disability services, academic support, or instructional technology offices to gather broader student experiences and success stories.
- Encourage voluntary testimonials by inviting students to share brief comments about how alternative formats supported their learning. Be sure to obtain consent, offer the option for anonymous participation, and explain how the testimonial may be used before sharing it.
Evaluating and Improving Awareness
Raising awareness of Ally Alternative Formats is an ongoing process. Periodically evaluating student awareness and usage can help determine which promotion strategies are effective and identify opportunities for improvement. Consider the following approaches:
- Review feedback collected through student surveys.
- Reflect on whether students are asking questions about alternative formats or demonstrating awareness of the available options.
- Review Ally usage data by working with your Ally administrator to obtain alternative format download statistics for a previous semester or specific timeframe. This data can help evaluate the effectiveness of your awareness efforts, identify trends in student engagement, and inform future promotion strategies. Comparing download activity before and after targeted awareness initiatives may provide valuable insight into their impact.
- Monitor participation in awareness activities, such as viewing recorded demonstrations or accessing linked resources.
- Revisit promotion efforts mid-semester and add additional reminders if student awareness appears low.
- Adjust communication strategies based on student feedback and course needs.
- Continue highlighting alternative formats at key points throughout the semester, such as before major assignments, exams, and projects.
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