Add, Delete & Move Content

Descriptions

When you create an assignment, discussion, or quiz, there is a place to add instructions or a description. You see this description when looking at the module. You can also add these descriptions/instructions on the module page. You can also add descriptions for any activity (including links) within the module. Select the down caret next to the item and then select Edit properties in place (be brief) OR use Bulk Edit.

This method lets students see the description/instructions before opening the item.

Discussions

When you add a prebuilt discussion to Brightspace Content, you can add/link the forum or the topic, but it is preferred to link the topic because any instructions you wrote in the description area of the topic will appear on the module page. If you link the forum, that description will appear. In addition, topics have due dates and grades. 

Dates

When you add Start dates, End dates, and Due dates to assessments or activities, the dates populate the schedule (calendar). Use Bulk Edit to add or modify dates. Be sure to click the blue Done Editing button to save your changes.

Use the Basic 4 to ensure Accessibility

Four techniques improve the accessibility of your course content for students with disabilities. They are:

1. Document Structure (headings, lists, tables with headers, text/background contrast, and descriptive links)

   • Headings: Use Heading 2 for titles in the Descriptions area and Heading 3 in assessments.

   • Lists: Don’t type numbers in lists. Use list icons to provide structure for screen readers., e.g., “1 (pause) McDonalds. 2 (pause) Burger King…”

   • Tables: Avoid tables in Brightspace. 

   • Contrast: Avoid red/green and low-contrast text/background combinations.

   • Descriptive links: Do NOT paste the destination URL. Always use text as links. Consider the URL http://www.londontoylibrary.co.uk. Visual users often interpret intended breaks between words, so the URL is interpreted as “london”, “toy” and “library”. Those using a screen reader will hear the URL letter-by-letter, which is unintelligible. So ALWAYS use text as links, such as “London Toy Library” (Wild, 2014).

   • Watch How to add a link to a Drive file to Brightspace (2:12)

2. Alt text for pictures (a written description that appears when the picture does not or can be read aloud by a screen reader)

3. Accurate, properly captioned videos (correct words and captioned synced to the video)

4. Accessible 3rd Party Resources (publisher resources, YouTube or Vimeo videos, external websites)