Welcome to Governors State University in Chicago's Southland

Blackboard Ally

Blackboard Learn Ally for Students is a powerful accessibility tool integrated directly into your Blackboard course environment. Its primary goal is to ensure that course materials are accessible to all students, regardless of their abilities or learning preferences. Think of it as your personal accessibility assistant, working behind the scenes to make your learning experience smoother and more inclusive. Ally automatically scans your course content, identifying and providing alternative formats for files such as PDFs, Word documents, and presentations. This means you can easily download materials in formats like HTML, tagged PDF, audio versions, or even use the "read aloud" feature, empowering you to engage with your coursework in a way that best suits your individual needs.

Quick Start
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Within each of your courses, you'll find a dedicated feature that unlocks a world of alternative formats for your course materials. Located prominently, you'll see an Alternative Formats button. Clicking this button is your gateway to a variety of ways to engage with your readings, lecture notes, and other documents, ensuring you can access and understand the content in a way that best suits your individual learning style and needs.
Open the to Ally Quick Start web tutorial to learn more.
Alternative Formats
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Within your Blackboard courses, you'll notice a small icon next to your files. Clicking this icon unlocks a suite of powerful features designed to make your learning journey smoother. You can explore alternative formats for your documents, including Immersive Reader, which offers a distraction-free reading experience with tools for focus and comprehension. If you prefer to listen, Audio versions are available, allowing you to learn on the go. For those who use Braille displays, Electronic braille is an option. You can also download files as ePub for e-readers, Semantic HTML for web-based viewing, or OCR PDF and Tagged PDF for improved accessibility and screen reader compatibility. Additionally, a Translated Version can be generated if you need to access content in a different language, and BeeLine Reader offers enhanced readability through color-coded text.
Open the Alternative Formats web tutorial to learn more.
FAQs
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We understand that navigating new tools and technologies can sometimes bring up questions, and Blackboard Ally is no exception. This resource is designed to provide answers to the most common inquiries students have about how Ally works, what its benefits are, and how it can enhance your learning experience.
Open the FAQs web tutorial to learn more.
Accessibility in Ally for Blackboard
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Anthology is deeply committed to ensuring that all our products and services are not only user-friendly but also readily accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities. This commitment is further reinforced by their adherence to the internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a principle that has long been a cornerstone of their leadership in this vital area, ensuring their offerings are built with universal access in mind.
Open the Accessibility in Ally for Blackboard web tutorial to learn more.

Student Ally

Quick Start

Alternative Formats

FAQs

Accessibility in Ally for Blackboard