Text Formatting in Canvas: What is it?

The following page was created to highlight the importance of text formatting which includes using paragraph styles, list styles, and adding hyperlinks, but, more specifically how to modify content within the Rich Content Editor (RCE) in Canvas for items such as Announcements, Pages, Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussion boards/posts. While this page focuses primarily on improving Canvas content, the core tenets shared also apply when creating content in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

Canvas RCE

When editing Canvas content, the layout you see may appear different than what is shown in the screenshots below depending on the size of your device and browser window.    

You may or may not see the three stacked dots or “More” icon on the far right side of the RCE toolbar. The “More” icon only appears when the toolbar cannot be displayed in its entirety.

Purpose of Text Formatting

Headers are an important organizational tool; they help students better understand the main points of each section and allow your students to skim the page. Headings define the structure of the document or content page.

From an accessibility perspective, headings are an absolute necessity so students using screen readers can navigate through content. WebAim recently conducted a  survey investigating the browsing habits of screen reader users; over 75% reported that they use headings ‘always’ or ‘often’ to navigate web pages. When headings are used correctly, they allow individuals to move through the information based on the heading topic rather than line-by-line. The use of headings is also a great way to ‘chunk’ material into digestible pieces for students and prevents cognitive overload.

Using the Text formatting options in Canvas

The first eight options of the RCE Toolbar are dedicated to text formatting and allow you to do the following to the text you’ve selected:

• change the size and styling (i.e. Headings)
• add or remove bold, italics, and/or underline
• select a text or background (i.e. highlight) color
• add or remove superscript or subscript

Caveats Pertaining to Text Accessibility

• Avoid emphasizing or differentiating text with an underline. Because underline is used to indicate links, users might think the underlined text is a link. Convey emphasis instead by the tone of your writing and the words you choose.
• Italicized text is difficult for dyslexic readers because the letters have a jagged line compared to non-italic fonts and also lean over making it hard to make out the words. When the text is small, it’s even more illegible. A better way to emphasize text is to use bold text which is clearer and gives better contrast. However, keep in mind that screen readers do not distinguish between regular and bold text.
• Color use and contrast are important to ensure readability. Do not rely on color as the only means of conveying importance. We will cover color contrast and reliance in more detail later in the course.

Copying & Pasting

When copying & pasting text into your course it is best to ‘Clear Formatting’ before structuring your course content to prevent weird spacing and formatting. The ‘Clear Formatting’ icon is in the last section of the toolbar between the “Increase Indent” and “Table” options. Alternatively, it is at the bottom of the Format menu list (located above the toolbar) in Canvas.

Trouble Spots

1. Mistakes in the phrasing of headings. Choosing descriptive headings and making sense to all students requires time and thoughtfulness, but is well worth the effort. 
2. Manually creating headers with formatting features such as font size, bold, and underline may look nice, but these formatting features don’t have the HTML tags that screen readers need to identify them as headers. (e.g. Underlined text denotes a hyperlink). Underlining your text may confuse sighted users, who will expect the text to then link them to other content.
3. Nesting or Semantic Structure; be sure your headings are in order. Never skip heading levels.