Panorama is a useful starting point for identifying accessibility issues in Canvas, but not every flag means that additional remediation is needed. Some issues represent actual barriers, some are verification checks, and some may be false positives. When a false positive persists, there may also be a workaround—such as reprocessing or re-uploading the file—that can clear the incorrect flag without changing content that is already accessible.
Understanding the difference can help you focus your time where it has the greatest impact on student access.
1. Fixes That Change the Actual Content
Some Panorama fixes change the Canvas page or the file itself. Examples include:
- Adding or correcting alt text
- Updating document properties
- Correcting headings or structure
- Remediating a file in its native application
- Replacing an inaccessible file with an updated version
Because the underlying content has changed, these improvements should persist when the course is copied or imported.
What if the flags come back after importing?
Unfortunately, we have documented times where a structural fix did not persist. Interestingly enough, the file itself met all the accessibility requirements, but Panorama glitched and kept showing the old errors.
In this case, the workaround fix to ensure the fixes stuck was to download the file (even right there in Panorama) then delete the file from Canvas and wherever it was linked, and then re-upload the accessible version.
Watch this 15-second video: Download the Source File from the Panorama Accessibility Report
Allow the report to run again to verify it is accessible – ignore the minor issues. Recall, we are working for students to be able to access and use our content – not perfection.
2. Verification Checks That May Reappear
Other Panorama findings are really requests to verify something rather than change it.
Examples may include:
- Confirming reading order
- Confirming that captions are accurate or human-generated
- Reviewing an item that cannot be fully evaluated by an automated checker
These findings may appear again when Panorama rescans the material or when content is copied into another course because there may be no permanent change to the underlying file for Panorama to detect.
If you have already verified that the material is accessible, you may not need to repeat the same verification simply to remove the flag.
3. False Positives or Incorrectly Identified Issues
Automated accessibility checkers are not perfect. Panorama may occasionally identify an issue that is not actually an accessibility barrier.
We recently encountered this with PowerPoint color contrast. A file was being flagged for insufficient contrast even though the content met contrast requirements. When Panorama tested the same file in their own environment, they were not able to reproduce the issue, which suggests the problem may sometimes be related to how a particular file has been processed in Panorama rather than to the file itself.
If this happens:
- Verify the issue in the native application or with another appropriate accessibility tool.
- Reprocess the file in Panorama and check the report again.
- If the issue remains, delete the file completely from Canvas and re-upload it, then review the new accessibility report.
- If Panorama continues to flag an issue you have verified is not a true barrier, stop attempting to remediate otherwise accessible content and contact me so we can document the issue and follow up with YuJa.
The goal is to correct actual accessibility barriers, not to keep modifying accessible content solely to remove an automated flag.
When Is It Okay to Stop?
There comes a point when it is appropriate to stop remediating and accept the score.
You can generally stop when you have:
- Investigated the issue Panorama identified.
- Verified the material using the native application or another reliable accessibility tool.
- Determined that the flagged issue is not a true accessibility barrier.
- Confirmed that students can perceive, navigate, understand, and participate with the course material as intended.
The goal is not to eliminate every automated flag. The goal is to remove barriers that prevent students from accessing and participating in learning.
A lower score caused by a verified false positive or repeated verification item is very different from a lower score caused by an unresolved accessibility barrier.
Use Panorama as a Guide
Panorama should help you decide where to investigate, not determine accessibility by itself.
For files such as Word documents, PowerPoints, and PDFs, the most reliable workflow is to use Panorama to identify potential issues, remediate the material in its native application, and upload the corrected version through the Panorama Accessibility Report. This replaces the existing file rather than creating duplicates.
If Panorama continues to flag something that you have independently verified as accessible, resist the urge to keep changing it simply to improve the score. Send me a message so the issue can be documented and, when appropriate, investigated with YuJa.
See Using the Panorama Accessibility Report to Remediate Files for a short video demonstrating the recommended workflow.
