What is Ally?
Blackboard Ally is an accessibility tool that integrates with UQ's Learning Management System, Blackboard Ultra, to help staff understand and tackle accessibility issues in Ultra courses.
Blackboard course accessibility tools offer a range of functionality to improve the accessibility of Learn.UQ (Blackboard) courses including:
- Alternative formats: advanced machine learning algorithms automatically provide students with access to a range of alternative formats. For more information, refer to the Alternative Formats guide.
- Review accessibility scores and improve accessibility: course content is automatically checked and scored based on accessibility and detailed guidance is provided for instructors on how to fix the identified issues. For more information, refer to the Review accessibility scores and improve accessibility guide.
- Course accessibility report: an interactive report on course content accessibility to help drive accessibility improvements at a course and institution level. For more information, refer to the Course Accessibility Report guide.
How was this project initiated?
The Blackboard Ally deployment project was initiated by the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI) to support the university's commitment to create an inclusive, equitable, and accessible learning environment for all students and staff, particularly across digital learning spaces and course content.
What is the objective of the project?
The objective of this project is to develop a deeper understanding of Blackboard Ally through testing and feedback gathered during the early adopters program. These insights will help inform a change management and adoption strategy to support broader university-wide adoption.
What is happening?
Summer Semester, 2025 - Ally enabled in all courses
Blackboard Ally was be enabled in all courses during Summer Semester, 2025.
Semester 1, 2026 - Early Adopters program & promotion of Alternative formats
Early Adopters
An early adopters program is running during Semester 1, 2026 for two key groups:
- Course Coordinators and students from a small number of courses chosen to reflect a range of teaching contexts and content types.
- Learning Designers across each faculty who are undertaking course development or redesign for Semester 2, 2026 courses.
Workshops, briefings and check-ins will be held throughout the semester for early adopters, with feedback being gathered at the end through a survey and focus groups.
Promotion of Alternative formats
The availability of automatically generated alternative formats for Blackboard course content will be promoted to students through multiple communication channels and digital signage. The Library included information on the tool in their Introduction to Learn.UQ (Blackboard) workshop at the start of Semester 1, 2026.
Semester 2, 2026 - Change management campaign
Based on learnings from the early adopters program, 'Blackboard Ally' is being rebranded as 'Blackboard course accessibility tools' and will be promoted to teaching staff through a targeted change management campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to drive university-wide awareness and adoption through strategically timed communications, the delivery of workshops and the promotion of course accessibility resources, including a video case study with Ally Early Adopter, Dr Paul Vrbik.
Promotion of alternative accessible formats for students will be handed over to the Library, while academic staff will be encouraged to use Blackboard course accessibility tools to identify and address key recurring accessibility issues in their courses, rather than focusing on increasing their accessibility score overall.
Communications
Staff communications
- Email from SSWS to all students with a SAP:
- 16 January 2026: Alternative formats are now available in Blackboard
- TBC: Accessible formats for Learn.UQ course content (planned)
- Digital signage circulating on alternative formats available for students
- 16 February - 13 March 2026: Accessible formats for Learn.UQ course content
- 20 July - 17 August 2026: Accessible formats for Learn.UQ course content
- UQ Life newsletter:
- 27 July 2026: Alternative formats for Learn.UQ course content (planned)
Student communications
- Teaching and eLearning News newsletter:
- 25 November 2025: Blackboard course accessibility tools article
- 2 February 2026: How accessible is your Blackboard course content?
- 16 February 2026: Accessible formats are available for Learn.UQ course content
- 20 July 2026: How accessible is your Blackboard course content?
- 3 August 2026: Declutter your Learn.UQ course
- UQ Update newsletter:
- 24 November 2025: Blackboard course accessibility tools
- regular presentations to the Learning Design and eLearning Update forum
- 26 February 2026: Invited Dr Jason Cullen to present on accessible document design strategies
- 30 April 2026: Ally project update
- 25 June 2026: Ally project feedback update
- 30 July 2026: Early Adopter Jonathan Dawson presenting on Ally and AI Conversations
- Updates to the Learning Design and eLearning community through Microsoft Teams:
- 12 November 2025: Ally Early Adopters for Learning Designers - Semester 1, 2026
- 2 December 2025: Ally Early Adopters for Learning Designers - Semester 1, 2026
- Direct communications to key stakeholders
- 25 November 2025: email to all Summer Semester Course Coordinators
- 25 November 2025: email to all Associate Deans (Academic)
- 6 February 2026: Microsoft Teams post to Directors of Teaching and Learning
Resources and training
Completed
- change management resources for staff teaching Summer Semester and Semester 1 2026 courses:
- Word document containing an example Learn.UQ announcement and example text
- PowerPoint presentation containing slides for staff to include in their first lecture to help explain alternative formats to students
- Blackboard course accessibility tools staff guides have been created
- Getting started with Learn.UQ student guide now includes information about Ally alternative formats
- Course Accessibility Tools (Blackboard Ally) workshops for Learning Designers, Faculty eLearning Advisers and eLearning Support
- 24 November 2025: eLearning Support team workshop
- 25 November 2025: Faculty eLearning Advisers workshop
- 2 December 2025: Learning Designers workshop
- 10 December 2025: Learning Designers workshop
- 17 February 2026: Ally Early Adopters LD Workshop
- Course Accessibility tools (Blackboard Ally) workshops and presentations for teaching staff
- 5 February 2026: Presentation to the School of Biomedical Sciences, EDI committee
- 9 February 2026: What's New in eLearning presentation for Ready to Teach Week
- 11 February 2026: Learn.UQ Course Accessibility tools workshop
- 13 July 2026: What's New in eLearning presentation for Ready to Teach Week
- 14 July 2026: Learn.UQ Course Accessibility tools workshop for Ready to Teach Week
- New Ultra Tips and Tricks workshop has been created and includes information on Blackboard Ally
- 15 July 2026: Ultra Tips and Tricks workshop for Ready to Teach Week
- Learn.UQ UItra Basics workshop has been updated to include information on Blackboard Ally
- 17 February 2026: Learn.UQ Ultra Basics workshop
- 7 July 2026: Learn.UQ Ultra Basics workshop
- 14 July 2026: Learn.UQ Ultra Basics workshop for Ready to Teach Week
Planned
- Video case study with Ally Early Adopter, Dr Paul Vrbik
- update the Learn.UQ Ultra Basics self-paced online module to include Blackboard Ally
FAQ's
Do I need to do anything to generate alternative formats?
No, Blackboard Ally will automatically generate a range of alternative formats using advanced machine learning algorithms for all content uploaded to your Blackboard Ultra course. If you upload a new content item, you may need to wait a short time while the alternative formats are generated.
Why can't I see the alternative formats icon or accessibility score for my Ultra document?
You will need to click on the course document to view it first. The A icon for alternative formats and the accessibility score will be displayed in the top right of the course document, unlike files directly uploaded to your course where they are displayed next to the item on the Content page.
Can students see the accessibility score for all course content?
No, students can only see the option to download alternative formats and will not see the accessibility score for course content.
Who can access the Course Accessibility Report?
Only staff enrolled in the course as an Instructor, Teaching Assistant or Course Builder have access to the Course Accessibility Report through Books & Tools. Markers, Students and Guests do not have access to the report.
What type of content does Blackboard Ally scan for accessibility?
Blackboard Ally scans the following file types for accessibility:
- PDF files
- Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files
- OpenOffice/LibreOffice files
- Uploaded HTML files
- Image files (JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF)
- WYSIWYG/VTBE content
- YouTube videos embedded in WYSIWYG/VTBE
Note: Content that is hidden from students is still scanned by Ally, including items in hidden folders or learning modules.
Ally deployment project team
Role | Member | Organisational Unit / team |
Project Manager | Ailsa Dickie Manager, eLearning Designers and Advisers | ITaLI, eLearning Systems and Support team |
Change Manager | Iliria Stenning Senior eLearning Designer and Adviser | ITaLI, eLearning Systems and Support team |
| Technical Lead | Lucinda Ramsay Application Support Specialist | ITaLI, eLearning Systems and Support team |
Ally Early Adopters
Learning Designers
Course code(s) | Learning Designer(s) | Faculty |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT3022 | Dr Amy Chan | HMBS |
| LAWS2220, TOUR7031, BSAN7213, BSAN7209, ACCT3106, TRVT3004 | John Raiti, Fiona Stroud, Evangelene Dickson and Manomay Chaskar | BEL |
| SPAN1010, SPAN2010 , SPAN3330, SLAT7805, SLAT7852, WRIT1001 | Alicia Gazmuri Sanhueza | HASS |
| PHYS1001 | Jonathon Dawson | Science |
| N/A | Emily Russell | EAIT |
Course Coordinators
Course code | Course title | Course Coordinator | School | Faculty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSSE1001 | Introduction to Software Engineering | Dr Paul Vrbik | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science | EAIT |
| LAWS7724 | Current Issues in International Law | Professor Paul Harpur | UQ Law School | BEL |
| LING2010 | Phonology | Dr Kathleen Jepson | Languages and Cultures | HASS |
| STAT2003/7003 | Mathematical Probability | Associate Professor Yoni Nazarathy | Mathematics & Physics School | Science |
| SLAT3001 | Cognitive and Social Aspects of Bilingualism | Dr Anna Mikhaylova | Languages and Cultures | HASS |
| CRIM1000 | Introduction to Criminology | Associate Professor Suzanna Fay and Amy Templar | Social Science | HASS |
Contact
If you have any questions regarding the Blackboard Ally Deployment project, please contact the project team: projects@elearning.uq.edu.au