Student Ally Accessibility Tools

ITS has launched a new Blackboard feature called Ally that allows you to download your course files in different formats, like a MP3 or mobile-friendly version.

For assistance with Ally, please email the ITS Ally Support Team at ally_usc@usc.edu.

Choose Your Alternate Format

Learning Benefits for Alternative Formats

Looking for course content that fits your learning needs, your busy schedule, and your multiple devices? Alternative Formats transform your course files into different formats to help you learn better. Next to your course files, click on the down arrow and select “alternative formats” to see your options. The file may take a few minutes to download. Remember, the quality of the alternative formats can depend on the original, so check the original file if something doesn’t look right.

Find a Higher Quality Alternative

The readability of your course materials can affect your comprehension and study practices. If you notice the original course file is a scanned PDF that you can’t highlight, copy-paste, or keyword search, try the OCRed PDF for an editable, easier to read document. Or if the font of the original is hard to read, try the ePub format to customize the font and contrast.

Enhance Your Understanding

Did you know when you engage different senses- like reading a text and listening to a text- that you activate different parts of the brain, which can enhance your understanding? Try reading the Tagged PDF first and then listening to the Audio MP3 for review. Or, if you are struggling to understand the text, you might try listening and reading at the same time.

Improve Your Time Management

With your busy schedule, maximizing your time on task and study opportunities can help you reach your learning goals. If you’re reading on your mobile, try the HTML format for a file that’s responsive to your screen size so that you can read faster and with less distractions. Or listen to the Audio MP3 when you’re on the go for extra time reviewing your materials.

Become a Better Learner

Think about the best format for your learning context and objective, and include multiple formats in your study process. Keep a journal of the formats you use leading up to an exam or paper to discover how you learn best. For more information on the alternative formats, check out: https://tinyurl.com/AltFormatsStudents