Currently
sending 'email' inside Canvas is not fully accessible. That is because
the Canvas Inbox is considered a 'messaging feature' and not a full
email client. Here we will review what is missing from the Canvas Inbox
that could make your messages inaccessible and provide alternative
solutions if those missing features are needed for your message.
The Canvas Inbox is not built with a Rich Content Editor (RCE) and is functionally a "lite" email system. It is not recommended to rely solely on Canvas Messaging to communicate with students as many of the core accessibility features for organizations are not available.
Unavailable in Canvas Inbox - RCE Features
Formatted lists
Listed elements should be formatted as list items - bulleted or numbered
Descriptive hyperlinks
If you are sharing URLs that lead students to external resources or course materials, they should be shared via descriptive hyperlinks and not the full URL.
If you have a lengthy message or need any of the above features in your message, you need to utilize an alternative way of sending that to ensure it remains accessible.
If the message should be for the full class, it is recommended to post announcements and to do so using the RCE accessibility features available in Canvas Announcements.
If the message is for a single student, then it’s best to email them directly to both their personal and their student email addresses* and to do so using email accessibility best practices.
Note that students, or others accessing the course, can opt to adjust their settings inside Canvas to not receive message notifications thus they would not know there is a new message for them in their Canvas Inbox. While you can turn off the notification for announcements, it is not possible to opt out of seeing announcements posted in a Canvas course shell.