Do I need to remove the table I used on my Canvas page to arrange icons with links to make the information visually appealing for students?
Answer
Not necessarily — it depends on how you built and labeled the table.
Using tables for layout only (to arrange icons, buttons, or images) is discouraged in accessibility standards, including those applied to Canvas, because screen readers interpret tables as data structures. That can make navigation confusing for students using assistive technology.
You have a few options:
- If it’s a data table (actual rows/columns of information), keep it — but make sure it has proper headers and captions.
- If it’s just for layout (arranging icons/links), it’s best to switch to Canvas design tools that support accessibility, such as:
- The Design Tools (CIDI Labs, if your institution has it) for button or card layouts.
- Canvas’s “buttons” or image links (images with alt text, placed inline).
- A simple list of icons with links styled with spacing for visual appeal.
If you must use a table for now, you can mitigate issues by:
- Setting role="presentation" if HTML editing is available (removes the “data” semantics).
- Ensuring each icon/link has descriptive alt text.
- Avoiding merged cells or unnecessary row/column headers.
So: you don’t strictly have to remove it, but replacing layout tables with accessible design patterns will future-proof your course and make it easier for all students to navigate.