Accessible Syllabus Template
A syllabus is often one of the first course materials students encounter, making it an excellent place to model accessible document design. An accessible syllabus helps students more easily find, read, navigate, and understand important course information.
This template is designed to help you create a clear, structured, and student-friendly syllabus while following accessibility best practices.
What Makes This Template Accessible?
This template includes accessibility best practices such as:
- Built-in heading styles for easier navigation with screen readers
- Clear section organization with consistent spacing and readable formatting
- Accessible tables and lists where appropriate
- A structure that supports conversion to other accessible formats, such as PDF
When customizing the template, preserve the built-in styles whenever possible. For example, use Google Docs heading styles instead of manually changing font size or bolding text to create section headings.
How to Use the Template
After making your own copy, you can:
- Replace placeholder text with your course information
- Add course policies, grading details, schedules, and contact information
- Remove sections that do not apply to your course
- Add new sections while continuing to use accessible formatting
- Share the syllabus in Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or as a Canvas page
Keep Accessibility in Mind While Editing
Accessibility can be unintentionally removed during editing—for example, when pasting content from another document.
Use built-in formatting tools whenever possible, including:
- Heading styles
- Bulleted or numbered lists
- Descriptive hyperlinks
- Proper table structure
- Alt text for images
How the Template Link Works
The template uses a Google Docs copy link, which means you will create your own private copy rather than editing the original file.
- Select the template button above
- Choose Make a copy in Google Docs
- Save the new copy to your Google Drive
- Rename the file for your course
- Edit and share as needed
If you are not signed into Google, you may be prompted to sign in first.