Using the Image Tool in DesignPLUS
How to use the Image tool to insert and style images to your course. You will also learn how to use the alt text input field to update an image's alt text.
Add an Image to Any Page
You can add an image or replace an existing image with the Image tool. The image tool also has many other options including adding style and alt text.
Navigate to Pages
Click + Page
Give the page a title
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the Rocket Ship icon in the top-right corner
Users should have updated the Legacy Design Tools sidebar to the new DesignPLUS sidebar.
Place your cursor in the editor where you want the image to go
Try to keep the larger text on a single line, but if you need to explain more, put it in the text below.
Click the Add New Elements tab if not already selected
Select Image from the Basic Content panel
This will insert an image placeholder at your cursor position. Note: You can also search for “image” or, if used recently, it may also appear in Recently Used Tools.
Select the image source where your image is located in the Edit Current Element tab
You may have to click the up arrow next to Change Image to expand the image options. You can choose from:
- User Images: Select the image to upload and embed the image in your Canvas page. If you are choosing an image file from a course other than the current course, you will be prompted to import the file into the current course. Select the destination and click "Copy to Course". This will import the file and update the image source path in the Rich Content Editor, so it is viewable by anyone in the course.
- Course Images: Use the search field or Folders/Filters dropdown to locate the file. Once you find your image from the course files, select it and the image placeholder will update with the image path to the original image.
- Primary images: Select "All Folders" to display course files and images.
Provide Alt Text or select image as Decorative
Alternative text provides information for an image if a user for some reason cannot view it (because of slow connection, an error in the src attribute, or if the user uses a screen reader).
(Optional) Click on Add Link to add a link to the image
Doing so will load the Link tool so that you can update the URL.
Use the Style panel to add borders, shadow, or round the edges
In the style panel you can adjust the dimensions of an image, float an image around text, and specify the maximum width settings.
- Image Alignment floats the image left or right, centers the image, or resets the image to the default alignment.
- Fill Container Width fills the entire width of the container with the image. Max Width Fill will display an image at a set width. The image will be responsive and will reduce in size as your students’ browser size decreases, but it will never expand beyond the size set. This is helpful for images that are not high resolution and may become pixelated as your students’ browser size increases.
- Border Options applies the selected border to the image.
Click Save to keep your changes
Add Alt Text to Any Image (Using the Image Alt Checker)
The DesignTools Sidebar also provides a panel where you can update alt text (alternative text) for all images embedded on a page. Alt text is an alternative (non-visual) way to describe the meaning of an image. Alt text should be specific and not overly descriptive. Good descriptions are concise, but describe what's in your images accurately enough to understand their context.
Navigate to Pages
Select the page you want to review for Alt Text
Click Edit
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the Rocket Ship icon in the top-right corner
Users should have updated the Legacy Design Tools sidebar to the new DesignPLUS sidebar.
Click on the Accessibility/Usability tab
Select Image Alt Checker from the Accessibility panel
The Image Alt Checker interface renders a list of all images found in the page contents. A red border is used to flag any image alt text that should be reviewed.
Scroll through your images to set alt text or mark as decorative
When image alt text is updated, the red borders and warnings will be removed.
Click Save to keep your changes
Add a Caption to Any Image
You can use the DesignTools Sidebar to add an image with captions. Captions allow to you add additional information to an image or better describe what is happening in the photo. An image caption is different from alt text in that it displays on the screen. Alt text is read aloud to someone using assistive technology but is hidden from a sighted user.
Navigate to Pages
Click + Pages
Give the page a title
Launch DesignPLUS by clicking on the Rocket Ship icon in the top-right corner
Users should have updated the Legacy Design Tools sidebar to the new DesignPLUS sidebar.
Place your cursor in the editor where you want the image to go
Click the Add New Elements tab if not already selected
Select Image & Caption from the Basic Content panel
This will insert a placeholder for an image and caption at your cursor position.
Select an image from the Edit Current Element tab
When image alt text is updated, the red borders and warnings will be removed.
Enter your caption text from the Content Panel
When image alt text is updated, the red borders and warnings will be removed.
(Optional) Adjust the caption appearance and settings in the Style panel
Once your image is added, you can use the Style panel to set your Caption Style and Border Options.
Click Save to keep your changes
When image alt text is updated, the red borders and warnings will be removed.