Canvas’ Rich Content Editor

Understanding the powers of the RCE in Canvas will enable you to craft information to your students in not only a visually compelling way but also encourage engagement with your content while offering clearer information. 

The following Canvas features use the Rich Content Editor:  Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages, Quizzes and Syllabus. 

Menus [1] 

Menus are listed above the toolbar where you can find the all features available in the RCE. *Note: There are some less common features only available in the menus and not the toolbar.  

Toolbar [2] 

Buttons on the toolbar are condensed and grouped by related function. Clicking the down arrow next to buttons, similar to the Apps & Integrations button [4] reveals a fuller list of choices. 

Integrations [3] 

The buttons for Panopto and Office 365 are featured as top-level buttons in the RCE. Additional integrations are available by clicking the External Apps & Integrations button [4]. Clicking View All [5] reveals a full list of available integrations. Click on the title of the app from the popup menu to select it. *Note: Recently used apps/integrations will be listed in a quick-list under the plugin button.   

Status Bar [6]

The status bar under the menu is where you can find the Accessibility Checker [7], the Raw HTML Editor mode button [8] and a button to go Fullscreen [9]. Note: A Keyboard Shortcuts reminder is also available in the Status bar area.  

Condensed Toolbar

Important to note: If your screen is too narrow to show the entire toolbar, Canvas will compact some of the items into a More button at the end of the toolbar. Click the More button to see the rest of them. 

More About the Accessibility Checker in the RCE: 

The Rich Content Editor supports multiple accessibility features for easy creation of accessible content: 

• • The Rich Content Editor includes an accessibility tool that checks common accessibility errors within the editor. This tool can help you design course content while considering accessibility attributes and is located in the Rich Content Editor menu bar. Learn how to use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor. 
  • Alt text should be added when embedding external images. Learn how to embed images from the web in the Rich Content Editor. 
  • Headings for table columns and rows can be changed in either the Rich Content Editor or the HTML Editor view. 

Sources/adaptations: 

• What is the Rich Content Editor? 
  • How do I add and modify text in the New Rich Content Editor as an instructor? 
  • How do I upload and embed an image in the New Rich Content Editor as an instructor? 
  • How do I embed media files from Canvas into the New Rich Content Editor as an instructor? 
  • How do I create hyperlinks to external URLs in the New Rich Content Editor as an instructor? 
  • How do I add or edit details in an assignment?