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Ally is a new tool in Canvas courses that provides alternative formats for your course files. Alternative formats benefit all students by providing a greater opportunity to access the information you need in the way you need or want it.
![person presented with alternative formats icons - audio, HTML, PDF, and Braille.](https://servicedesk.mtu.edu/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=30ec1b09-fda0-4694-b123-bfce34bd4fd7.PNG)
For example, if you have a lot of course reading materials but you are an auditory learner or suffer from eye strain, you can choose to listen to an audio format of the file your instructor uploaded instead. Or, if the content is not in your first language, you can select a translated version for many document types. Simply choose the format or formats that best suit your learning needs!
Alternative formats are available with the original file so everything is in one convenient location. To access alternative formats:
- Find a file in your Canvas course.
- Select the alternative format link next to the file name.
![link to alternative formats in Canvas](https://servicedesk.mtu.edu/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=67ea10f3-f5c7-446b-ba9c-b5acbd9c5a8b.PNG)
- Choose the alternative format that is best for your needs.
![Alternative format selection screen](https://servicedesk.mtu.edu/TDPortal/Images/Viewer?fileName=ff424c68-fd4e-468a-b5d8-d20c0beaab41.PNG)
For more information please reference: Ally alternative formats for students.