Creating Accessible Word Documents: Best Practices and Guidelines
Ensure your Word documents are accessible by using proper heading structure, styles, lists, alternative text, color contrast, and multimedia elements. Learn how to create accessible documents for everyone to read and understand, making information easily navigable for assistive technology users.
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WORD DOCUMENT ACCESSIBILITY Documents than everyone can read and understand.
What makes an accessible word document Heading structure by using styles List structure Alternative text Data table basic Appropriate link text
What makes an accessible document continued Color use Color contrast Document title Plain Language and Fonts Columns Multimedia (audio and video)
Styles & Heading Structure Styles create document structure Styles menu can be accessed by Home tab -> styles menu -> click on the icon in the bottom right corner. Headings H1-H6 *Styles or document structure allows for the document to be navigated by assistive technology in an efficient way.*
Lists and Columns Columns help break up the layout of a page full of text Lists are ordered (numbered) or unordered (bulleted)
Alternative Text (Alt Text) Alt Text describes the content or function of an image The following elements can hold Alt Text Pictures Illustrations Images of text Shapes Charts SmartArt Embedded objects Alt Text is necessary for anything that conveys information Alt Text needs to be concise and meaningful
Alt Text capture meaning Article about photography Close up, greyscale photography of a man outside, face in focus, unfocused background. Article about a TV-series Star of the show, Adam Lee, looking strained outside in the rain. Alt-texts: The Ultimate Guide - Axess Lab." 15 Oct. 2017, https://axesslab.com/alt-texts/.
Alternative Text in Word To access the Alt Text in Word Application Menu (right click on picture) Format Picture (left click) Layout and Properties (third icon) Describe the image in the description box. Do not use the title box.
Data Table - BASIC Tables are used to display data in an organized way When using tables in word make it simple No merging or splitting cells Always insert a table or use the graph paper to create your table DO NOT draw a table Table property settings Right click on the table Left click table properties Under the row tab, uncheck allow row to break across pages Under the row tab, check repeat as header on the top of each page
Appropriate Link Text Confusing Link https://montech.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/mtdb/account_request.asp Helpful Link Text Create a MonTECH account Bitly.com https://bit.ly/2IwpfX8
Link Text To set appropriate link text Go to the insert tab and click on hyperlink Highlight the words you want linked (ex. Create a MonTECH account) and right click. Then click on hyperlink Once you are in the hyperlink box enter the text to display and the address then click ok
Color Contrast Color contrast is the difference in perceived brightness between two colors The terms typically used are foreground and background The minimum color contrast is 4.5:1 Tool: Colour Contrast Analyzer Logos are exempt from color contrast
18:1 The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog 4.5:1 The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog 2.8.1 The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog 1.5:1 The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
Plain Language Before When the process of freeing a vehicle that has been stuck results in ruts or holes, the operator will fill the rut or hole created by such activity before removing the vehicle from the immediate area. After If you make a hole while freeing a stuck vehicle, you must fill the hole before you drive away.
Sans serif means without the decorative line USE THIS NOT THAT Courier Arial Verdana New Century Schoolbook Tahoma Palatino Calibri Times New Roman
Built in Microsoft Accessibility Checker Microsoft Word has a tool that will help you check the basic accessibility of your word document The accessibility checker is a place to start - it is not always right and can make the novice worry about things that are unnecessary
Word Built in Checker This tool checks against three sets of possible issues Errors Content in the file makes it very difficult or impossible for someone with a disability to use Warnings - Content that in most (but not all) cases makes the document difficult to understand for people with disabilities Tips - Content that people with disabilities can understand but that could be presented in a different way to improve the user s experience
