Creating Accessible Word Documents: Best Practices and Guidelines

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
Lists 
are ordered (numbered) or
unordered (bulleted)
Columns 
help break up the layout
of a page full of text
Alternative Text (Alt Text)
The following elements can hold Alt Text
Pictures
Illustrations
Images of text
Shapes
Charts
SmartArt
Embedded objects
Alt Text describes the content or
function of an image
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
Colour Contrast Analyser
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
Only Color Conveying Meaning
Adding Title in Word
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
U
S
E
 
T
H
I
S
Arial
Verdana
Tahoma
Calibri
N
O
T
 
T
H
A
T
Courier
New Century Schoolbook
Palatino
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
File…Save As…PDF
Slide Note

Learning to use word the way it was intended. These tips are tools to make using word easier and the bonus is its also accessable.

Why it is important, color blindness, screen reader, dyslexic (there is special font, use less words), cognitive delay (easy to understand, bullets), organizational delay

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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.

  • Accessible documents
  • Word accessibility
  • Document structure
  • Inclusivity
  • Assistive technology

Uploaded on Oct 02, 2024 | 0 Views


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  1. WORD DOCUMENT ACCESSIBILITY Documents than everyone can read and understand.

  2. What makes an accessible word document Heading structure by using styles List structure Alternative text Data table basic Appropriate link text

  3. What makes an accessible document continued Color use Color contrast Document title Plain Language and Fonts Columns Multimedia (audio and video)

  4. 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.*

  5. Lists and Columns Columns help break up the layout of a page full of text Lists are ordered (numbered) or unordered (bulleted)

  6. 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

  7. 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/.

  8. 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.

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. Colour Contrast Analyser

  14. 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

  15. Only Color Conveying Meaning

  16. Adding Title in Word

  17. 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.

  18. Sans serif means without the decorative line USE THIS NOT THAT Courier Arial Verdana New Century Schoolbook Tahoma Palatino Calibri Times New Roman

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. FileSave AsPDF

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