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
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
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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Presentation Transcript
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
