Word Best Practices for Accessibility

Microsoft Word Best Practices for Accessibility
(3-Hour)

This session builds upon the basic skills of Microsoft Word users to expand their knowledge in creating accessible MS Word documents. You will learn how to properly format your document, what fonts, and other accessibility frameworks to consider. Students will review the use of styles and why they are important for accessibility. We will cover accessible table best practices and what to avoid. We review best practices for properly structuring columns and rows for easy remediation. We cover the features of the MS Word Accessibility Checker, what it will catch, how to fix the errors and what you will need to manually review.

Creating Accessibile Content

• What makes a Word document accessible
• The proper use of styles
• Selecting accessible fonts and font sizes
• Picking a palette that passes color contrast rules
• Setting document information
• Working with TOC, Header/Footers, and Columns
• Adding alt text to images, charts, and graphs
• Accessible use of hyperlinks and floating text boxes
• Creating and using accessible tables

Accessibility Special Considerations

• Avoiding tables for layout purposes
• Working with footnotes, math equations, and "Smart Art"
• Using the Tool Panels
• Running the Microsoft Accessibility Checker

Handouts:

• Microsoft Word Accessibility Checklist (3 pages)
• Microsoft Accessibility Checker Walkthrough
• 10 Tips for Writing Accessibly
• Tips for Writing Effective Alt Text