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Accessible Documents

Accessibility Checker

Incorporated Accessibility Checker

Google does not have an internal accessibility checker

Free Accessibility Checkers

  • Grackle Docs Accessibility Checker is an add on
  • You can use a web checker but the entire webpage including non-document elements such as the Google Doc menu and command ribbon
  • You can download a document into a Word document and use the Word checker

What to look for

Document Properties

  • Google Docs does not have traditional properties but you can add metadata
    • Use Grackle for Docs add-on
    • Add metadata to a file in Google Drive
      • Click the three dots at the right of the file name and choose File Information

Reading Order

  • Google Docs reads from top to bottom, right to left and reading order is set automatically
  • There are limited options for changing the reading order in Google docs or Google slides

Color Contrast

Alt Text

  • All Google document types allow you to add Alt Text
  • Alt Text should be concise and descriptive

Headings/Layout/Structure

  • Google provides tools to provide appropriate structure
  • Formats provide various levels of headings
  • You can change the look of any format element to choose font, size, color, etc.

Tables

  • Tables should be used for data, not for layout
  • Column and/or row headers provide structure and allow both sighted and sight-impaired readers to understand the content of the table
  • Google's tables are not very good with screen readers even with column headings
  • It is generally recommended as of 2025 that tables in Google docs be avoided whenever possible
  • Use Grackle for Docs to help make tables more accessible

Other/Best Practices

  • Columns are accessible in Google docs
  • Be sure to use descriptive text for links
  • Bulleted and numbered lists are accessible in Google docs
    • Use bulleted lists when the order of items does not matter
    • use numbered lists when the order of items does matter