Accessible Documents

Edit document properties

• Click File menu
• Choose Info
• Document properties are on the right
• Make sure the document has a title and author listed
  • Tags can help files be identified and found

Opening the Reading Order Pane

• Reading order is basically page 1 through the end, top to bottom, left to right
• To change the reading order means moving content around
• Not all screen readers acknowledge images - Words' Immersive reader does not read alt text or indicate there is an image.

Navigation Pane

• Click on review ribbon
• Click on the down arrow by Check Accessibility
• Click on Navigation Pane
• Allows an entire section (a heading and anything under that heading to the next heading of that same level) by moving content in the navigation pane

Existing Text

• Show the Accessibility Checker to see if there are any problems in your page
• If nothing is shown as a problem, all your text has enough contrast
• If there is a problem, click on the Color and Contrast issue
  • Options for either background or font color changes are offered
  • Choose one of the offered options or choose another color option yourself
    • Font, text highlighting, shape fill, and shape outline options are available in the Accessibiltiy ribbon

New Text

• In the font color option, turn on the High Contrast option to see only colors that provide adequate contrast against the existing background color 
• If you don't have the High Contrast option on, you can mouse over any option and a tip will show whether there is enough contrast or not 

Accessibility Checker

• Accessibility checker's Inspect without Color button turns the slide into shades of grey to see what it will look like to someone who is color blind

Adding Alt Text

• Right click on the image or table
• Select View Alt Text
• Choose one of these two options
  • Type a short description of the image
  • If the image is just decorative, click in that box
    • The decorative box can be used if there is an adequate description given in the text of the page, don't duplicate the information!
• If you choose the Alt Text issues from the Accessibility Checker, you will also have the option to let AI generate a description for you
  • Be sure to check the description as they can be very inaccurate

Tips

• Don't use images to convey information, just illustrate content given in the body of the document
  • Don't include the text in an image unless it is vital
• Make the alt text short, give necessary details but but don't include unnecessary information
• Explain the content and function of the image as quickly as possible
• Don't use "image of" or "picture of"
• If you use a diagram in a larger document, inlcude the diagram as an image rather than a group of items
  • For instance, include an image of an organizational chart or a flowchart to maintain proper reading order of the document
  • An alternate text based version may be linked rather than using a very long alt text

Headings

• Allow screen readers to provide an outline users can jump around
• Edit the look of the header if you want a header to look different

Change the look of headers

• From the home ribbon
• Click the expand arrow to show more styles options 
• Click Manage Styles 
• Highlight the heading you want to edit and click on Modify 
• Change the font, size, color, bold/italics/underline, alignment, line spacing, tabbing, etc. 

Line Spacing

• People with dyslexia often describe letters and words "swimming together"
• Use more white space to help limit this

Create more spacing between lines

• Use 1.5 or 2.0 row spacing
• Go to line spacing box on the Home ribbon, paragraph box 
• Choose spacing between rows 
• Add extra space between paragraphs using the "Add Space Before Paragraph" and "Add Space After Paragraph" options rather than using an extra <Enter>

Layout

• Use at least 1 inch borders
• Clear readable san serif font
• Use a font size of at least 10, some fonts need at least 12

Headers

• Row and column headers must be indicated in the table formatting ribbon

Banded rows or columns

• Banded rows or columns are rows or columns that alternate background color
• Helps visual users read the table by making rows or columns easier to follow
• Use table formats provided in PowerPoint, do not create your own
  • You can edit a table style to use your colors
  • Make sure color contrast still meets accessibility standards

Merged or blank cells

• Do not use merged cells
• Do not leave cells empty
• Repeat data if needed

When to use a table

• Use table to present data
• DO NOT use tables for layout
• DO NOT use one row tables

Best Practices

• Make sure the slide title describes what is in the table
• Provide a summary of the information contained in the text surrounding the table

Links

• Use a description of the link's content or the page title rather than "Click here" or "Learn more"
• Add ScreenTips that appear when your mouse hovers over a link 
  • In this example, SDSU is spelled out in a ScreenTip 

Lists

• Do not break a list up with something in the middle of it
  • If paragraph content needs to go in the middle of a list, try to reformat your content so the paragraph goes before or after the complete list
• Use a numbered list if the order of the list matters
• Use a bulleted list if the order of the list does not matter
• Use simple bullets rather than fancy images

Fonts

• Use familiar san serif fonts such as Arial or Calibri
• Avoid excessive use of all capital letters or italics
• If color is used to convey content, use a shape with it
  • For instance use a checkmark in a green box  to indicate one thing and an x in a red box  to indicate another
  • Include a legend of shape/color combinations

Watermarks

• Be cautious using watermarks that they do not create an issue with color contrast
• Make sure that watermarks do not disrupt a screen reader in an inappropriate place