Word Documents

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Overview

• Word documents are easier to modify for accessibility than PDFs

• Keep Word versions of documents to easily modify for accessibility issues and then convert to PDF again

• Convert PDFs to Word documents (if not a signed document), confirm the formatting, make accessibility updates and convert to a PDF again

Check Accessibility button

• Use the Check Accessibility button under the Review tab of the Ribbon to resolve issues.

• Keep this open to identify accessibility issues that pop up as documents are being created.

• There is also a link at the bottom of the checker panel that provides more information on accessibility features in Word.

What the Check Accessibility review checks:

• Color and Contrast –provides options to change colors for higher contrast

• Media and Illustrations –provides the ability to add alternative text or set as ‘just decoration’ (i.e. provides no meaning)

• Tables – helps to avoid missing column headers and with merging cells

• Document Structure – checks items such as headings and if they are nested correctly (H1, H2, H3, etc.)

• Document Access - evaluates document permissions

Word Resources:

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/make-your-word-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-d9bf3683-87ac-47ea-b91a-78dcacb3c66d

• https://www.section508.gov/create/documents/

Learning Resources

KLPM (search for course)

• How to Make an Accessible Document in Microsoft Word