Accessible Documents Tips

Key principles

Create a habit of using "Check accessibility" features whenever available
Use proper heading order
Make sure hyperlinks are descriptive
Add alternative text to all images that communicate essential information (or mark them as “decorative”)
Use simple tables only and make sure to set descriptive “headers”
Learn how to correctly convert a document to PDF (Portable Document Files)

Microsoft Word Document tips

Use easy to read fonts such as Arial and Times New Roman
Use Word’s built-in tools for ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists
Use colors that contrast well
Avoid using color as the only way to convey meaning
Use good heading structure by using the built-in Heading styles like “Heading 1” and "Heading 2”
Use meaningful hyperlinks that describe the link destination versus 'Click here'
Add alternate text for images and graphics
When using tables, identify which row contains the column headers

PDF Document tips

Accessibility should be built into a document before converting it to a PDF
Save a Word document as a PDF in the File menu and ensure the ‘Document structure tags for accessibility’ and ‘Create bookmarks using Headings’ options are selected
Adobe Acrobat Pro now contains a ‘Make Accessible’ option

Microsoft PowerPoint tips

Use built-in layouts. If you add your own text fields, the text you enter will not be accessible to screen readers
Use easy to read fonts, such as Arial and Times New Roman
Use the built-in tools for ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists
Use colors that contrast well
Avoid using color as the only way to convey meaning
Add alternative text for images and graphics
Ensure all text content appears in the outline view
All video content linked needs close captioning turned on

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