Creating Accessible Word Documents
Here are a few simple steps you can take to greatly increase the accessibility of your Microsoft Word documents.
Format text with headings
Using the built-in heading formatting in Microsoft Word makes a document’s structure more accessible to those using
screen readers. In an open Word document, highlight the text that is to be formatted and choose appropriate headings for topics
and sub-topics (e.g. Highlight the title of the document and click on the Title format option listed in the ribbon).
Heading Format Tools
Title
Heading 1
Tag images with alternative text
Adding alternative text will help make images within your document accessible. Follow these steps:
Right-click on
image and
select Format
Picture
Add in description
of image
Format lists
Using Word’s list format options, whether numbered or unordered, helps those using a screen reader be able to identify lists as lists.
Highlight text and choose best option for content.
List formatting tools
Simplify Tables
Avoid nesting rows and columns (creating a complex table) when possible as the table then becomes difficult to understand for
screen reader users. To make simple tables accessible, identify which row contains column headers and make the change described
below.
Highlight header
row of table and
right click. Select
Table Properties
Check box to
repeat as header
row at the top
of each page
Additional Resources
EDUCAUSE: ADA Compliance for Online Course Design
University of Washington: Creating Accessible Documents
For additional help with document accessibility contact Leslie Barton lb261@evansville.edu