Overview
This article is for university faculty, staff, and students to create and share accessible Word documents. It explains why Word is a good format, provides best practices, and provides how-to documentation to help Word documents meet digital accessibility standards.
Making Word Documents Accessible
It is required that all digital content meets digital accessibility standards. Microsoft Word is the recommended format for internal documents shared within the university. Word documents are generally more accessible, easier to update, and better for collaboration than other formats. Word has accessibility tools like heading styles, alt text, an accessibility checker, and more. Word also includes settings to restrict permissions or share files as view-only. All students, faculty, and staff have access to Microsoft 365 tools through the university’s license.
Best Practices
To help make Word documents accessible, follow these best practices from the Microsoft Word Accessibility Quick Card by the Minnesota IT Services Office of Accessibility. Note: It's recommended to use the desktop version of Word for access to all accessibility features.
Quick Summary
- Use readable, high-contrast text. Choose easy-to-read fonts and ensure strong contrast between text and background, such as dark text on a white background.
- Apply built-in heading styles. Use Heading 1, Heading 2, and other built-in styles to create a clear structure that screen readers can navigate.
- Add alternative text to images and graphics. Provide complete alternative text for images, charts, and other visuals so the information is available to users who cannot see them.
- Do not rely on color alone to communicate meaning. Make sure instructions, status indicators, and important messages are understandable without depending only on color, size, shape, or location.
- Write descriptive link text. Use meaningful hyperlink text that tells users where the link leads, rather than raw URLs or phrases like “click here.”
- Keep tables simple and clearly labeled. Use tables only for data, include clear headers, and avoid merged or split cells whenever possible.
- Use formatting tools instead of blank spaces. Avoid adding extra tabs, spaces, or blank lines for layout. Use paragraph spacing, alignment, and other formatting tools instead.
- Create true bulleted and numbered lists. Use Word’s built-in list tools so that assistive technologies can identify and read lists correctly.
- Run the Accessibility Checker before publishing. Review the document with Word’s Accessibility Checker and address any flagged issues before sharing the file.
Training
More Resources
Manage Access to Your Word Documents