Microsoft Word (Word) is one of the most popular word-processing programs and is easy to use. However, even the most professionally created Word documents could present challenges to people with disabilities. People with disabilities might find it hard to use Word documents if it is not designed to be fully accessible using assistive technology.
Here are seven useful tips to help you create Word documents that everyone, including persons with disabilities, can easily access.
Use Headings
People with visual impairments often use screen readers to access Word documents. They cannot visually scan the documents for headings and subheadings as we do. It’s why you need to structure your documents with headings.
You should assign Heading 1 for the main title and Heading 2, Heading 3, and Heading 4 for subheadings. The headings should be ascending (should start with Heading 1), and you should complete all heading levels in between. Also, make sure your titles are clear and descriptive so that users can understand each section and choose to go through it or skip it.
Use Alt Text on Images
If the images you use in your documents contain important information or provide context to the content, you should add alt text to describe the image and its function and purpose. You can add alt text to pictures, charts, infographics, shapes, and a wide range of other visual content.
Avoid Tables
Tables can make Word documents harder to navigate – particularly for those who use a screen reader. Wherever possible, you should avoid tables and use short paragraphs with subheadings or present the content in any other way. If you must use tables, there are steps you can take to make them more accessible for those with visual impairments.
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Use table headers.
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Do not use split cells and merged cells.
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Do not leave any cell blank.
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Include headers and column names.
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Make sure the table can be magnified so that people who use a Magnifier can access it easily.
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Make sure the table renders properly on handheld devices like tablets and phones.
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Avoid nested tables (tables within tables).
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If a table is too large and too complex, break it into multiple smaller tables.
Use Easy-to-Read Fonts
Choosing the right font can make your Word documents easy to read and understand. Novelty fonts like Sybil, Lucida Blackletter, Chiller, and Monotype Corsiva should be avoided altogether, as they can make it harder for people with low vision to read and understand the content. Sans serif fonts like Arial and Calibri are the best fonts for improving the readability of documents.
In addition to choosing the right font, you should avoid using italics, underlines, and strikethrough text styles as much as possible, as they can affect the legibility and readability of the document.
Color Contrast
Word documents can be challenging to read if the foreground color (the font color) is too similar to the background color. To increase the contrast between two colors, you can change the font color or background.
Black font on a white background – the default setting in Word documents – is generally considered the best combination to improve the readability of documents. If you want to change the color, you must ensure that the contrast ratio between the foreground and background colors is optimal. You can do so by using the Color Contrast Analyzer – a free downloadable app that can analyze your document and tell you whether the contrast ratio is optimal.
Descriptive Hyperlinks
Avoid hyperlinks with URLs (the address of the webpage you link to), shortened URLs (shortened versions of URLs), or random texts like ‘click here’ or ‘find out more’ as they do not provide context to where the link is directing the user.
Add hyperlink texts to provide a brief description of the destination (the website you will be redirected to if you click on the link) so that people who use text-to-speech or screen reader tools can understand the function and purpose of the link.
Use the Accessibility Checker
Apart from making the earlier changes to your documents, you can use the Accessibility Checker to identify all the accessibility and readability problems in your documents. The tool can identify all the issues with your documents and provide recommendations to fix the issues. By taking all the actions recommended by the tool, you can improve the accessibility of your documents to a significant extent.
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