Overview

This page will cover making accessible Microsoft Word documents and how to use the MS Word Accessibility Checker.

You have a choice as to how to engage with the material in this lesson. Remember, the key concepts are always addressed in the text. If you need more info or learn by watching, the videos and resources are great supplements.

Read About It
Watch a Demo / Video
Explore Resources on the Web

Read: Making Accessible Documents

Use Headings & Styles

Sighted viewers can scan a page and use visual cues like larger or bold text to find the section of a document that they want to read. However, for someone using a screen reader, these visual markups are useless - leaving them to navigate word by word from the start of the document or webpage until they find the section they want.

Using styles and headings will allow a screen reader to navigate from section to section, making for a more convenient experience for the user.

Highlight document title, select ‘Heading 1'.
Highlight section titles, select ‘Heading 2’.
Highlight subsection titles, select ‘Heading 3’.

screen cast showing how to add headings in word using the styles menu

Add Alt Text to Images

Right click on the image.
Select ‘Format Picture’.
Click on ‘Alt-text’ and type a description of the image.
If the image is purely decorative and you want a screen reader to skip over it, make sure to go in and check to make sure the file name is not listed as default alt-text. Instead, press the spacebar, then enter to create null alt text.

Note: Enter your alt text into the description field, not the title.

screen cast of adding alt text in Word

Use Formatted Lists

Use bulleted or numbered lists by using Word's formatting tools (not by typing the numbers or dashes yourself). Using the list formatting tool allows assistive technology to determine the length of the list and the reader can understand how the content is organized and how many items are on the list.

screencast of making a list in Word

Format Tables Appropriately

By default, assistive technology will read a table from left to right starting at the top. The relationship between the cells is not defined if it is not formatted correctly. Use MS Word's Table Tools editor to identify the different types of rows and columns.

To create an accessible table:

Add a caption for your table - select the table and right click to access the menu. (View step by step Instructions: How to Add a Caption to a Table)
Highlight the row that includes the category titles.
Right-click the row and select ‘Table Properties’.
Click the Row tab, and check the checkbox that says “Repeat as header row at the top of each page” (unselect "Allow row to break across pages.").

screen cast of adding caption and heading to a table in Word.gif

Spacing/Layout

Many people will use the tab key, space bar, and blank lines or text boxes to move text around and have it display just as they'd like. However, using these tools to format a document may cause accessibility problems. Here are some things to consider:

Columns

If you want to make columns, format them as columns. Do not put text on one line and use the tab key to move it over (a screen reader will read it one line at a time, not as columns).

screencast of making columns with the columns tool in Word

Extra Spaces

If there are a series of spaces in a document, someone may assume they've reached the end of a document (and it becomes a formatting nightmare if you add more text or change the font size). To avoid this, use the page break tool if you're trying to keep content on one page and use the increase and decrease indent tools to scoot text over (rather than tabbing or using multiple spaces).

screencast using the page break and indent tools in MS Word

Document Properties

One last, quick step is to go into the document properties (File > Properties > Summary) and fill out the title, author, subject (short description), keywords, language, and copyright status. This allows users to have a bit of information about the document without needing to open it. For someone using assistive technology, this can help limit the necessity of opening a document in order to determine if it's the one they're looking for.

The Accessibility Checker

This is a great tool to check your document for accessibility issues. Do not rely on this as a crutch - it will not catch everything. Also, this checker only works on docs saved as .docx.

PC Users:

In Word, go to File and click on 'Check for Issues'.
Select 'Check Accessibility'.
Any errors or warnings will appear in a panel to the right of the document.
Click on the error or warning. The Additional Information box will explain why this is a problem and how to fix the problem. Yippee!

Mac Users using Word 2016 or Word Online (Office 365):

In Word, select the 'Review' tab.
Select 'Check Accessibility'
Any errors or warnings will appear in a panel to the right of the document.
Click on the error or warning. The area below the Inspection Results box will explain why this is a problem and how to fix the problem.

Watch: MS Word Demos

Word Headings (3 mins)

This short video will demonstrate how to use headings in Word.

Word Headings

Word Images (1 min 30 sec)

A short video showing how to add alt text to images in Word.

Word Images

Word Color Contrast (1 min 30 sec)

A quick video on how not to use color in MS Word.

Word Color Contrast

Making a Microsoft Word 2010 Document Accessible (24 mins)

Very thorough overview and demonstration of the Microsoft Accessibility Checker.

Making a Microsoft Word 2010 Document Accessible

How to Make Accessible Tables (5.5 mins)

This video explains how to insert a table into your document. The techniques described will allow screen readers or other assistive technology to correctly read your table.

How to Make Accessible Tables

Using Styles in Microsoft Word (14 mins)

This video will show you how to use headings and styles. Additionally, this video shows how to change the styles - altering the look and format of your font and document in a quick and efficient manner.

Using Styles in Microsoft Word

Word 2013 & 2016: Creating Accessible Word Forms (14 mins)

This module covers all the parts of a form and how to make them accessible to those using a screen reader. It also gives you instructions on how to lock and unlock the form, so users can only fill out and delete information in the designated areas.

Word 2013 & 2016: Creating Accessible Word Forms

Explore: Web Guides for MS Word Accessibility

WebAIM Creating Accessible Word Documents - This is a great resource with instructions for creating accessible Word docs. It also links to instructions for older versions of MS Word (which do not have the same accessibility features).
Microsoft Support Website on Making Documents Accessible - This is not the most thorough resource, but Microsoft does provide instructions for the different platforms that you may be using for Word that are not included in the instructions above (Mac, iOS, Android, and online).
Handout: How to Create Accessible Documents - You can print this resource out and keep it on hand to be reminded of some of the most important steps for creating accessible Word documents.
Accessibility Checklist: MS Word - Another resource to keep on hand to make sure you're formatting your document correctly before distributing it.
..and for the Google Doc users:Make Your Document or Presentation Accessible