Accessible Word Document Creation Using Microsoft Word 2010

1. Accessible Word Document Creation Using Microsoft Word 2010

2. What is Accessibility? Accessibility can be defined by whether or not a document or web application can be used effectively by people with disabilities • Perceive • Navigate • Interact

3. Compatibility Mode

4. Headings • Headings are styles used for titles of sections. • Headings are announced • Appearance • Accessibility Mark-up • Hierarchy

5. Bad Example of Headers

6. Good Example of Headers This document is properly structured and is marked up with headers. Marking headers is important not only for visual purposes, but for assistive technology users as well.

7. Styles • Strong rather than Bold • Ordered lists • Unordered lists

8. Images • Alternative Text • Captions • Use of descriptive text surrounding the image • Old versions of Applications • Screen Readers • Images Off • Search Engines

9. Bad Example for Alternative Text There is no alternative text for the picture above. Users of assistive technology such as screen readers will not get any information from this image. When the screen reader selects the image it will just say “Image”.

10. Bad Example for Alternative Text There is alternative text for the picture above, however it is not very descriptive. If the purpose of the picture was to just represent a car, this would be fine, but if this were an ad highlighting the 2014 Chevy Camaro, this would be poor alternative text.

11. Good Example for Alternative Text The image above includes the alternative text “Red 2014 Chevy Camaro”. Users with assistive technology such as screen readers will hear “Image: Title – Camaro– Red 2014 Chevy Camaro”.

12. Null Alt Text Method It is preferred to include an explanation of the image in the surrounding body of text or caption. This way an image’s alternative text could be marked as null.

13. Links • Link text should tell the user where they are about to go and match in a meaningful way the title of the webpage they are linking to. • Link text should be descriptive enough to alert the user of where the link will take them • Links only view • Click Here, Here, More Info

14. Links Only View

15. Bad Example for Links The link text here is not informative. It does not tell the user where the target of the link is. It is preferred to make the link text more descriptive.

16. Good Example for Links To read more top stories go to the CSUN Home Page • Include what the link is for when creating hyperlinks Visit the Universal Design Center for more information about accessibility. • Sentence structure lets the user know what info will be presented by selecting the link

17. Table Structure • Visual Organization • Appearance • Important to included caption/description

18. Bad Example of Table Structure

19. Good Example of Table Structure

20. Color Contrast Examples Go to the Universal Design Center website to download tools to check color contrast for free Bad Color Contrast 1: White text on a turquoise background 2: Red text on green background 3: White text on pink background Good Color Contrast 4: White text on blue background 5: Black text on white background 6: Black text on yellow background

21. Word Accessibility Check • Dynamic checker – Runs while you edit • Error – Pertinent issues • Warning – Precautionary steps • Tip – Suggestions

22. Accessibility Check

23. Recap • Accessibility • Document Headers • Images • Links • Table Structure • Color Contrast • Accessibility Checker