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Making Documents Accessible

Learn why making documents accessible is important, the common elements of accessible documents, and how to implement accessibility using Adobe Reader, Google Docs, and Microsoft Office. Understand the significance of meaningful alternative text, headings, links, and more.

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Making Documents Accessible

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  1. Making Documents Accessible By Wes Majerus, Iowa Department for the Blind

  2. Why Make Documents Accessible? • In many cases your accessibility changes can make the document easier to read for everyone. • Your patrons will appreciate being able to get access to your information no matter how they read the document. • It is the law for State and Federal agencies.

  3. Common Document Elements • Images • Tables • Form Controls • Headings • Links • Data conveyed by color

  4. Images • Are everywhere in the world. • Can either be decorative or informative. • Should be described with Alternative Text. • Many platforms allow you to do this.

  5. Meaningful Alternative Tags • If the image is decorative, like a border or separator, the alt text should be empty, or contain a space. • Screen readers sometimes read the file name of the image without alt text. • Less is more. • The words “Picture of”, “Image Of”,, etc. are redundant in the text. • If the image is actionable, such as a link or button, the alt text should describe the action, not what the image is. • A house taking you to the home page should just say “Home or “Home page.

  6. Tables • Should be created using the creation tool’s Insert Table function. • Should not be used to lay out the text; only for data. • Headers should be in the same table as data and should be in the first row or column. • Example: television schedule with the times across top and channels in left column.

  7. Form Controls • Most common types are radio buttons, checkboxes, edit fields, and dropdown lists. • Use the platform’s labeling function to give the control a meaningful name. • For grouped controls like radio buttons and check boxes, make sure question is read aloud. • Ensure that edit controls have meaningful labels.

  8. Headings • Serve to break the document into sections. • Should be created through the heading styles in the creation platform, not just by font changes. • Sections of the document should be denoted by increasing heading numbers. • Limit use of heading 1 to the main content beginning.

  9. Links • As mentioned, image-based links should have alternative text stating where the link goes or what it does. • “Click Here” is not a meaningful link name. • In-text links should not be vague when read out of context. Example, the word “This” in a sentence is the only link text.

  10. Content conveyed by color alone • Should be avoided at all costs. • This affects those who are color blind and those using the computer with a screen reader that doesn’t read color automatically.

  11. Implementation using Adobe Reader • The most important aspect with Adobe is ensuring the PDF is Searchable. • This allows screen readers to access text. • Use the authoring tools styles function to create headings. • Many authoring tools let you right-click on a photo/graphic to add alternative text. • Adobe has documents available for credating accessible forms. • Use authoring tools’ functions to create data tables with column and row headers denoted or in the first row or column. • Meaningful link text can be added

  12. Google Docs • Google Docs allows for the creation of headings through the Styles selection by highlighting desired text and switching from normal. • Google allows for the insertion of Tables. • Right-Click photos to add alternative text. • Google Forms allows for the labeling of controls.

  13. Microsoft Office • Office is unique because it contains an Accessibility Checker. • This will point out areas that might be inaccessible. • Headings are accessed through the Styles menu, or by pressing CTRL+Alt+1, 2, or 3 after highlighting text. • Use the Insert Table function to create an accessible table. • When making Word forms, use the Legacy Form Controls as they are more accessible. • Right-click images to add alternative text. • Saving office Docs as PDF will carry all of these attributes over.

  14. Resources • Making Documents Accessible in Acrobat Pro: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html • Making Documents Accessible in Google Docs: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6199477?hl=en&ref_topic=6039805 • Using the Office Accessibility Checker: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/use-the-accessibility-checker-to-find-accessibility-issues-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f

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