Creating accessible Microsoft Word documents is relatively easy when you know what is required. Word also has a real time accessibility checker that alerts you to errors and provides accessibility warnings and tips.
Accessible Word documents should have the following features:
- Proper heading structure
- Properly formatted lists
- Image descriptions (alt text) for all non-textual/graphical elements
- Tables with header columns and rows (if present) specified
- Images that are inline with the text (if saving as Word documents and not converting to PDF)
- Descriptive hyperlinks (if intended for online delivery)
Using the accessibility checker in Microsoft Word
The Word accessibility checker indicates errors and warnings for items that may affect understanding or functionality for users with disabilities and provides and tips for making additional accessibility improvements.
PC
Older versions (some versions of Office 2019 and prior):
Step 1: Click File
Step 2: Click the Check for Issues button and select Check Accessibility
Recent versions (Office 2019 and more recent, Office 365):
Step 1: Click
