It is important to keep in mind that accessibility is not a feature to be added after
the design of your content. It is a set of principles to be considered throughout
the design process.
When creating content, there are a few basic steps that should be followed in order
to assure your content is accessible. The core steps needed for accessibility are
the same regardless of whether your document is in Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint,
Adobe PDF, or another document format:
Use headings
Use lists
Use meaningful hyperlinks
Add alternate text to images
Identify document language
Use tables wisely
Understand how to export from one format to another
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights is proud to announce a video series covering a variety of topics on digital access
in education, including how people with disabilities use technology, applicable Federal
regulations, and identifying and remediating barriers to access. Whether you are
in the educational field or not, these videos have wide ranging coverage for those
who want to know: What makes technology accessibile for individuals with disabilities?
And how can I make my side or platform more accessible?
Microsoft Word is a commonly-used application among individuals with a variety of
disabilities, and is reasonably accessible. The text within Word documents can be
read by assistive technologies such as screen readers and Braille devices. However,
in order for Word documents to be fully accessible, authors must follow several core
principles. Please see the Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word for basic steps to implement these core accessibility principles.
Resources for Microsoft Word
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