Creating Accessible Content

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

For more information, please read the Overview of Accessible Documents

You can also view the guides below for students and instructors.

Accessibility Guide for Students

Accessibility Guide for Making Content Accessible

Creating Accessible Digital Content

Creating Accessible Documents in Word

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