Making Your Microsoft Word Document Accessible

The linked text of a hyperlink should be unique and meaningful such that it clearly describes where the link will take the viewer. For example, “Annual Report to the Community” versus the generic “click here.”

Alternative text (Alt Text) must be added to all images and pictures

• Alt text should be descriptive and should describe the purpose of why the picture was added. It is not necessary to describe all elements of the picture, especially if the details are not important to your intended audience
• Alt text should be short similar to the way a tweet is limited to 140 characters.
• It is acceptable to use a phrase such asFor Decoration Onlyas your alt text.
• Sample Alt

To add alt text to a picture or image in an email:

1. Insert apicture.
2. Right Click theimage(Command Click on a Mac).
3. ClickFormat Picture.
4. ClickLayout & Properties.

1. Click theAlt Textarrow.
2. In theDescriptionarea under Alt Text, enterwordsto describe the purpose of the picture.
3. Press theEnterkey to save.

Important: Do not enter anything in theTitlefield.

使用样式和标题来组织文档并为读者提供导航点。Every document needs a Heading 1 at the top.

To add a Style or Heading:

1. Click in thetext.
2. Click theStylename on the ribbon.

Note: Headings and sub-headings must be in a logical sequential order, where Heading 2 comes after Heading 1 and so on.

Note: Do not use text boxes. Text boxes are not accessible.

Try not to have lists of only one item.

Best Practices for Accessible Tables

1. Avoid using tables in an email, especially if the tables are used only to format items into columns.
2. Do not merge tables cells.
3. Do not nest (i.e., insert a table within another table).

Headers

If a table is used, the column and row headers must be set.

1. Select thetop rowof the table.
2. Right click (Command click on a Mac) and chooseTable Properties.
3. Navigate to theRowtab.
4. Uncheck theAllow row to break across pagescheck box in the Options section.
5. Check theRepeat as header row at the top of each pagecheckbox.

Add Alternative Text

1. Navigate to theAlt Texttab
2. Enter a unique and meaningfulTitle
3. Enter aDescriptionthat briefly describes the purpose of the table

Clean Up

1. Deleteblank table rows(if applicable)
2. Enter Text into all cells, leavingno blank cells

Color must not be the sole method for providing information or emphasis. Instead, it is preferable to use bold, italic, or incorporate symbols, such as an asterisk. To make your text easy to read, use dark text on light backgrounds or light text on dark backgrounds. In technical terms, the contrast ratio between text and background must better than 4.5:1 in order to meet theWCAG 2.1 Level AA contrast standard.

Use a larger font size (11pt or larger), sans-serif fonts, and sufficient white space.