When you develop a Microsoft Word file, you should constantly make availability and inclusiveness a top priority. Here are some basic rules and best practices you ought to follow to make your file more available to everybody, including people with impairments.

Table of Contents

Add Alternative (Alt) Text to Visuals

A screen reader, as the name suggests, reads aloud the text on a screen. As advanced as screen readers may be, they can’t understand the context of a graphic without the aid of alt text. When you add alt text to a things in Word, you allow screen readers to collect and read aloud the description, supplying aid to those with visual impairments.

Understanding which objects must consist of alt text is essential. If a graphic is strictly ornamental (like page borders), it’s safe to omit alt text, and you can mark the graphic as ornamental in Word. When you do, evaluate readers will let the user know that the item in concern is just for visual functions. You can also skip including alt text to tables, as screen readers are able to capture the content within those with no extra assistance.

You ought to add alt text to any visual that adds additional context to your file. This almost always consists of all:

Writing reliable alt text can take a little practice also. You want to make sure that you precisely explain the visual in a sentence or more (although a couple of thoroughly picked words can likewise do the trick).

Here are some general tips for composing great alt text:

Microsoft attempts to make it much easier for you by providing you the alternative to automatically add alt text to images, but you shouldn’t depend on this function. That’s like asking another person to compose your content for you, and you can’t ensure that the description will be precise. Own your content.

To add alt text to items in Word, click the image to select it, then click the “Alt Text” choice in the “Accessibility” group of the “Picture Format” tab.

The “Alt Text” pane will appear to the right of the Word document. Here, you can compose your own alt text, have actually Word produce a description for you, or mark the graphic as decorative.

Images aren’t the only media that’s used in Microsoft Word documents– videos can play an important role, too.

Include Closed Captions in Videos

Videos can be an excellent resource, but you need to make sure that the information in the video is available to everyone. This means adding closed captions for those who might have difficulty hearing and choose checking out the on-screen text.

Microsoft Word doesn’t have a built-in feature for adding closed captions to videos. This implies that if you developed the video yourself, you need to do things the old-fashioned way. You can use a full-screen editor (such as Notepad) to develop the closed captions, then conserve that file with the VTT extension.

If you’re connecting to or embedding a YouTube video, then it will (more than likely) currently have closed captions thanks to Google’s Speech Recognition that generates this text automatically. This will save you a little time, but these captions aren’t constantly precise. Try enjoying the video yourself utilizing the closed captions to see what your audience will be seeing. If the closed captions aren’t precise, think about connecting to another source.

Usage Meaningful Hyperlink Text

Users can avoid from link to relate to a screen reader, so it’s important that the hyperlinked text isn’t unclear. Simply put, if the text only states “click on this link,” “see more,” or something comparable, the user will not understand the meaning behind the link when the screen reader reads it back to them out of context.

If you’re able to do so naturally, it’s finest to use the location’s title in the text so that the user understands precisely what the link is.

Including links to images is not uncommon, either. This makes things hard for screen readers. If you need to include a link to an image, ensure that the image’s alt text describes the purpose and location of the link– not the image itself. For this factor, though, you must try to prevent using links in images whenever possible.

While the functionality and availability of links might take a bit of time, the benefit that it brings to your audience is well worth the financial investment.

Use Accessible Text Formats and Colors

When you insert a link in text, Microsoft Word adds a highlight by default. While you can get rid of the underline from the hyperlink, there’s a pretty good reason to leave it there.

When you utilize signs besides color, you make it easier for colorblind or aesthetically impaired people to understand the information you’re attempting to convey– whether it be understanding which text consists of a link, or using checkmarks and X’s rather of green and red to suggest that something is right or incorrect.

Furthermore, you’ll wish to make certain that the contrast between your text and the file’s background is sufficient. If you use a light color (e.g. light gray) on a white background, it will make your text tough to read.

Here’s an example of poor text/background contrast:

And great text/background contrast:

There are color-contrast checker apps readily available online that do a great task of letting you know if the contrast in your document suffices or not. You can just use Microsoft Word’s integrated Accessibility Checker tool.

Construct a Logical Document Structure

Constructing a sensible file structure simply means using headings, and utilizing them appropriately. One typical error that people make when trying to organize the various sections of their material is to simply resize the text and make it vibrant. This presents numerous issues, such as making it harder for screen readers to read and comprehend the structure of your material, not to mention that your document will not be appropriately arranged.

Word has actually a decently sized library of heading designs to choose from in the “Styles” group of the “Home” tab. If none match the style of your file, then you can alter the default heading designs.

However utilizing headings isn’t enough– you require to use them in the proper way. That suggests nesting the headings in a sensible order. Here’s how great heading structure looks:

And here’s an example of poor bad structure:

Additionally, you’ll want to use built-in formatting integrated when appropriate. If you want to make a list, then you can utilize the numbered/bulleted list feature found in the “Paragraph” group of the “Home” tab. This is chosen over typing a hyphen, including an area, and after that getting in the text.

Usage Table Headers and Simple Structures

In some cases it’s simply not possible to develop basic tables, but when it is, you should. Screen readers check out tables (which is why you do not need to include alt text to them) and keep up with the location by counting the table’s cells. When you nest a table within a table or use split cells, it makes it exceptionally difficult for the screen reader to keep track.

Screen readers likewise rely on table header details in order to identify columns and rows. You can include a header to your table. Click anywhere in the table and then, in the “Table Style Options” group of the “Table Design” tab, click the box beside “Header Row” to pick it.

Review Your Document with the Accessibility Checker

Microsoft Word’s Accessibility Checker scans your file and returns ideas for making your material more available. This consists of things like scanning images to make certain that they consist of alt text and making certain that tables are utilizing a basic structure.

There are some restrictions. The Accessibility Checker can’t inspect videos for closed captions, nor can it comprehend if you’re using color to convey information. Even after you utilize this tool, make sure to aesthetically scan your document as soon as before sending it out.

To utilize the Accessibility Checker, click the “Review” tab, then click the icon above “Check Accessibility” in the “Accessibility” group.

The results of the examination will appear in the “Accessibility” pane to the right of the document. Here, you can review the mistakes and warnings returned.

After you run the Accessibility Checker and it does not return any issues, give your file one last visual scan, and then it’s ready to be sent out.

Microsoft didn’t stop with Office– the business also offers various availability functions for its Windows 10 os, making the os accessible to everybody.

Here are some basic ideas for writing great alt text:

Microsoft tries attempts make it easier much easier you by giving providing the option choice automatically instantly alt text to images, but however shouldn’t should not on this featureFunction If you need to include a link to an image, make sure that the image’s alt text explains the function and area of the link– not the image itself. Furthermore, you’ll want to make sure that the contrast in between your text and the file’s background is sufficient. One common error that individuals make when attempting to arrange the different areas of their material is to simply resize the text and make it strong. Screen readers read through tables (which is why you do not require to add alt text to them) and keep up with the area by counting the table’s cells.