Creating Accessible Documents: Tools, Tips & Best Practices

While the most accessible location for your content is directly on a web page, sometimes documents are unavoidable or even preferable for user experience. Whether you're preparing a syllabus, a fillable form, or a report, making your documents accessible ensures they can be understood and navigated by everyone, including people using assistive technologies like screen readers.

Accessibility Principles to Follow

No matter what tool you use, these principles form the foundation of accessible content:

• Use structured headings for easy navigation and screen reader compatibility
• Write in plain language to increase comprehension
• Use lists and tables properly—don’t simulate formatting manually
• Add descriptive alt text to all meaningful images
• Ensure strong color contrast for readability
• Check accessibility using built-in or external tools before sharing
• Use meaningful link text replace raw URLs like 'https://louisiana.edu' with descriptive links: Visit the University Website
  • Read our blog post on "Click Here" links

Save your PDF Accessibly

Before saving your Word document as a PDF:

• Add Document Title and Properties
  • Go to File → Info → Properties
  • Complete the Title, Author, Subject, and Keywords fields
• File → Save As → PDF → Options
  • Check “Document structure tags for accessibility”

OR

• File → Export → Create PDF/XPS → Options
  • “Document structure tags for accessibility”
  • “Create bookmarks using Headings”

Optional Enhancements in Word

To make your Word document as accessible as you can:

• Set Language: Review → Language → Set Proofing Language
• Use Simple Layouts: Stick to single columns when possible
• Label Form Fields: If using forms, ensure all fields are clearly labeled

Key Tools and Accessibility Checkers

Even if you’re new to accessibility, built-in tools can walk you through fixing common issues:

Microsoft Office Accessibility Checker

• Available in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Go to Review → Check Accessibility
• Instantly identifies issues like missing alt text, improper heading structures, and color contrast problems

Grackle Docs (for Google Workspace)

• Add-on for Google Docs available in Google Workspace Marketplace
• Offers real-time accessibility feedback and step-by-step guidance for improvement

PAVE PDF Checker

• Available as a web application
• Watch a tutorial on how to use PAVE
• Start your PDF check with PAVE

Screen Readers

If you're curious about how your efforts pay off, there are free resources you can utilize to test your documents: 

• Built-in Read Aloud feature in the "Review" menu of your Word document
• NVDA is a free, open-source screen reader for Windows that is compatible with Microsoft Office applications
• Apple VoiceOver is built into all Apple devices
• Windows Narrator is a free basic screen reader that is pre-installed on Windows machines
• ChromeVox is a free screen reader built into Chrome OS for Chromebook users
• Orca is a free, open-source screen reader for Linux systems
• TalkBack is Google's free screen reader for Android devices, widely used on mobile phones and tablets

Further Learning & Reference

Want to go deeper? These resources offer gold-standard guidance:

• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
• WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
• The A11Y Project
• MDN Web Docs – Accessibility
• Available Courses on document accessibility:
  • Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s Self-paced Course: Accessibility in Microsoft Word for PC
  • Oklahoma ABLE Tech’s Self-paced Course: Accessibility in Microsoft Word for Mac
  • Minnesota IT Services Accessible Word Document Training
  • Minnesota IT Services Accessible PDF Training