12 Making MS Word Documents Accessible

Use Headings

Use built-in heading styles to create a consistent structure and to help screen readers navigate the document. Go to the “Home” tab and choose a heading style from the “Styles” group.

Add Alt Text

Provide alternative text for images, charts, and other graphics. Right-click the image, select “Edit Alt Text”, and enter a description of the image.

Use Lists

Use the built-in list features to create ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists. Go to the “Home” tab and choose the list style from the “Paragraph” group.

Ensure Proper Color Contrast

Use sufficient contrast between text and background colors to ensure readability. Use tools like the Color Contrast Analyzer to check contrast ratios.

Check Accessibility

Use the Accessibility Checker tool in Word to identify and fix accessibility issues. Go to the “Review” tab and select “Check Accessibility”.