Word Document Accessibility: Creating Accessible and Inclusive Documents

About this event

Workshop Description Accessible Word documents improve readability, usability, and access for all users. This 90-minute workshop provides practical strategies for creating accessible documents in Microsoft Word, including using styles and headings to organize content, improving readability, adding alternative text and descriptive links, creating accessible tables, and using Word’s built-in accessibility tools to identify and address common issues. Participants will also learn how accessibility built into the original Word document can be preserved when sharing or converting the document into other formats, including PDF. No prior accessibility experience is required.

Topics Covered • Using Word’s built-in Accessibility Checker/Assistant to identify and address common accessibility issues

• Structuring documents with headings and styles to support navigation and logical reading order

• Applying best practices for fonts, color, and contrast to improve readability

• Adding meaningful alternative text to images and creating descriptive hyperlinks

• Creating accessible tables using table headers, summaries, and simple table structures

• Converting accessible Word documents into alternative formats, including PDF, while preserving accessibility

Technology Requirements: Participants are encouraged to use the current desktop version of Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 to participate in the hands-on activities. Recent desktop versions of Word may also be used; however, the location and appearance of some accessibility features may vary by version and platform.

Depending on your version of Word and Microsoft 365 updates, you may see either the Accessibility Checker or the newer Accessibility Assistant . Both can be used to identify and address accessibility issues during this workshop. Optional sample Word documents will be provided for participants who would like to follow along with the hands-on activities.