Documents

Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDFs

• Plain language
  What is plain language? Plain language is writing that is clear, direct and easy for your audience to understand the first time they read it. Its purpose is to make information accessible to everyone, including people with language barriers or cognitive challenges. Using plain language improves user experience and helps ensure your message gets across…
• Word-processing documents
  As you create word-processing documents or text files, use the following common practices to help ensure accessibility and usability for everyone. Descriptive file name Clear and concise content Headings and structure Headings help users quickly understand the information hierarchy to identify main points and topics. Heading styles also allow screen reader users to navigate content…
• Typography guidelines
  Typography involves arranging letters and text in a way that is legible and readable. Typefaces and fonts When choosing a font keep in mind that some font styles are inaccessible. Decorative fonts, fonts with overlapping characters or letters, and fonts where numbers resemble letters are generally inaccessible.  Additional resource Understanding Accessible Fonts and Typography for…
• Presentations
  As you create presentations, use the following common practices to help ensure accessibility and usability for everyone. Descriptive file name Clear and concise content Design and slide layout Color and contrast Readability and text formatting Accessible link text Accessible images and visuals Accessible audio and video Check for accessibility It is important to check the…
• Spreadsheets
  As you create spreadsheets, use the following common practices to help ensure accessibility and usability for everyone. Descriptive File Name Clear and Concise Content Accessible Link Text Color and Contrast Accessible Images Accessible Tables Check for Accessibility It is important to check the accessibility of digital content as you design, develop, or create it. The…
• PDF accessibility
  Does it need to be a PDF? PDF inaccessibility presents significant challenges and access barriers for people with disabilities. Before creating or uploading a PDF, consider whether the document needs to be a PDF. Whenever possible, web pages (HTML) are recommended over PDFs. Explore the PDF Decision Tree. If a PDF is necessary, all PDF…
• Headings and structure
  Headings help users understand the information hierarchy to identify a page’s or email’s main points and topics quickly. Heading elements (<h1>-<h2>) allow screen reader users to navigate content more efficiently by jumping to different sections and accessing desired information quickly. Clear and descriptive headings also help with comprehension and reduce cognitive load by breaking the text into…
• Accessibility checker: Color contrast
  Color contrast tools streamline the design phase by quickly assessing text legibility and ensuring adequate visual contrast. Many color contrast checkers are available online to help ensure your designs meet accessibility standards. Below, we’ve listed some well-known tools to help you get started, but you can explore others to find the one that best suits…
• Accessibility checker: Digital documents
  Check your documents for accessibility before sharing or converting to PDF….