Create Accessible Documents
Microsoft Word 2007
Cryssel Vera
cvera@csus.edu | 916-278-2847
Objectives
▪ To learn what accessibility elements are
needed to design an accessible Word
Document.
▪ To understand how to apply these
elements in your word documents.
▪ To create an accessible Word Document.
Accessibility Resources
▪ Accessibility Information for Instructors
▫ http://www.csus.edu/accessibility/instructors.ht
ml
▪ The CSU Accessible Technology Initiative
▫ http://www.calstate.edu/accessibility/
▪ Accessibility at Sacramento State
▫ http://www.csus.edu/accessibility/index.html
Accessibility Resources
▪ Professional Development for Accessible
Technology
▫ http://teachingcommons.cdl.edu/access/index.
html
▪ Accessible Instructional Materials Guides
▫ http://www.csus.edu/accessibility/guides.html
▪ Faculty Staff Resource Center
▫ http://www.csus.edu/irt/fsrc
What are Instructional Materials?
▪ Electronic Distributed Materials
▫ Syllabus
▫ Word Docs, PPT, PDF, WebPages
▪
▪
▪
▪
Textbooks
SacCT Course Content
Faculty Website Content
Videos and Audio…
Accessible Documents
▪ Documents that are designed and
structured to be used effectively by people
with disabilities.
▪ Can be accessed by assistive technology
devices/software:
▫ Screen Reader – JAWS
▫ Magnification Software – ZoomText
▫ Scan/Read – Kurzweil
▫ Assistive Technology Showcase Devices
Accessible Documents
▪ Other factors to keep in mind are:
▫ Content Language
▫ Learning styles
▫ Access to technology (specific software)
+
+
+
Digital Divide
HTML most accessible format, ubiquitous
Cross platform Formats (compatibility): .rtf, .html
Accessible Document Scenario
▪ Open Accessible Word Example
(Syllabus)
▪ Ease in Navigating Content when content
is accessible
▪ What does a blind user hear?
▫ Use JAWS: Ctrl + Alt + J - “Jaws for Windows
▫
is Ready”
Use JAWS keyboard commands
JAWS Basic Key Commands
▫ Insert + down arrow = Say All,
▫ CTRL = Interrupt Speech
▫ Insert + Up Arrow = Say Line,
▫ Insert + Left Arrow = Say prior word
▫ Insert + Right Arrow = Say next word
▫ Insert + F6 = List of Headings
▫ Insert + F7 = List of Links
▫ Insert + F9 = List of Frames
▫ Insert + F5 = List of Form fields
Accessibility Elements
▪
▪
▪
▪
Structure
Styles and Formatting
Alternative Text for Images
Descriptive Labels for Links
Accessibility Elements
▪ Simple Tables; Table Headers Identified
▪ Review with Assistive Technology
▪ Electronic Format – Multiple Formats
Source Document Structure
▪ How is your document organized?
▫ Contains a title?
▫ Contains different sections?
▫ Lists?
▫ Layout?
▫ Combination of text and graphics?
▫ Use of links?
▫ How should my document be read so that it is
coherent?
Styles and Formatting
▪ Use Styles and Formatting to Add Structure to
document: Home Tab > Styles Group
▪ A Style is predetermined formatting for text in terms of:
▫ Font type,
▫ Font size,
▫ Spacing,
▫ Indentation,
▫ Font color,
▫ Font purpose e.g. Heading, Paragraph, List
Apply Styles and Formatting
▪ Apply Heading Styles to:
▫ Section Titles
▫ Anything that would appear on a TOC
▪ Use Styles Group to format Headings
▫ Paragraph Group adds the look but not the
underlying structure!
▪ Format lists via Paragraph or Styles group
Exercises
▪ Go to:
▫
http://www.csus.edu/accessibility/dev/workshop.html
▪ Download: “Syllabus Make Me Accessible”
▪ Save To Desktop
WORKING WITH STYLES
Adding Heading Styles
No Existing Formatting Example:
▪ Place cursor in front of Document Title
▪ Select the Home Tab > Styles Menu > Styles Launcher
Button
▪ Select Heading 1
▫
▫
Title reflects style formatting for H1
Hover mouse over H1, note formatting details
▪ Add a Heading 2 style to next section title
▫
What is the next section title in the document?
Update Style to Match Selection
Existing Formatting Scenario:
▪ Place cursor in front of Third Section Title
▪ From Styles Menu locate Heading 3
▫
Notice current formatting details
▪ Right Click Heading 3
▪ Select “Update Heading 3 to Match Selection”
▫
Text retains original formatting but now has a Heading 3
Style applied.
Modify a Style
Modify Default Style Formatting:
▪ Modify Heading 1 to Tahoma, 16 pt., Bold
▫ Styles Menu > Heading 1 > Right Click
▫
or click
on drop down arrow> Select Modify Style
Make Changes under Formatting Area
▪ Modify Heading 2 to your choice
Modify Style Window
Properties: Style Name and Type
Formatting: Font, Paragraph, Border, Tabs,
Numbering, Paragraph Spacing, Text
Placement…
About Style Sets
▪ Default Style Sets in Word
▫
▫
Based on Normal.dotm MS Word Template,
11 Style Sets to Choose From
▪ Work from Default Style Set B&W
▪ Create a template(s) that contains all of your formatting
preferences to re-use for similar documents
▫
▫
Office Button > Save As > Word Template
Styles Group > Change Styles > Style Set > Save as
Quick Style Set
WORKING WITH FONTS
Use Readable Font
▪
▪
▪
▪
Font Size
Font Family
Font Color
Font Style
Font Family
Sans Serif
▪ Arial
▪ Tahoma
▪ Verdana
Serif
▪ Times New Roman
▪ Georgia
▪ Book Antiqua
Recommendation for Fonts
▪ Use the most readable fonts
▪ Sans Serif Fonts: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma
▫
Plain endings, no flared extensions, no extra
ornamentation, easier to read
▪ Serif, Cursive, Fantasy fonts
▫
Difficult to read, extra ornamentation, strokes at tips
▪ Limit the number of fonts used
▪ Avoid small font sizes (24pt min)
More Font Recommendations
▪ Availability of fonts across computer operating
systems?
▪ Use Real text vs. text within graphics
▪ Limit font variations such as bold, italics,
underline, all caps
▪ Don’t rely on font color, size, and overall font
look to convey meaning
▪ Avoid blinking/moving text
Font Style
▪
▪
▪
▪
Avoid using all UPPERCASE LETTERS
Italics are difficult to read on screen
Reserve Underline Text for Links
Use Sans Serif Fonts
WORKING WITH IMAGES
Add Alternative Text to Images
▪ Provide Alt Text Descriptions for Images
▫ MS Office 2003: Right Click > Format Picture >
▫
Web Tab
MS Office 2007: Right Click > Size and
Position > Alt Text Tab
▪ Concise and Meaningful Descriptions
▪ Avoid starting description with “Image of”
▪ Long Descriptions written next to image
Alt Text vs. Caption on a Mac
▪ Mac Users: Add Caption (no alt text tab
option) Ctrl + click > Insert Caption >
Figure 1…
▫ Caption appears below/above image, carried
▫
over into PDF/HTML
OpenOffice Word for Mac (add alt text option
available)
▪ Windows: Add Caption
▫ References Tab > Captions group > Insert
Caption. Appears below/above image.
Alt Text Tips
▪ Avoid Clutter
▪ Avoid using images as Background
▪ Decorative vs. Meaningful
▫ Decorative images most likely do not require
alt text.
Try it!
▪ Add Alt Text to the Image in Document
▪ Add a Caption to the Image in Document
WORKING WITH HYPERLINKS
Use Descriptive Hyperlinks
Descriptive Links:
▪ Sac State Home Page
▪ Meaningful to users of
screen readers
▪ Insert + F7 keystrokes
shows list of links in
document using JAWS
▪ Navigate content easily
Plain URL:
▪ http://www.csus.edu
▪ Not meaningful
▪ User can get lost
▪ List of URL’s not helpful
to navigation of content
▪ Can place URL next to
descriptive link (not
enabled) for print
purposes
Adding Descriptive Links
▪ Type a Descriptive Label for Link in
Document
▪ Select text > Right Click > Select Hyperlink
▫ Text to Display Box:
▫
Verify/Enter Descriptive
label
Address Box: Enter URL
▪ Click OK
▪ Test Link: CTRL + Click
Try it!
▪ Locate URL in document,
▪ Copy and paste URL into browser – take
note of page it opens,
▪ Convert URL into a descriptive labeled
link,
▪ Test link.
WORKING WITH TABLES
Accessible Tables
▪ Keep tables simple
▫ Screen readers read tables from left to right
▫ Avoid nested tables/complex
▪ Add Table Headers in Word
▫ Select Header Row > Right Click (ctrl +click on Mac) > Table
Properties > Row Tab > “Repeat as Header Row”
Adds TH (Table Header) tag
▫
▪ Add Long Description (Table Summary) below table if
necessary
Accessible Tables
▪ Do not allow rows to break across sections (Table
Properties),
▪ Do not use heading styles in table header cells,
▪ No mechanism in Word to identify Row header; only
Column Header,
▪ Modify cell margins instead of using “enter” key to create
space around content in table cells
▫ Select cells > table properties > cell tab > options button>.10 -.15)
Try it!
▪ Locate Header Row and Select it
▪ Add the Table Header tag
MULTIPLE FORMATS
Make Available in Electronic Format
▪ Word .doc, RTF, PDF, or HTML
▫ Word 97 – 2003 Document (Can be opened in
version 2007)
▪ First step in making document accessible
▪ Facilitates process to convert into
alternate formats
▫ Large print, Braille, mp3 audio etc.
▪ Saves Time
Make available in Multiple Formats
Portable Document Format “PDF”
▫ MS Office 2007:
+
Buy Adobe Acrobat Standard/Pro – Create PDF
Button
‾
‾
+
Acrobat Tab > Create PDF
Office Button > Save As > “Adobe PDF”
Install MS Office Add-in to Save Files as PDF/XPS
▫ MS Office 2003
+
Buy full Adobe Acrobat Standard/Pro to have Adobe
PDF Menu and “Convert to Adobe PDF” button
option
Recommendation for Mac Users
▪ Office for Mac
▫ Cannot create tagged PDF from Office on Mac
+
+
File > PDF
Add Tags in Adobe Acrobat: Review, Repair, Review
process…
▫ Use OpenOffice for Mac
+
File > Export as PDF > General Tab > select “tagged
PDF” checkbox
Multiple Formats
▪ Hyper Text Markup Language
“HTML”
▫ File > Save As > Web Page “Filtered”
▫ Filtered option does not carry over
▫
▫
unnecessary information
Carries over Alt Text, Table Headers, links
Edit in Dreamweaver or other web editor
Multiple Formats
▪ Rich Text Format “RTF”
▫ File > Save As > RTF
▫ Read across different word processing
applications
Try it!
▪ Convert into PDF
▫ Open in Adobe Acrobat and Check Tags
▪ Convert into HTML
▫ Open in Dreamweaver
Use Assistive Technology
▪ Use JAWS to Read Document
▪ Start JAWS: CTRL + Alt + J
▪ Use Shortcuts
Summary
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
Structure
Styles and Formatting
Alternative Text for Images
Descriptive Labels for Links
Simple Tables
Review with Assistive Technology
Electronic – Multiple Formats
Questions??
▪ If you have questions about this workshop,
please contact Cryssel Vera at:
cvera@csus.edu
Workshop Evaluation
▪ Locate Workshop Evaluation Icon on
Desktop
▪ Find Workshop Name Link, complete
evaluation
▪ Contact:
Cryssel Vera
cvera@csus.edu
278-2847