Document Accessibility

Document accessibility ensures that everyone, including people with disabilities, can access and understand your content. Disabilities that may impact document use include visual, auditory, cognitive, and motor impairments. By making documents accessible, you improve usability for a wider audience and comply with accessibility guidelines.

Key Tips for Creating Accessible Documents

Make your source documents (Word, PowerPoint, InDesign, etc.) accessible before exporting them as PDFs. This approach allows for easier updates in the future while maintaining accessibility. Here are best practices to help you create accessible documents:

PDF Accessibility

Checking PDF Accessibility

Ensuring PDFs are accessible requires a combination of automated tools and manual checks. Automated tools like Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker can help identify some common issues, but automated checkers can only catch around 30% of accessibility errors. View the PDF Accessibility Checklist for steps to ensure PDF accessibility.

PDF Accessibility Checklist

PDF Remediation Workflow

If you find errors in your PDF, follow these best practices to correct your document.

  • If you have access to the source document, it is always best to make changes there and re-export the PDF to retain accessibility properties.
  • If you do not have access to the source document, manual remediation is required, involving time-consuming adjustments that will need to be repeated every time a new PDF is created.
  • Always aim for a source file-based workflow for greater flexibility.

Creating Accessible PDFs

  • Always use built-in tools to mark headings, lists, and tables and to add alternative text to images.
  • Save your PDF with accessibility tags by using tools like the Acrobat PDF Maker or “Save As” with appropriate settings to ensure the document is best for electronic distribution and accessibility. Do not print to PDF!

Best Practices

  • Write in plain language, using short sentences and simple words.
  • Organize content into logical chunks using headings, lists, and paragraph banners (blocks of color highlighting important sections).
  • Use accessible fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri) in at least 12-point size and avoid excessive use of italics.
  • Only use underline formatting on text that functions as a link to prevent confusion.
  • Avoid using all capitals, especially for continuous text, and ensure sufficient space between paragraphs.

Correcting Common Accessibility Errors

Use the following guides to identify and correct common accessibility errors in your source documents:

General Document Accessibility Tips

Headings

Headings, like H1, H2, and so on, organize content logically and make navigation more accessible, especially for screen reader users. When headings follow a structured hierarchy, it helps users understand the content’s flow and navigate effectively.

Example of Accessible Heading Structure:
  • H1: Document Title
    • H2: Section title
      • H3: Subsection Title
      • H3: Subsection Title
    • H2: Another Section Title

Tables and Lists

  • Use simple table structures with proper headers. Avoid blank cells, as they can mislead screen readers.
  • Avoid merged or split cells, as they break the association with the table header cells.
  • Use bulleted or numbered lists to break down complex information, enhancing screen reader usability.

Images and Alt Text

  • Place images at the end of paragraphs or inline with text to maintain a logical reading order. Avoid using text wrapping, as it pulls the image out of the logical reading order, requiring adjustments in the PDF.
  • Provide meaningful alt text that conveys the purpose of the image, and mark purely decorative images as decorative to allow screen readers to skip.
Example of Good and Bad Alt Text:
Good Alt Text:
  • “Students in a classroom, with a smiling student holding a green bag in the foreground.”
    • Why it’s good: Brief but provides key details about the image’s context and focus.
Bad Alt Text:
  1. “A classroom.”
    • Too vague.
  2. “A woman sitting at a desk.”
    • Misses key details and context.

Hyperlinks

  • Use descriptive link text to clearly indicate the destination, and maintain the underline to ensure visibility for users with visual impairments.
  • Example: Instead of saying “Click here for our services,” use “Learn more about our web accessibility services.”

Use Color Thoughtfully

  • Color should never be the sole method of conveying important information, as some users may have difficulty perceiving certain colors. Use additional visual indicators, such as text labels or symbols, to provide clarity.
  • Ensure text has sufficient color contrast against its background to be readable by users with visual impairments. Tools like the Colour Contrast Analyser can help evaluate color contrast (available in Company Portal for Windows 11 users).
  • Avoid relying on color alone to indicate form errors or required fields. Instead, use symbols (e.g., an asterisk) or text to provide additional cues.
Color Contrast Examples:
Two 'Submit' buttons showing contrast compliance. Left: purple with white text, contrast ratio 13.09:1 (passes). Right: yellow with white text, contrast ratio 1.54:1 (fails).

Tools and Resources for Accessible Documents

  • Microsoft Accessibility Checker: Use the built-in accessibility checker in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to identify issues and make your documents more accessible.
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro: Use the accessibility tools in Adobe Acrobat Pro to run accessibility checks on PDF files and make needed adjustments when the source file is unavailable.
  • PAC Checker: Free automated PDF accessibility checker available for Windows users. Provides a more thorough check than the Microsoft and Adobe Acrobat checkers.
  • Colour Contrast Analyser: Free tool to check color contrast. Available in Company Portal for Windows 11 users. 
  • Always conduct manual checks to complement automated tools for thorough accessibility. See the PDF Accessibility Checklist for more information. 

Using the Microsoft Accessibility Checker

  • Microsoft products have a built-in Accessibility Checker that can flag issues, explain why they may be problematic, and suggest fixes.
  • The Accessibility Checker runs automatically but can also be launched manually under Review > Check Accessibility.
Screenshot of the Review ribbon in Microsoft Word 365 with the Check Accessibility option circled

Related Accessibility Topics

Creating accessible documents is essential for inclusive communication. Learn more about related topics:

  • Web Accessibility – Best practices for making web content accessible to all users.
  • Email Accessibility – Tips for designing accessible emails to ensure inclusive communication.
  • Social Media Accessibility – Techniques for making social media posts accessible to a wider audience.
  • Video Accessibility – Learn how to make video content inclusive with captions, transcripts, and accessible controls.