Digital Accessibility

Alt text (alternative text) is a brief written description of an image that helps people who use screen readers understand what the image shows and why it matters. Screen readers read alt text aloud (or convert it to Braille), making images accessible to people with visual impairments and other processing or learning differences. Alt text is also shown if an image doesn’t load and helps search engines understand image content.

When an image includes alt text, screen readers can clearly describe it to the user. If alt text is missing, screen readers may only announce the file name or say “image,” which provides little or no meaningful information and creates a poor, confusing experience.

A good color contrast ratio for accessibility ensures text and visual elements are easy to see for people with low vision or color‑vision differences. Under WCAG guidelines, normal text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, large text at least 3:1, and icons or interactive elements at least 3:1 against their background. While these are minimum requirements, higher contrast improves readability for everyone.

Microsoft Word’s default theme and styles generally meet minimum WCAG color‑contrast requirements, especially when you use built‑in styles (Normal text, Headings) and stick with black or dark text on a white background. However, good contrast is not guaranteed if you change colors—such as using light text, custom theme colors, colored backgrounds, shapes, charts, SmartArt, or highlights.

Adobe products that create PDFs—such as Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop—do not default to good color contrast or enforce accessibility standards. While these tools allow for fully accessible PDF creation, they give content creators complete control over color choices and do not automatically prevent low‑contrast text, especially when using custom themes, branding colors, backgrounds, charts, or text over images. As a result, maintaining adequate color contrast is the responsibility of the content creator, who must intentionally check and adjust contrast using tools like Adobe Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker or external contrast analyzers rather than relying on software defaults.

Accessible headings help people understand and navigate content, especially those using screen readers, by clearly showing how information is organized. Headings must follow a logical, hierarchical order—starting with a main heading and moving step‑by‑step through subtopics—so users can easily scan, jump between sections, and understand relationships between ideas. For accessibility, heading levels should be used based on structure, not appearance: use Heading 1 (H1) for the main title, Heading 2 (H2) for major sections, Heading 3 (H3) for subsections, and so on, without skipping levels. Best practice is to use one H1 for the document title, which helps assistive technologies identify what the content is about, while additional headings (H2–H6) organize the rest of the information in a clear, predictable way.

Hyperlink text should clearly tell users where a link will take them and what to expect when they select it.  

• Phrases like “click here” or “read more” are vague and do not convey meaning in screen reader software.  
• Full URLs (e.g., “https://www.uwm.edu/…”) are difficult for screen readers to parse and for users to scan.  
• Clear link text (e.g.,“Download the annual report”, “Learn more about accessibility guidelines”) helps all users understand and navigate content independently.  

It is important to make documents accessible before sharing them because once a document is distributed, it may immediately be used by people with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers, keyboard navigation, captions, or magnification. If accessibility barriers are present—such as missing headings, poor color contrast, unlabeled images, or inaccessible PDFs—some users may be unable to understand or use the content at all, creating exclusion and potential legal risk. Fixing accessibility issues after sharing is often difficult, time‑consuming, and may not reach everyone who already received the document. Creating accessible documents from the start ensures equal access, improves usability for all readers, and reflects a commitment to quality, inclusion, and responsibility by content creators and owners.

Including transcripts, captions, and audio descriptions is essential for accessibility because they ensure that audio and video content can be understood by people with different disabilities and access needs. Captions allow people who are deaf or hard of hearing to follow spoken content and important sounds, while transcripts provide a text alternative that benefits users who cannot hear audio, use screen readers, need translation, or prefer reading. Audio descriptions help people who are blind or have low vision understand visual information that is not otherwise explained, such as on‑screen actions, charts, or context.

Providing these alternatives is also important when sharing content with others because people may access media in different environments or situations—such as noisy places, quiet settings where sound cannot be used, or with limited internet bandwidth. Transcripts, captions, and audio descriptions improve comprehension, allow content to be searched and reviewed easily, and support learning styles beyond listening alone. By including them from the start, content creators and owners ensure equal access, reduce barriers, and demonstrate a commitment to inclusive, high‑quality communication for everyone.

• Making Audio and Video Media Accessible

Making content navigable via assistive technologies and keyboard commands is important because many people cannot use a mouse and rely instead on keyboards, screen readers, voice control, or other assistive tools to access digital content. Users with mobility impairments, blindness or low vision, repetitive‑strain injuries, or temporary limitations depend on predictable keyboard navigation, clear focus order, and properly labeled elements to move through content efficiently. When navigation is not accessible—such as when menus, forms, or buttons cannot be reached or activated by keyboard—users may become completely blocked from using the content at all.

Accessible navigation also benefits everyone by making content easier to explore, understand, and use. Logical reading order, consistent navigation, visible focus indicators, and meaningful structure help users move quickly through information, especially on complex pages or documents. Ensuring keyboard and assistive‑technology access supports equal participation, aligns with accessibility standards, and reflects responsible content ownership by ensuring no one is excluded due to how they interact with technology.

Using styles in Word makes documents accessible by giving them a clear structure that screen readers and other assistive technologies can interpret correctly, allowing users to navigate by headings instead of reading line by line. Styles also improve navigation, maintain consistent formatting, work properly when exporting to formats like PDF, support Word’s Accessibility Checker, and make documents easier to update. Overall, styles convey meaning—not just appearance—making documents more usable for people with disabilities and more efficient for everyone.

• Use built-in Styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3)
  • Use Heading 1 once for the title of the document
• Headings need to follow a logical order (do not skip levels)
• Use heading levels 1-6 (most assistance technologies will only read 1-6)
• Use the Normal style for body text (not manual formatting)

Making text readable through appropriate fonts, font size, spacing, and plain language is essential for accessible Word documents because it ensures content can be easily perceived and understood by people with a wide range of abilities. Clear, simple fonts and adequate text size help users with low vision, dyslexia, or cognitive disabilities, while plain language reduces confusion and cognitive load for screen reader users and people reading in a second language. Readable text also works better with magnification, high‑contrast modes, and text‑to‑speech tools, helping ensure the document is usable, understandable, and inclusive for everyone.

• Clear, readable sans-serif font (e.g. Calibri, Arial)
• Body text is 11-12 pt
• Avoid using all CAPS, excessive italics, or fonts that are decorative
• Use plain language and short paragraphs

Using Word’s built‑in bullets and numbering tools is important for accessibility because they create properly structured lists that assistive technologies can recognize and interpret correctly. Screen readers announce the number of items in a list and identify each bullet or step, helping users understand relationships between items and follow content more easily. Proper lists also improve navigation, maintain consistent formatting, work correctly when converting to PDFs, and prevent confusion that can occur when lists are created manually with hyphens or numbers.

• Use Word’s bullets and numbering tools
• Do not manually type dashes or numbers
• Make sure nested lists follow a logical hierarchy

Adding alternative text (alt text) to images, charts, and graphs is essential for accessibility because it ensures that people who cannot see visual content can still understand its purpose and meaning. Screen readers read alt text aloud, allowing users who are blind or have low vision to access the same information as sighted readers. Alt text also helps users when images don’t load and supports comprehension for complex visuals by clearly explaining key takeaways. Without alt text, important information may be completely inaccessible, making the document incomplete for many users.

• Add alt text to any images, charts, or graphs that are meaningful to the content of the document
• Alt text describes the purpose of the image, not just the appearance
• Mark an image as Decorative if its purpose is 100% decorative
• Use Captions to further define and clarify more complex images, charts, or graphs
• Image alt text creator tool from Arizona State University

Color contrast is critical for accessible Word documents because it ensures text and visual elements are readable for people with low vision, color blindness, or those using high‑contrast or magnification tools. Sufficient contrast between text and background makes content easier to perceive, reduces eye strain, and prevents information from being lost. Good contrast also improves readability on different screens, in varying lighting conditions, and when documents are printed or converted to other formats, making the content clearer and more usable for everyone.

• Sufficient text‑to‑background contrast
• Color is not the only way meaning is conveyed
• Links are identifiable without relying on color alone
• Color Contrast Checker

Making tables accessible in Word is important because tables often contain structured information that must be clearly understood by all users, including those using assistive technology. Properly formatted tables—with header rows, simple layouts, and clear relationships between cells—allow screen readers to convey how data is organized and how values relate to one another. Accessible tables also help users with cognitive or low vision disabilities interpret information more easily, prevent confusion caused by overly complex layouts, and ensure the content remains usable when converted to PDFs or other formats.

• Tables used only for data, not layout
• Header row specified
• Simple structure (no merged/split cells if possible)
• Alt text added for complex tables

Descriptive text links are important because they clearly tell users where a link will take them, rather than relying on vague phrases like “click here” or “read more.” Screen reader users often navigate by scanning a list of links, and meaningful link text lets them understand each link’s purpose without surrounding context. Descriptive links also improve comprehension for people with cognitive disabilities, support keyboard navigation, and make documents easier to use, scan, and convert to accessible formats like PDF—benefiting everyone.

• Link text is descriptive
• Avoid vague text like “click here” or “read more”
• URLs are meaningful when read aloud

The following practices prevent confusion, ensure content isn’t lost or misinterpreted, and make Word documents usable for people who rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other assistive tools—while improving clarity for everyone.

• Avoid text boxes and floating objects when possible
• Content reads logically from top to bottom
• No content is conveyed only through position or shape
• Any foreign‑language text has its language specified
• Reading order makes sense (especially with images or columns)

Running Word’s Accessibility Checker helps quickly identify and fix common accessibility issues—such as missing alt text, improper headings, unclear link text, or table problems—before sharing a document. It saves time, improves usability, and helps ensure the content is inclusive and accessible for everyone.

• Run Review → Check Accessibility
• Fix all Errors
• Address Warnings where possible
• Review Tips for best practices

Saving and sharing an accessible Word document properly helps ensure all accessibility features remain intact for people using assistive technology. Keeping the file in Word format preserves headings, alt text, tables, reading order, and language settings, while saving to other formats (like PDF) should be done using accessibility‑aware options. When sharing, clear file names and accessible formats ensure recipients can open, navigate, and understand the content as intended—maintaining accessibility from creation through distribution.

• Native Word Document
  • Select File > Save and make sure the extension is .docx (preferred) for the best compatibility with accessibility features.
• Save as PDF
  • Select File > Save As (not print to PDF)
  • Choose PDF from the list of file formats
  • Click Options (near the Save button)
  • Ensure that “Document structure tags for accessibility” is checked
  • Click Save
• Do not use “Print to PDF.” This method strips out accessibility features, including tags and alt text.

Following basic accessibility standards such as providing alt text, using good color contract, and creating clear links when creating Excel spreadsheets ensures that everyone—including people who use screen readers, have low vision, or have cognitive disabilities—can understand and use the data. It also makes spreadsheets clearer, easier to navigate, and more usable for all users.

• Many accessibility best practices for tables also apply to spreadsheets. Use built‑in cell styles to format column and row headers so screen readers can identify them correctly.
• In Microsoft Excel, use cell styles to mark header rows.
• Avoid
  • Differentiating a header row by changing the font weight or background color of the cells.
  • Creating complex spreadsheets. Both sighted users and those who use screenreaders may have difficulty understanding them.

Screen readers read spreadsheets starting at cell A1 and move left to right, reading each cell’s number and content. Add a brief summary in cell A1 of every worksheet. This summary should describe what the sheet contains and explain how to navigate it. For example, note where each table starts and what data it includes. Make sure the summary clearly states if there is more than one table on the worksheet so screen reader users can understand the layout.

• Recommend
  • Add a brief summary in cell A1 of every worksheet. This summary should describe what the sheet contains and explain how to navigate it. For example, note where each table starts and what data it includes. Make sure the summary clearly states if there is more than one table on the worksheet so screen reader users can understand the layout.
• Avoid
  • Do not leave the first cell, A1, empty or use it for data.
  • Do not add blank rows or columns to separate tables on the same worksheet. Screen reader users may think a blank cell means the data has ended.

Each worksheet should have a unique, meaningful name so screen reader users can quickly understand what each sheet contains. Clear names also make the workbook easier to navigate and reduce confusion for all users.

• Recommend
  • Give each sheet (tab) within a Workbook a unique name that describes exactly what information is contained in the sheet.
• Avoid
  • Do use the default sheet names (“Sheet1,” “Sheet2,” and so on).

Using meaningful column and row names helps screen reader users understand what each data value represents as they navigate the spreadsheet. Clear labels also make the data easier to interpret and reduce confusion for all users.

• Recommend
  • Use short, specific labels like “City Name” or “Person Name.”
  • Clearly define the limits of your data in the column headers, such as the range of values or where the dataset begins and ends.
• Avoid
  • Do not use labels that too general, such as “Name” that could cause confusion to those using screen readers.

Why You Should Avoid Merged Cells

Merged cells may look nice, but they cause serious problems:

• Screen readers can’t interpret them correctly.
• Sorting and filtering may break.
• Formulas may not work as expected.

What to Do Instead

Option 1: Use a Simple, Accessible Layout

Instead of merging cells for headings or labels:

• Put labels in Column A.
• Put the related information in Column B.
• If you want a visual grouping, use a background color to show a subheading row—no merging required.

This keeps the sheet accessible and easy for screen readers to understand.

Option 2: Use “Center Across Selection”

If you want a heading to look like it spans multiple columns without merging, Excel offers a safe alternative:

How to Center Across Selection

1. Highlight the cells where you want the centered heading to appear.
2. Right‑click the highlighted area.
3. Select Format Cells.
4. In the dialog box, choose the Alignment tab.
5. Under Horizontal, open the dropdown.
6. Select Center Across Selection.
7. Click OK.

This keeps the visual effect you want without breaking accessibility, sorting, or formulas.

1. Accessibility: Run the Accessibility Checker in Excel by selecting Review > Check Accessibility. Review the Accessibility pane and correcting errors (like adding Alt Text).
2. Save: Select File > Save to save the accessible spreadsheet. Save your workbook as an .xlsx for the best compatibility with accessibility features.
3. Save As PDF (Tagged): If sharing, go to File > Save As, select PDF, and choose the option “Best for electronic distribution and accessibility” to ensure tags are included. You will then need to run the file through Adobe Acrobat to check for accessibility as a PDF.

Emails can be written in plain text, rich text, or HTML, and you choose the format in Outlook under the Format Text tab.

Plain text works well for short, simple emails. It can be read by any email program, works with all assistive technologies, and uses the least system resources. However, plain text does not support headings or layout, and links appear as full web addresses, which can be harder to read.

HTML is best when your email needs formatting or structure, such as headings, lists, links, or images with alt text. HTML supports accessibility features and is a good choice for more detailed or visually organized messages.

Which should you use?
Both formats can be accessible. Use plain text for simple messages without images or links. Use HTML when you need structure or formatting—when created with accessibility in mind, HTML emails can be just as accessible, or even better, than plain text.

• Use a short, clear subject line
• Choose easy‑to‑read fonts (sans‑serif works best), at least 12‑point in size, with strong color contrast
• Keep your email signature simple and readable—avoid script fonts
• Use headings and lists to make the email easier to read and navigate
• Use white space between paragraphs and avoid long blocks of text
• Use emojis sparingly and never replace words with them
• Avoid background colors or patterns that make text hard to read
• Add alternative text (alt text) to any informative images
• Mark decorative images with blank alt text
• Repeat any important text from images or attachments in the body of the email
• Use descriptive link text (for example, “Upcoming Events” instead of “Click here”)
• Don’t rely on color alone to show meaning—use text or symbols for emphasis
• Use the Microsoft Accessibility Checker before sending the message

Third Party Email Platforms

If you use an email service such as Emma, Mailchimp or other services, make sure your email templates meet accessibility guidelines. Most third party email platforms have accessibility guidance available to customers on their sites.

• Accessibility with Emma
• Writing for Accessibility with Mailchimp