Create an Accessible Word Document

This tutorial is designed to help you create an accessible Microsoft Word Document. It provides an introduction to different features and tools to help meet accessibility compliance. 

At the end of this tutorial, you will be able to

• Use the Accessibility Checker to identify issues and learn how to fix them.
• Create an Accessible Heading structure using Styles.
• Format your document properly using tools from the Toolbar.
• Create purposeful alt text.
• Insert Accessible tables using the Table Design tools. 
• Complete a final review to ensure your document is Accessible. 

Time Commitment: 30-45 minutes

NOTE: This tutorial was created to support Microsoft Word 2021. The functionality of other versions of Word may be different. 

Practice

The best way to gain these skills is to pactice them as you work through the tutorial. Use the document below to practice using the techniques and tools outlines in this tutorial. In every section, there will be a prompt to go to the workbook to practice. 

At the end of the tutoiral, Universiry of Guelph library employees can email lib.a11y@uoguelph.ca for individualized feedback. 

This tutorial has been created and tested with accessibility in mind and meets WCAG 2.2 AA compliance. To optimize the user experience, we do recommend that you access the interactive portions of the tutorial on larger resolution screens, such as a laptop or desktop monitor. Please contact the library if you encounter any barriers.