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Create an Accessible Word Document

Use accessible fonts

Smart font choice is often an overlooked aspect of document creation; however, careful consideration of fonts creates a much more accessible document.

Considerations for choosing an accessible font:

  • Some characteristics of legible fonts:
    • Good spacing with distinguishable characters
    • Sans serif fonts are generally easier for readers to decode
  • Minimum 11-point font.
  • Use the Normal text option in Styles for all body text to keep formatting consistent
  • Use italics, bold, and underlining only when necessary
  • Check colour contrast with a checker (e.g., Colour Contrast Analyser)
  • Don’t use colour alone to convey information

Tutorial: Setting the Styles font in MS Word

Format paragraphs, lists, and white space

Using Word’s built-in formatting options for paragraphs and lists creates more accessible documents. Additionally, it does a much better job of preserving accessible formatting if you export to PDF.

Some general tips for formatting:

  • Always avoid using Text Boxes and Tables for formatting
  • Always use the List formatting options to create lists:
    • Use bulleted lists when order does not matter
    • Use numbered lists when there is a sequence

Avoid using hard returns to create white space in your document. Hard returns are sometimes read by screen readers and can create inaccessible content when exported to other formats.

How to check Paragraph marks and hidden formatting in your document:

  1. Click on the Home tab
  2. In Paragraph options, select Show/hide Paragraph Marks (¶)

To adjust line spacing for the entire document:

  1. Click on the Design tab and select the Paragraph Spacing dropdown
  2. Select a Built-in spacing option or Custom Paragraph Spacing…

To adjust white space before or after specific paragraphs or headings:

  1. Click within paragraph or heading
  2. Select Layout tab and then use the Spacing options

To create a page break:

  1. Put your cursor where you want your page to end
  2. Select Insert tab and select Page Break

Tutorial: Format Your Paragraph Spacing

Practice

Go to your workbook and complete Step 3: Formatting. 

Check your understanding

Suggest an edit to this guide

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