Document Accessibility

Digital documents can be shared in various ways: on websites, via email, on social media, in blogs, etc. To ensure that all people have equal access to your information, documents should be designed and developed in a way that can be easily perceived, operated, and understood by a wide range of users (including individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities), and robust enough to be interpreted by various assistive technologies.

It is easiest to make a document accessible during content development instead of retroactively remediating it, which may be challenging and resource-intensive. Here are a few basic steps that can be followed in most document authoring tools to help ensure that your content is accessible.

Best Practices for Document Accessibility:

Use plain language and avoid jargon and acronyms that are not defined.
Use Headings
Provide Alternative Text for Images and Charts
Use Sufficient Color Contrast
Make Links Descriptive, Succinct, and Unique
Create Accessible Tables
Utilize Accessibility Checkers

CCC Accessibility Center Training Resources and Tools:

To learn how to create accessible documents, enroll in WebAIM Accessible Document Training
To learn why these concepts are important, enroll in CCC Accessibility Center Canvas Courses
For assistance with PDF Remediation, licenses of Equidox are available

Document Accessibility

CCC Accessibility Center Training Resources and Tools:

Platform Specific Guidance:

Word

PDF

PowerPoint

Excel

Google Workspace Document Accessibility

Links