MS Word Help and Accessibility

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Microsoft Word is a word processing application and is available in online and desktop versions.

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Creating Accessible Documents in MS Word

ADA Title II digital accessibility requirements aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA must be met by April 24, 2026.
Accessibility ensures all users can access content, including people who use assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnifiers, and voice control.
Accessible documents are easier for everyone to read and use, including people with disabilities, dyslexia, low vision, and processing differences.

Always begin with Microsoft Word’s built-in Accessibility Checker to identify common issues.
Automated checkers are helpful but incomplete. Manual, human, review is still required to ensure full accessibility.

Fonts: Use sans serif fonts such as Aptos, Arial, or Calibri.
Formatting: Keep text left-aligned. Use at least 1.5 line spacing and adequate spacing between paragraphs.
- Show Paragraph Marks to review hidden formatting and structural elements that may affect how assistive technologies interpret your document.
- Use Breaks instead of tabs and extra Enters/Returns.
Color and Contrast: Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background. Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning. Always supplement color with text labels or symbols, such as an “X” in addition to a red color indicator.

Hyperlinks: Use clear, descriptive link text that makes sense on its own when read out of context. When appropriate, use the title of the linked page as the link text. Type “View SVSU Home Page” instead of “click here” or full URLS like, http://www.svsu.edu.
Text Boxes: Do not use floating text boxes. Use inline text instead to maintain proper reading order.
Images and Text Wrapping: Be mindful of the text wrap applied to images. If an image is not set as In Line with Text, an anchor will appear somewhere in the document. Assistive technology will read the image alt text at the location of that anchor, not where the image appears visually. Move the anchor to the most logical place in the text so the description makes sense in context.
Alt Text for Images:
- Write brief, meaningful descriptions that convey the image’s purpose or information.
- Do not use phrases such as “image of” or “photo of.”
- Mark purely decorative images as decorative so assistive technology ignores them.
- Do not repeat surrounding text or step-by-step instructions in alt text.
- If an image contains important text, that information must also appear as real text in the document body.
- Complex diagrams should be flattened into a single image with one comprehensive alt text description.

Heading Hierarchy: Maintain a logical structure.
- View the Navigation Pane to preview heading hierarchy.
- Use only one Heading 1 for the main title and do not skip heading levels.
Heading Styles: Use Word’s built-in heading styles rather than manual formatting like bold or font size changes.
Headers and Footers: Avoid placing important information only in the Header or Footer unless it is also repeated in the document body. Headers and footers are not presented to users of assistive technologies.
File Metadata: Provide a clear file name and set the document title in File Info. Screen readers announce the document title before reading content.
Lists: Use Word’s list formatting tools for bulleted and numbered lists.
- Avoid manual dashes or symbols.
- Keep lists continuous and do not insert regular paragraphs within a list.
- Type Shift+Enter to keep images related to the current list item.
Table of Contents: For documents longer than 20 pages, include a table of contents created using Word’s built-in tools so links are generated from the heading structure.

Data Tables: Use tables only for data, not layout. Designate a Header Row so column relationships are clear to screen readers. Use First Column when that column contains row labels.
Table Alt Text: Add both a title and a description. The title is announced first, allowing users to decide whether to continue through the table.
Table Structure: Keep tables simple. Avoid merged cells, split cells, or nested tables, which disrupt screen reader navigation. Set table width using percentages rather than fixed measurements.
Electronic Forms: Do not use Word to create forms. Use dedicated form tools such as Microsoft Forms or SurveyMonkey.

When possible, keep documents in Word format instead of converting them to PDF. In our experience with SVSU materials, elements such as heading hierarchy and other accessibility features may not transfer to PDF reliably.
Document Restrictions: Avoid using restricted access features that may block assistive technologies.
Exporting to PDF: If a PDF is required, do not use Print to PDF. Use Save As Adobe PDF or Save a Copy and select PDF to preserve document tags and structure. As an alternative, you can also use Windows File Explorer by using the Convert to Adobe PDF option while right-clicking.
Testing: Use Read Aloud to listen to your document and get a basic sense of how it may be experienced by screen reader users. While Read Aloud is helpful for identifying obvious issues, it does not provide the full functionality of dedicated assistive technologies such as JAWS. Test on a mobile device to ensure that text and tables display properly and do not require horizontal scrolling.

IT Knowledge Base: Search the IT support ticket site for the Creating Inclusive Content: Accessibility and Universal Design Knowledge Article.
Accessibility Workshops: Attend additional workshops covering topics such as PowerPoint, PDFs, Canvas, and EchoVideo.
Web Operations Notifications: Watch for emails from Web Operations regarding linked PDF files on the SVSU website. These messages include guidance on checking PDF accessibility and making improvements.
CETL Accessibility Course: Complete CETL’s Course Accessibility Training available in Canvas.
Ongoing Updates: Look for future notifications about new guidance, resources, or upcoming workshop sessions.

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