Transportation Library Quick Guide: Accessibility and Section 508: Accessibility Considerations: MS Word

The Create Accessible Documents page on Section508.gov presents the most complete Section 508 guidance for Microsoft Word 2013, including training videos developed by the Accessible Electronic Documents Community of Practice. (See Documents Training Videos below.)

The detailed checklist for Word 2013 provides comprehensive and easy-to-follow guidance. Sixteen questions (see Microsoft Word 508 Accessibility Checklist below) are sorted into five areas:

• Document formatting
• Text formatting
• Object formatting
• Color formatting
• Miscellaneous

Each question describes how to test and how to author for accessibility. For a document to be compliant, each question should be answered with a “yes” response.

Section508.gov offers Word documents authoring guides for 2010, 2013 and 2016 versions of Microsoft Word.

A 14-part video series from Section508.gov provides guidance on making a Word document accessible. Below are the modules included in the series:

• Module 0: Introduction & Background
• Module 1: Save as a Word Document (.docx) with a Descriptive Filename
• Module 2: Use Styles to Create Headings
• Module 3: Use Built-in Features to Create Lists
• Module 4: Use Built-in Features to Organize Content
• Module 5: Use Built-in Features to Create Layout and Data Tables
• Module 6: Identify Distinct Languages
• Module 7: Create Unambiguous Names for Links
• Module 8: Duplicate Vital Information in Headers, Footers and Watermarks
• Module 9: Create Accessible Images and Other Objects
• Module 10: Create Accessible Textboxes
• Module 11: Use Color and Other Sensory Characteristics Plus Text to Convey Meaning
• Module 12: Create the Required Color Contrast
• Module 13: Create Accessible Embedded Files

Document Formatting

1. Is the file name descriptive, is the file in the .docx format and is the file NOT protected?

Text Formatting

2. Do document headings use the Microsoft Word heading styles?

3. Are lists formatted correctly?

4. Are columns of content formatted correctly?

5. Are layout tables formatted correctly?

6. Is text formatted for the intended language?

7. Are link names descriptive?

Object Formatting

8. Is vital information in headers, footers and watermarks duplicated in the document?

9. Did you use built-in features to create data tables?

10. Do images and other objects have alternative text?

11. Are images, objects and text boxes in line with the text?

Color Formatting

12. Are colors and other visual characteristics (such as size, shape and location) that convey information also described in text?

13. Is the contrast ratio between text and background sufficient?

Miscellaneous

14. Are there corresponding descriptions of your embedded files and are they accurate?

15. Did you avoid forms while using Microsoft Word 2013?

16. Did you exclude flashing objects?