Creating Accessible Word Documents

This document I outlines how to make your MS Word or MS Office document accessible.

Run the accessibility checker

The first thing you should do is to open run the built-in accessibility checker. Find it via Tools/Check Accessibility or from the tools ribbon at Review/Check Accessibility.

Microsoft Word Tools Ribbon

When you run the checker it will open a set of tabs on the right-hand side of the page. The text field within the accessibility tab shows any issues found.

MS Word Accissibility Check Sidebar

Underneath the list of issues, Word provides a short explanations and suggested fixes.

Accessibility issues commonly found include, images with missing alternative text, images that are not inline, and contrast issues.…

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Working with non-profits, charities, voluntary and public sector organisations and social enterprises for over 20 years. Jim set up one of the worlds first website accessibility web agencies in the mid 1990s.