Make your word documents accessible to people with. Word and pdf learn the fundamentals of how to create accessible word and pdf documents in this highly interactive computerbased workshop. Therefore the focus of this section is on converting word document to a properly tagged pdf and checking the pdf s accessibility. It is recommended that documents are started in microsoft word and then appropriately exported into pdf. From here, select check accessibility to scan the document for current accessibility issues. Word 2019 is very similar to word 2016 in which it continues to offer the best way in which to create accessible documents, as long as the user is engaging with the software accessibility features such as styles heading structure, lists features, alternative. It is important to make these changes to word documents to accommodate a variety of disabilities. Adobe acrobat will import accessibility attributes, such as document language, headings, alt text and table properties, upon conversion.
To apply each of these concepts to a particular document format or authoring workflow, select one of the following topics. Despite some gains in recent years, creating accessible web content with word. Although microsoft word can create simple, accessible tables, you should use adobe acrobat pro for more complex tables. However, in order for word documents to be fully accessible. Word 20 and word 2010 windows go to file save as and select pdf from the choices provided. The fastest and easiest way to make sure your pdf is accessible is to run the accessibility checker first. Tis allows screen readers to navigate a document and improves accessiblity for everyone. If you have complex tables it is highly recommended that a description or explanation of the table contents be included in the text of the document. Launch microsoft word 2016 and open the document you wish to convert 2. Creating accessible pdf documents monitor document accessibility multimedia create accessible multimedia. How to test and remediate pdfs for accessibility using adobe acrobat dc. Creating accessible documents in microsoft word 2016.
Acrobat is a tool for creating, editing and viewing pdf files. Use these best practices to greatly improve the accessibility of word documents and powerpoint slides for individuals with disabilities. Creating accessible documents with microsoft word 2010. When creating web content, there are basic steps that you should be followed in order to ensure your content is accessible. Styles add the structure necessary to make your documents. When creating electronic documents, it is vital they are readable by people with disabilities. Read more on converting a word document to accessible pdf in webaims acrobat pdf article. The first is aimed at content creators working in microsoft word. Creating accessible documents in microsoft word accessible. Make your word documents accessible to people with disabilities. Creating an accessible microsoft word document web. It is recommended to use microsoft word or adobe indesign to create your pdf documents, as these programs allow you to save your original document to an accessible pdf format.
Microsoft word 20 for windows creating accessible documents. To export a pdf, select create pdf from the acrobat ribbon. Preparing microsoft word documents to create accessible pdf files adobe accessibility quick reference card a d d s t r u c t u r e t o w o r d d o c u m e n t s design your documents with styles. As of today, march 23, 2020, our inperson courses scheduled from june are still going ahead as planned. Prerequisites this tutorial assumes users have working knowledge of microsoft word and their preferred pdf. Accessibility expert glenna shaw begins by describing what its like for those with visual, hearing, or movement impairments to experience regular word and excel files. Creating accessible documents assistive technology. Accessibility expert glenna shaw begins by describing what its like for those with visual, hearing, or movement impairments to experience regular word and excel files and powerpoint presentations. Converting to pdf in word 2016 howto instructions from the national center on disability and access for education ncdae creating accessible pdf documents in adobe acrobat xi pdf version this document also contains a video to show you howto create an accessible pdf document. Jun 15, 2018 this recorded webinar covers how to create microsoft word documents that are accessible to people with disabilities. Pdf files are typically created in some other application. If you are converting a word file to pdf and you have created an accessible word. Creating accessible electronic documents, including forms, is important to ensure access to.
Make your word documents accessible to people with disabilities word for office 365 word for office 365 for mac word for the web word 2019 word 2019 for mac word 2016 word 20 word 2016 for mac word for ipad word for iphone word for android tablets word for android phones word for windows phone 10 word mobile more. Introduction obtain software and tutorial file design an accessible document in word convert to pdf use a pdf editor to complete the accessibility changes. For example, many documents are created in a word processing or desktop publishing application, and then exported as pdf documents. This means, the first step in creating accessible pdf is to make sure the original document is accessible. In acrobat, choose file create pdf from web page, enter the web page address, and then click settings. Prior to conversion, run the microsoft word accessibility checker to ensure the document is free of accessibility errors. Creating accessible microsoft word 2016 documents windows heading styles create a uniform heading structure through use of styles in word. Creating accessible pdfs from microsoft word accessible. Publishing accessible documents how to publish on gov. Suitable for anyone who uses microsoft office and adobe acrobat, well teach you how to ensure your digital documents are accessible. Creating accessible documents is simple using built in features within microsoft office and adobe acrobat.
Throughout this course, ill show you techniques, tips, and tricks on how to generate an accessible pdf file. Creating an accessible pdf from a word document youtube. When the document is converted to pdf these images will not be detected and will not have to be tagged. Microsoft word does not provide an easy method for creating accessible tables. Microsoft word creating accessible documents webaim. Creating accessible pdf documents in microsoft word cit. Creating accessible pdf documents foxit pdf blog foxit. Aug 01, 20 this video in the accessibility in microsoft office suite series describes the key points in creating the most accessible word documents. This is sometimes necessary, but most of this work can be avoided by choosing a source document that supports pdf accessibility, making the document as accessible as it can be, and then converting it correctly to a pdf. Creating accessible electronic documents is important to ensure access by persons with disabilities and to protect george mason against legal action. Using good heading structure helps people without eyesight to understand how the document is organized.
Styles add the structure necessary to make your documents usable to people with disabilities see headings. Creating a pdf from microsoft word begins with creating an accessible word document. At successful course completion participants will be able to explain the importance of creating accessible documents and perform the steps necessary to create accessible word documents. The good news is that if you create pdfs this way, simply make your word and doc documents accessible and the accessibility traits will carryover into the pdf format. The checker presents accessibility errors, warnings, and tips for making repairs. Guidance developed by the accessible electronic documents community of practice aed cop. The majority of the pdf files are created in microsoft word. The first step in creating an accessible pdf from microsoft word is to ensure that the original word document is accessible. Use acrobat pro to create an accessible pdf from multiple documents. By default this produces a pdf that preserves the document s. Suitable for anyone who uses microsoft office and adobe acrobat dc, well teach you how to ensure your digital documents are accessible.
Overview we want to make your document accessible to everyone, especially for people who use assistive devices. Creating accessible word documents using ms word for windows and mac why make documents accessible. In windows, acrobat installs both an acrobat pdfmaker toolbar and an adobe pdf menu in many popular authoring applications. In microsoft internet explorer, in the adobe pdf toolbar, click the down arrow on the convert. The text within word documents can be read by assistive technologies such as screen readers and braille devices. Creating accessible documents word and pdfs disability. And here is an example of a screen reader going through an inaccessible pdf. Create accessible pdf files new york state education. Accessibility to electronic documents is a right that is protected by both federal and state law. It is a convenient way to preserve formatting and accessibility information, assuming the file is converted correctly. If youre creating a form or other document with complex formatting, you can follow the instructions on making accessible pdfs in indesign pdf, 1.
A uniform heading structure is often the most important accessibility consideration in word documents. It is important to make these changes to word documents. Ill also show you a bunch of new features found in acrobat, word, and indesign that have made the process of creating accessible pdf files much easier than in previous versions. Ms word is often used to create pdf and html files for websites. Once youve addressed any issues found by the accessibility checker, office will use that information to create accessibility tags in the pdf. This handson workshop covers the process of creating accessible documents in microsoft word. Overview the basis of an accessible document has two major dependencies. Ill also show you a bunch of new features found in acrobat, word, and indesign that have made the process of creating accessible pdf files. The following standards need to be followed to ensure your documents are accessible. Creating accessible presentations in microsoft powerpoint. The basis of an accessible document has two major dependencies. Too many different combinations of authoring software and pdf converters exist to describe each one in this topic.
Despite some gains in recent years, creating accessible web content with word is not a straightforward process. The text within word documents can be read by assistive technologies such. For steps, see creating accessible documents in microsoft word starting with an accessible word document, a goal when exporting to pdf is do so in a way that preserves the accessibility features of the word document, including heading structure, alternate text for. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Making files accessible the checklists are the official hhs accessibility checklists. Start with an accessible document the pdf format is a destination file format. Lets get accessible series presented by student accessibility services. Accessible microsoft word documents also make it much easier to create an accessible pdf. Always consider creating a webpage for your content instead of posting it as an electronic document. Learn how to create accessible microsoft word documents that conform to the revised 508 standards. Despite some gains in recent years, creating accessible web content with. Creating accessible pdfs from word documents swosu. Currently language settings only effect accessibility of the word document itself.
This course shows how to make accessible office documents in word, powerpoint, and excel. How to make an accessible document in microsoft word. Optimally document accessibility should begin in the native document format. You only need to convert your word document to an accessible pdf when part of the learning objective is based on how the document is formatted. Making accessible documents ensures that they are usable by the widest range of users, but also ensures your document is easier to edit and navigate. This topic gives you stepbystep instructions to make your word documents accessible to people with disabilities. Create an accessible pdf document using microsoft word you first need to make sure that your original word document is accessible, then you will be able to convert it to an accessible pdf using word. How to create documents that are more accessible to people with disabilities. Microsoft word is a commonlyused application among individuals with a variety of disabilities, and is reasonably accessible. Creating accessible documents it doesnt matter what applicationprogram you use to create documents for staff or students, there are some basic principles that you can use to ensure that the documents have the structural elements necessary for people using adaptive technology such as screen readers. Learn the fundamentals of how to create accessible word and pdf documents in this highly interactive computerbased workshop. Creating accessible ms word documents explore access. Once your document is accessible, save it, then upload it into canvas.
Creating accessible documents disability resources. Jul 29, 2019 to see why creating accessible documents is important, check out this 3 minute video of a screen reader going through accessible and inaccessible word documents. Creating accessible documents word, word to pdf, ppt. How to create fillable forms with microsoft word martin hendrikx updated july 30, 2016, 12. Before generating your pdf, run the accessibility checker to make sure your document is easy for people of all abilities to access and edit. Suitable for anyone who uses microsoft office and adobe acrobat dc, well teach you how to ensure your digital documents are accessible to everyone, including people with disability or impairment. Converting to pdf many word documents end up as pdf files. This tutorial assumes users have working knowledge of microsoft word and their preferred pdf program. Building blocks to creating accessible word documents and powerpoint slides there are simple techniques you can use to improve the accessibility of your documents as you create them. This recorded webinar covers how to create microsoft word documents that are accessible to people with disabilities. Converting to accessible pdf you only need to convert your word document to an accessible pdf when part of the learning objective is based on how the document is formatted. Below are some key components on how to make your document more accessible within microsoft word 2016. Creating accessible documents word and pdfs when creating content, there are a few basic steps that should be followed in order to assure your content is accessible.
Creating accessible pdf documents university of nevada, reno. Adobe acrobat dc portable document format pdf pdf testing and remediation guide ms word, march 2019 pdf testing checklist ms word. The resources in this section were developed by the accessible electronic documents community of practice aed cop. How to create documents that are more accessible to people with disabilities, or using assistive technologies. Read more on converting a word document to accessible pdf in webaims acrobatpdf article. A littleknown fact is that microsoft word includes several features that make creating accessible word documents easy. To save as an accessible pdf, you must have ms word 2011 or 20 for windows or ms word 2016 for mac. Once a word document has been made fully accessible, the content and associated styles can be translated into equivalent pdf tags and used to easily create accessible pdf documents. Because they provide a hidden structure representation of the pdf content thats textbased, and present content as needed to screen readers, tags are highly useful for creating accessible pdf documents.
For best results, tag a document when converting it to pdf using an authoring application that supports pdf tagging, such as. Pdfmaker provides conversion settings that let you create tagged accesible pdfs in microsoft word. You create a document in either word or docs then saveas or export to a pdf file. Take a few moments to get acquainted with these steps to ensure that forms you create are fully accessible to everyone. Combining tagged and untagged pdfs results in a partially tagged pdf that isnt accessible to people with disabilities. The core steps needed for accessibility are the same regardless of whether your document is in html, microsoft word, adobe pdf, or another document format. Creating accessible documents using microsoft word for.
Microsoft word is currently the most widelyused word processor on the market. When you combine multiple pdfs into one tagged pdf, it is a good idea to retag the combined document. Create accessible pdf files new york state education department. Creating accessible documents accessible technology. Many of the steps simply incorporate principles of good design. To convert an ms word document to an accessible pdf, it is important to first begin with an accessible word document, following the steps provided in this tutorial. Here are five ways to make your word documents more accessible. When saving, select options and be sure that document structure tags for accessibility. To gain a better understanding of these core issues, see our overview of accessible documents. Adobe acrobat is the original application for creating pdf documents and converting other documents into pdf. Converting to pdf users can create pdf files with the adobe acrobat addin recommended, or by using word to save the document as a pdf file. Use the six core skills to accessify your documents.
Accessible pdf documents south dakota state university. Creating accessible documents in microsoft word is a commonlyused application among individuals with a variety of disabilities, and is reasonably accessible. A great deal of effort is often devoted to remediating pdf files with accessibility issues. Accessibility features in adobe acrobat dc and adobe acrobat reader dc fall into two broad categories. When encountering a lengthy word document, sighted. Creating accessible word documents and powerpoint slides. Guide to the essentials of creating accessible pdfs with. Creating accessible pdfs adobe, acrobat, and pdf it is important to distinguish between adobe, acrobat and pdf.
Creating accessible documents using microsoft word for windows introduction to improve the accessibility of your documents, microsoft word has several integrated tools to improve usability of your documents, especially for those using screen reading technology. Im excited to have you with me, so lets go ahead and. How it was turned into a pdf the way the different page elements and text are defined is of major importance to the accessibility of a document. Learn how to create an accessible pdf file from your word document. When creating content, there are a few basic steps that should be followed in order to assure your content is accessible. Start a new line to create a heading, or select text to change to a heading. Learn more about creating accessible documents in microsoft word. The following table includes key best practices for creating word documents that. These helpful tips on creating accessible documents in microsoft word come from the disabled students program. Creating accessible documents george brown college. In this tutorial, i worked with a microsoft word document. Creating accessible word documents university of nevada.
Anytime you are preparing an electronic document that will be posted online or distributed via email, whether its an internal document or an external document. Creating accessible pdf documents in microsoft word 1. Accessibility documents create accessible documents. Guide for creating accessible microsoft word 2016 documents. Creating accessible word documents las positas college. Creating accessible documents in microsoft word creating.
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