Accessible Documents
Creating Accessible Documents Overview
Why do documents need to be accessible?
Current statistics indicate that 53 million adults in the U.S. live with a disability. That’s 22%, or just over 1 in 5 adults in the US who can't interact with web content if it's not accessible. This is extremely important because we live in the information age and in order to be successful, everyone needs to have access to online information. Furthermore, OPI activities and programs funded by federal money are also required to protect the rights of those with disabilities according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - this protection extends to online services.
OPI's Responsibility
There are a range of disabilities that impact how individuals interact online and it is the OPI's responsibility to ensure content that is accessible for a range of abilities. For users who do not have the ability to see, hear, and/or touch content, web content must allow for the use of assistive technologies such as screen readers and screen enlargers. Screen readers do what the name implies - reading the user everything on the screen. The links below from Penn State-Behrand will provide you with an idea of what an inaccessible versus accessible document sounds like to someone using a screen reader. They illustrate the importance of using accessibility principles when creating documents.
Inaccessible Word Document Using NVDA
Accessible Word Document Using NVDA
Overview of Accessible Documents
All electronic documents—including word processing documents, PDFs, presentations, publications, and spreadsheets—created or distributed by OPI employees must be accessible.
Making an Accessible Word Document
Making an Accessible PowerPoint
Making an Accessible Excel Document
Checking Document Accessibility