Documents

Accessible Documents

Accessible documents help people of all walks of life by making information clear, direct, easy to understand, and easy to use. This includes people with disabilities and those who use different tools, devices, software, and hardware. Offering accessible documents is important. It makes sure that all people have equal access to your information.

When you are finished, be sure to assess your learning by taking the Documents Quiz.

Hand icon indicating this exercise involves elements of the WCAG Perceivable principle.

Hand icon indicating this exercise involves elements of the WCAG Operable principle.

Hand icon indicating this exercise involves elements of the WCAG Understandable principle.

Exercise #4: Screen Readers and Inaccessible Documents

For this exercise, watch the video of the screen reader and take note of what is announced as the user works through a document. Note the good use of accessibility practices as well as the poor design choices that make this document not so accessible. Screen readers can do a lot of great things, but they can't fix documents that do not have the right structure, design style, or elements.

Screen Reader Demo on Documents.mp4

Hand icon indicating this exercise involves elements of the WCAG Robust principle.

Exercise #5: Producing Accessible Documents

For this exercise, you will go to Google Drive to work on your own document(s) and try a number of the accessibility options shown in the exercise above. For example, you can include the proper elements, structure, and styles that fell short in the video to make sure your document is accessible to all users. Make changes as needed, and remember that this is a learning process, not something that happens all at once.

Keep all types of users, disabilities, and assistive technologies in mind. Accessibility extends beyond screen readers. For example, visual designs can impact users with low vision or color blindness. Your font choice affects users with cognitive disabilities. And formatting impacts users with limited mobility. Each decision in your document matters when you are creating an accessible experience.

Exercise #6: Comparing Accessible and Non-Accessible Documents

For this exercise, compare the accessible and inaccessible versions of the VPAT documents below to see how Google Docs can be designed and created in both accessible and inaccessible ways.

While the documents may look very similar, one is more accessible than the other by factoring in WCAG requirements and accessibility best practices. See if you can spot the 11 accessibility design decisions within the first document compared to the second, inaccessible document.

The 11 inaccessible elements are bookmarked throughout and listed at the end of the inaccessible document.

Accessible Document

Inaccessible Document

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