Accessible Documents

An accessible document will be easy to view and navigate, whether your student is using assistive technology such as a screen reader, is on a mobile device, or has slow internet. You can create accessible documents with either Microsoft Word or Google Docs. 

Installing Office 365

All faculty at STCC can install Microsoft Office 365 applications for free. The most up to date software will give you access to the best accessibility features, so if you don't already have the most recent version of Microsoft Word installed, follow the instructions to download and install Office. 

You can also login with your STCC credentials into the browser based version of Office 365. 

Document Considerations

Heading styles

Headings allow screen reader users to navigate through a document by jumping from one heading to the next. Headings should be used both to create document structure, similarly to an outline, and to highlight important text as you would with bolding or italicizing. You can modify the visual appearance of present heading styles to your preference. 

Bullets and numbering

Bullets and numbering help to organize document text into structured lists. Use bullets for lists without a sequential order such as several assignment options. Use numbering for ordered lists like the steps to completing an assignment. 

Columns

Columns help to add visual structure to a document while maintaining easy document flow and readability. Columns could be used to organize large blocks of text. Never use tabs or spaces to create the illusion of columns.

Tables

Tables are often used for displaying complex information in easy-to-see ways. Use the top row and left most column of a table to describe the information being presented, even for the most basic tables. Use a table caption as well as alternative text to provide an overview to the table. This is a chance to highlight significant information that might be lost to those who cannot see the table clearly. 

Images and graphics

Alternative text is also called Alt text. Alt text is presented to someone using a screen reader, and allows them to hear a description of an image or is displayed on the screen if the image fails to load due to a slow connection or other technical difficulty. Alt text should be kept short, but informative, so that students who cannot see an image can still understand the information it conveys. Alt text is context specific and relates to the meaning that the image presents in your specific course. Alternative text for graphics, such as cartoons or charts, needs to include any text presented in the graphic while describing the overall meaning. Remember, alternative text in an assessment shouldn't give away the answer!

Color and contrast

High contrasts in colors makes them easy to see and read for everyone. Black text on a white background is the most common. If you plan on adding colors through changing backgrounds or using highlighter colors, make sure they do not obscure or make the text hard to read, such as yellow text on a green highlight. If using colored text, make sure it is not the only source of information, so that students who cannot see color or highlights still understand the importance of the content, and check for color contrast.

Links

Any links in your course materials need to have descriptive text which informs the students what they will access by clicking the link. You can use a short descriptive phrase or a meaningful name of the link destination. The only caveat is instances where students are printing the material that includes the link, such as in a syllabus. If the material may be printed, you may want to use a URL shortener with a customized descriptive web address. Bit.ly or TinyURL are both popular options. 

Font

For documents, using a simple sans-serif font such as Verdana, Arial or Helvetica, set to 12pt or larger will ensure your materials are easy to read for you students. 

Checking for Accessibility

You have followed all of the best practices, check to see if any adjustments are needed. Microsoft Word has a built in accessibility checker, and Google Docs offers an add-on. While these checkers are automated algorithms that will make mistakes, they are a good first pass to check for errors. 

Sharing documents with students

Before sharing any files with students, make sure that the file has a unique and descriptive file name. Remember, when students download files that you added to Blackboard, the file name will be the same as it was when you initially uploaded it. Make it easy for students to find and open the correct document when they search for the file on their computers. 

An accessible Microsoft Word document can be shared with students as is, or converted to PDF to lock down content and retain formatting. Make sure to select appropriate settings to retain document accessibility. 

Google Docs converted to PDF do not retain accessibility features. Instead, set sharing permission to Viewer, and add the Google Doc as a link for your students. 

Which document type should I use? 

Microsoft Word Documents, Google Documents, HTML pages, and PDF can all be built accessibility. When adding content to Blackboard, should you create a Word Document, a Google Doc, convert your content to PDF, or post it right in Blackboard as an Item? The answer will depend on how student will engage with the content and the type of content that you are presenting. 

Word Doc:

Google Doc:

Item in Blackboard (HTML page)

PDF

Given the above use cases, which should you use for your syllabus? The syllabus is the entry point into your course and accessibility is of the utmost importance. A syllabus needs to be easily opened for quick reference and available to print. If you like working with Google Docs, set the sharing settings to "view only" and add the link to your course. Alternately, start with an accessible Word Document and convert it to a PDF before posting in Blackboard. Note, a Google Doc does NOT retain accessibility features when converted to PDF, so should not be used for creating PDF files.