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Accessible formatting prepares us to serve students and include staff who use adaptive technologies to navigate documents, and makes documents easier for everyone to use.
All digital content from the university — websites, course materials, videos, documents, social media posts, and applications — is required to be accessible under the ADA.
Creating Accessible Google Docs
Creating Accessible Google Docs
Headings help everyone navigate documents. Headings that are labeled with the built-in text styles will generate “jump to” links in the document outline pane and allow users of adaptive technologies to perceive the structure of the document and jump to content.
Apply heading styles using the Styles drop-down in the toolbar (in between Zoom and Font)
Start with Heading 1 for the document title and using Headings 2 through 4 for subheadings.
Certain fonts are easier to read, especially for those with reading-related disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and/or impaired vision. These fonts have letters that are distinct from one another, have a standard width/height, and have few artistic embellishments.
Use inaccessible fonts sparingly, and only for headings/titles, not body text.
Minimize use of italics and all-caps text. Use bold for emphasis instead.
Ensure font is at least 11 - 12 pt.
High color contrast makes it easier for everyone (but especially people with impaired vision, including color blindness) to read text and distinguish between elements on the page.
Use the first row of pastel colors on Google Docs if you’re going to add a background color to text.
Avoid using color as the only way of communicating important information.
Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker to ensure background and foreground colors are significantly different from each other (look for the green "Pass" label").
People who use screen readers need links to be properly designated and link text to describe what the link redirects to. Underlining is the only universal way to mark hyperlinks for sighted users, because color blind users may not be able to differentiate between two colors of text.
Only underline hyperlinked text. For emphasis, use bolded text instead.
Use readable text for links instead of long URLs.
Make link text describe what is being linked to and avoid uninformative link phrases such as "click", "here", and "more".
Accessibility Checker: Grackle Docs
Accessibility Checker: Grackle Docs
Grackle is an extension for Google Workspace that checks documents for barriers to accessibility and provides guidance for improvements.
To install, open a document, select "Extensions →Add-ons → Get add-ons," and search for Grackle. (Grackle is available for Docs, Slides, and Sheets but needs to be added separately in each app.)
To run on a document, select "Extensions → Grackle Docs → Launch". You may need to give permission. Grackle Docs will open in the right sidebar and run a check.
The check will assign each item a green checkmark (passed), a green checkmark with an exclamation (warning), or a red X (failed). Review each warning or failed check and fix issues.
For details on what each check means and detailed instructions for corrected issues, see this Grackle guide.
Training Video: Document Accessibility
Training Video: Document Accessibility
Resources for Microsoft Word
Resources for Microsoft Word
Creating Accessible Google Slides
Creating Accessible Google Slides
Slide Layouts
Slide Layouts
Use built-in slide layouts instead of adding individual text boxes. Using a layout is the only way to distinguish headings (slide titles) from body text. Background images in themes are also ignored by screen readers.
Use a theme and choose slide layouts from those available in the theme rather than adding text boxes to a blank slide
To find a slide theme, select “Slide → Change theme” or right-click a slide and select "Change theme." Select a theme from Google or select "Import" to use a theme from another slide deck (such as a branded template)
To select a layout for a specific slide, select "Slide → Apply layout" and select one of the layouts available.
To edit a theme, select “View → Theme builder” or “Slide → Edit theme”. This the only way to make custom layouts with titles. However, this will edit the theme for every slide deck using that theme for all users; start with the basic "Blank" template from Google to avoid editing a theme used by others.
Headings
Headings
Headings help everyone navigate slides and allow users of adaptive technologies to scan the list of slide titles. In Google Slides, the slide title is the only heading level. All other text is read as body test.
Use the title box on the slide layout for your slide heading.
Use a unique heading for each slide. If multiple slides cover content on the same topic, consider adding numbers (e.g. “Slide Headings 1” or “Slide Headings: Part 1”) or terms like “continued” so people can differentiate and perceive the order.
Background Images
Background Images
Embed background images in the theme layouts. When embedded, backgrounds are ignored by screen readers and don't require alt text.
Keep backgrounds simple. Avoid putting text on top of photos or other complex images.
Use the WebAIM Contrast Checker to ensure background and text colors are significantly different from each other (look for the green "Pass" label").
Include alt text following the best practices outlined in Images
To add alt text, right-click image, select “Alt text”, and briefly describe the important content of the image in the “Description” field
Reading Order
Reading Order
Slide components in Google Slides are read from back to front when using a screen reader
To determine the reading order, click to the side of the slide (deselect all content). Use the tab button on your keyboard to “tab through” the content blocks. The order in which they are highlighted is the order in which they will be read.
To reorder, select a content block, then:
Right-click, select “Order” from the menu, and move each block forward or backward until your tab order is correct; or,
Select “Arrange” in the top menu, then “Order”, and move each block forward or backward until your tab order is correct.
If you have a lot of content blocks this process can be tedious. Learning the keyboard shortcuts to reorder blocks can make things faster (listed under the “Order” drop-down menu). Reading order can also be changed using Grackle Slides, which shows an outline of the content blocks that can be reordered by drag-and-drop.
Slide Transitions and Animations
Slide Transitions and Animations
Avoid using visual slide transitions (appearing on click is fine).
Avoid using GIFs or other animations that blink or flash.
Set animations to stop after 5 seconds or after looping, or given users a way to pause the animation.
Include alt text for GIFs and other animations.
Certain fonts are easier to read, especially for those with reading-related disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and/or impaired vision. These fonts have letters that are distinct from one another, have a standard width/height, and have few artistic embellishments.
Use inaccessible fonts sparingly, and only be used for headings/titles, not body text.
Minimize use of italics and all-caps text. Use bold for emphasis instead.
Aim to have fonts be at least 24 pt if slides will be presented in person
People who use screen readers need links to be properly designated and link text describes what the link redirects to. Underlining is the only universal way to mark hyperlinks for sighted users, because color blind users may not be able to differentiate between two colors of text.
Only underline hyperlinked text. For emphasis, use bolded text instead.
Use readable text for links instead of long URLs.
Make link text describe what is being linked to and avoid uninformative link phrases such as "click", "here", and "more".
Accessibility Checker: Grackle Slides
Accessibility Checker: Grackle Slides
Grackle is an extension for Google Workspace that checks slides for barriers to accessibility and provides guidance for improvements.
To install, open a slide deck, select "Extensions →Add-ons → Get add-ons," and search for Grackle. (Grackle is available for Docs, Slides, and Sheets but needs to be added separately in each app.)
To run on a slide deck, select "Extensions → Grackle Slides → Launch". You may need to give permission. Grackle Slides will open in the right sidebar and run a check.
The check will assign each item a green checkmark (passed), a green checkmark with an exclamation (warning), or a red X (failed). Review each warning or failed check and fix issues.
For detailed instructions on what check means and how to correct issues, see this Grackle guide.
Resources for Microsoft PowerPoint
Resources for Microsoft PowerPoint
Using Hub Docs and Slides Templates
Using Hub Docs and Slides Templates
Create external-facing docs and slides using these templates. In addition to Hub-branding, these templates have built-in accessibility features.
Editing the Templates
Editing the Templates
Avoid adding text boxes or other elements. Instead, move around and edit existing elements.
When inserting an image, graph, chart, or icon, be sure to add alt text (right click, hit alt text, and write a very brief description).
Add hyperlinks to text that describes what the link redirects to. For example, write out “Accessibility Guide” and Insert Link instead of just pasting the URL
Refer to the Google Accessibility Cheatsheet for more details
Sharing Docs and Slides
Sharing Docs and Slides
To distribute non-editable versions of docs and slides, share a "View Only" link (under Share settings; for external audiences, change link setting to anyone at U-M can view or anyone with link can view as needed). Don't export files to PDF as this will remove all accessibility features.
Users need to turn on Accessibility Settings under "Tools" to use assistive technologies with Google Docs or Slides: How to Turn On Accessibility Settings
Presenting Slides
Presenting Slides
To use closed captioning when presenting with Google Slides (virtually or in-person) put the slides into Present mode and then click CC (closed captioning) at the bottom left of the presentation slides. The words of the facilitator who has the slides open will appear at the bottom of the presentation. Captions will turn off whenever you leave Present mode.
For more on creating accessible documents, see the U-M Guide to Document Accessibility and U-M Communications Accessibility Guidelines
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