Microsoft Word Accessibility
The Law
- 1194.21 (F): Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes.
- 1194.21 (I): When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
- 1194.22 (D): Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
Universal Design
Creating accessible Word Documents is beneficial for a variety of student populations, not just the visually impaired.
- Accessible Microsoft Word Documents are easily adapted into accessible PDF documents.
- Students can easily interact with the documents by highlighting and taking notes.
- The text of an accessible Microsoft Word Document can also be read by any screen reading software–students can listen to the documents on the go!
- Creating accessible Microsoft Word Documents does not sacrifice the visual appearance of your document, so only one file type is needed.
- Accessible Microsoft Word Documents use XML tags to structure the document content. Structured content makes document search easier, helping students to review readings and content quickly.
The Accessibility Checker tool in Word for Windows finds accessibility issues in your Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Outlook emails, and PowerPoint presentations. The tool generates a report of issues that could make your content difficult for people with disabilities to understand. Accessibility Checker also explains why you should fix these issues and how to fix them.
Start Accessibility Checker
- Open the Word document (.doc or .docx) that you would like to review for accessibility.
- Select File.
- Select Info.
- Select “Check for Issues.”
- Select “Check Accessibility.”
- The Accessibility Checker pane will open on the right-hand side of the screen.
- Select a specific issue to see an explanation of the problem and steps to remediate.
Understand the Inspection Results
After Accessibility Checker inspects your content, it reports the inspection results based on the severity of the issue found, categorized as follows:
- Errors. Issues that are reported as errors include content that is very difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to understand.
- Warnings. Warnings, in many cases, mean that the content is challenging for people with disabilities to understand.
- Tips. Tips let you know that, even though people with disabilities can understand the content, it could be better organized or presented to improve their experience.
The Accessibility Checker in Word for Mac tool finds accessibility issues in your Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, Outlook emails, and PowerPoint presentations. The tool generates a report of issues that could make your content difficult for people with disabilities to understand. Accessibility Checker also explains why you should fix these issues and how to fix them.
Start Accessibility Checker
- Open the Word document (.doc or .docx) that you would like to review for accessibility.
- Select the Review tab on the Ribbon.
- Select “Check Accessibility”
- The Accessibility Checker pane will open on the right-hand side of the screen.
- Select a specific issue to see an explanation of the problem and steps to remediate.
Understand the Inspection Results
After Accessibility Checker inspects your content, it reports the inspection results based on the severity of the issue found, categorized as follows:
- Errors. Issues that are reported as errors include content that is very difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to understand.
- Warnings. Warnings, in many cases, mean that the content is challenging for people with disabilities to understand.
- Tips. Tips let you know that, even though people with disabilities can understand the content, it could be better organized or presented to improve their experience.
Download Example Documents
- Accessible Word Document with Annotations
- Inaccessible Word Document with Annotations
- Accessible Word Document
- Inaccessible Word Document
Accessible Word Document with Annotations
Inaccessible Word Document with Annotations
Accessible Word Document
Inaccessible Word Document
Microsoft Resources
Microsoft Office 365 Accessibility
Visit Microsoft’s dedicated Accessibility website. Learn more about how Office 365 Accessibility can increase productivity and inclusivity.
Use the Accessibility Checker on Mac to Resolve Issues
Learn more about how to use the Accessibility Checker in Microsoft products on Mac devices.
Use the Accessibility Checker on Windows to Resolve Issues
Learn more about how to use the Accessibility Checker in Microsoft products on Windows devices.
Save Microsoft Documents as PDFs
Learn how to save Accessible Microsoft Documents as Accessible PDFs.
UMKC Resources
Do you have concerns or questions about accessibility? Do you need help making videos, Word Documents, PowerPoints, Excel Files, or PDFs accessible? Come join our Accessibility Open Lab! Bring your questions and inaccessible materials with you.
Download the Accessibility Checker Instructions (Word for Windows 2016)
Keep a copy of instructions for the Microsoft Accessibility Checker for Windows on your computer for easy reference!
Download the Accessibility Checker Instructions (Word for Mac 2016)
Keep a copy of instructions for the Microsoft Accessibility Checker for Mac on your computer for easy reference!
Legal and Outside Resources
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Learn about Section 508 and UMKC’s legal obligation to create and deliver accessible content.
WebAiM: Microsoft Word – Creating Accessible Documents
Learn more about how to create Accessible word documents from WebAIM. This resource contains information for Word 2010-2016 (Windows) and Word 2011-2016 (Mac).