Creating documents that are easy for the visually impaired to read or that work well with a screen reader can be a challenge. Fortunately, Microsoft makes it pretty easy to check documents for accessibility and to create documents that everyone can read.
If you’re using Office 365, checking accessibility for your document is as easy as clicking the Review tab in the ribbon up top. Then click Check Accessibility.
You’ll see a list of all potential problems those with visual impairments could encounter in the document. Just click on each item and you’ll be taken to the problem and given suggestions on how to correct it.
Fortunately, Microsoft offers a helpful guide on how to correct those errors and create documents that are easier for the visually impaired to read. This guide gives specific examples and shows you the steps to take to make sure your documents are accessible as possible. You can click here to check it out.
You can find templates for accessible documents by selecting File.
Choose New. Then search for accessible.
You’ll get a nice selection of easy-to-read templates to choose from. Or you can use these templates as a launching point to design your own documents.
These tools are a great start to creating documents that everyone can use.