Microsoft Document Accessibility

By using built-in accessibility features and following good authoring practices, we can create content accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Explore these resources to learn how to create inclusive Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, Outlook emails, and other Microsoft Office content. 

For topics not covered here, contact accessibility@ua.edu and we will do our best to help.

Microsoft Office Accessibility

• Microsoft Support – Make your content accessible to everyone – Microsoft’s resources and tools to make your content accessible for all to support the disability community as allies.
  1. Training – accessibility video training.
  2. Templates – free templates that help you make your content accessible to everyone and guidance for creating your own accessible templates.
  3. Learning Tools – free tools available in Microsoft products to improve reading and writing skills.
  4. Accessible content – Office product-specific tips for making your content accessible to all.
  5. Accessibility resources – Accessibility capabilities in Office 365, Disability Answer Desk, Windows 10 accessibility help, and more.
• Microsoft Accessibility Features – interactive list of accessibility features available on Windows 10 and Office 365.
• Microsoft Education Courses – Microsoft Education offers several free online courses related to accessibility, many of which are included in the Inclusive Classroom Learning Path.
• Printables
  • Empowerment begins with inclusion – poster highlighting built-in accessibility capabilities and best practices across Office 365.
  • Reimagine creating accessible content for everyone with Microsoft in Education – tips for enabling students to use multiple learning modalities when creating and accessing Office content.
  • Do’s and don’ts of creating accessible content

Accessibility Checker

• Use the Accessibility Checker on your Windows desktop find accessibility issues
• Use the Accessibility Checker on your Mac to find and resolve accessibility issues
• Rules for the Accessibility Checker

Product-specific guidance

Word

• Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities – Microsoft’s step-by-step instructions with pictures and links to relevant documentation.
• Create more accessible Word documents – Microsoft’s accessibility video training.
• Word Cheatsheets – NCDAE’s one-page accessibility resources to assist anyone creating accessible content, especially less-technical users.
• Accessibility support for Word – Microsoft help articles for assistive technology users.

PowerPoint

• Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities – Microsoft’s step-by-step instructions with pictures and links to relevant documentation.
• Create more accessible PowerPoint slides – Microsoft’s accessibility video training.
• PowerPoint Cheatsheets – NCDAE’s one-page accessibility resources to assist anyone creating accessible content, especially less-technical users.
• Accessibility support for PowerPoint – Microsoft help articles for assistive technology users.
• These resources address both the accessibility of presentation materials and inclusive presentation practices:
  • How to Make Your Presentations Accessible to All (W3C Web Accessibility Initiative)
  • Equal Access: Universal Design of Your Presentation (UW DO-IT)