Document Properties, Plain Language, and Fonts

This chapter will introduce some first steps to making Word documents accessible.

Document Properties

The document title is announced to assistive technology and is more informative (and pleasant to hear) than the file name. Adding a plain language title to the metadata allows continued adherence to file naming conventions. Ensure the language code matches the language of the presentation. Other fields are useful but not required.

Document Title

To add a document title:

1. Navigate to File > info.
   • On MacOS: File > Properties > Summary tab.
2. Enter a descriptive title in the Title field.

This cannot be done in Office Online.

Document Language

To set document language to match content:

1. Click language on the Status Bar at the bottom of the document screen or via Tools > Language
2. You can set a different language for different parts of your document:
   1. Select desired text.
   2. Via the Review tab, select Language.
   3. Select the appropriate language.

Plain Language

Use the Editor tool to check the reading level. Navigate to Home > Editor and select Document Stats. Aim for a Flesch-Kincaid score of 7-9.

Accessible Font

For Word documents:

• Use sans-serif or simple serif font, size 11 or greater.
  • Size 9 is acceptable for foot/endnotes or captions.
• Use an accessible colour.
  • The font must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against the background.
• Left-align text for languages that read left to right.
• Use at least 1.5 line spacing.

Font Colour

To set font colour:

1. Navigate to the Home tab.
2. Select Font Colour.
3. Click Automatic.

Do not use colour as the only means of communication.

Visit the Colour and Contrast chapter of this guide for more information.

Text Alignment

To set text alignment:

• Set alignment in the Paragraph tools on the Home tab.
• Avoid justified alignment as it can create excessive blocks of white space when zoomed and can create ‘rivers of white space’, which are gaps that appear to run through a paragraph due to the coincidental alignment of spaces.

Text Spacing

To set spacing:

• Do not use Tab, Enter, or Space to change the spacing between paragraphs or the layout of bullet points:
  • Navigate to Home > Line and Paragraph Spacing > Line Spacing Options
    • The Paragraph dialogue has spacing options on the Indents and Spacing tab
• Use Insert > Page Break to create page breaks
  • Do not create manual spacing using the Return or Space keys
• Do not use Tab, Space, or text boxes to create columns
  • Go to Layout tab > Columns. Additional options are available by selecting More Columns…