21 Introduction to Accessible Documents
When we share electronic documents in our courses, it is important to remember that some students will need to transform that document into a format that meets their needs. This could be increasing the text size, using a screen reader, or converting to braille. There are some basic design and style tips that can be used with any document, regardless of format, that will make the document easier to use for everyone. When creating a document, consider these tips:
- Use a readable font – serif fonts such as Tahoma, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, and Times New Roman are recommended.
- Use the headings and other paragraph style options already installed in software such as MS Word.
- Use lists to break up text and add organization.
- Use meaningful hyperlinks instead of listing the URL in your document.
- Add alternate text to images (see our Tips on Alt-tags and Beyond Alt-tags).
- Identify document language which helps screen readers interpret your document.
- Use the Accessibility Checker if available in your software.
A screen reader converts a document from text to speech but neither sees nor understands your words. A screen reader will always read top to bottom and left to right. It will pause at commas, periods, and paragraph marks. It will note titles and headings if they are tagged and will add the alternate text provided for images. Using extra tabs, inserting extra lines, bolding and underlining, and other things we might do make our documents visually appealing can make the document less readable by a screen reader.
