How to Create Accessible Documents in MS Word

Microsoft Word is the most used software when creating digital documents. Often times documents are created in word and then saved in other formats such as PDF. This format transition can create additional accessibility issues when a Word document is not properly formatted. Given Microsoft Word's popularity and flexibility, it only increases the importance on learning how to create accessible documents the first time around. It will take time to become an expert in creating accessible documents, but to jump start your your journey, you can review the references provided.

View the Revised 508 Standards to learn more about document accessibility standards.

Training Videos: Microsoft Word

Tutorials for creating accessible documents are produced by the Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED COP) to help further the document accessibility. Below are a few to get you started.

Tips and Tricks

Creating accessible documents can be time consuming. Creating accessible templates is an efficient way to combat this expense.
Save your documents as .docx files. The purpose of this is to retain the accessibility features you built into the document.
Keep your tools and software updated. Built-in features are becoming better adjusted to handle the demands of document accessibility.