Headings and Subheadings divide course content and help users navigate and locate content within a document.

• Start your document with Heading level 1. 
• Ensure Headings follow a sequential and descending order. 
• Avoid skipping Heading levels. 

Example of Correct Heading Hierarchy 

• H1: Main Title of Page
• H2: Major section of content 
• H3: Subsection of Heading level 2. 
• H3: Subsection of Heading level 2. 
• H4: Sub-sub section of Heading level 3. 
• H4: Sub-sub section of Heading level 3. 
• H2. Major section of content. 
• H3: Subsection of Heading level 2. 

Learn more: Accessibility Bytes: Document Headings

Styles define heading formatting characteristics such as heading level, font, size, color, and text indentation. 

• Format with a consistent heading style.
• Color should not be used for emphasis alone. 
• Author with built-in styles, modify, or create a new style. 

How to Add a Heading Style

1. Type or highlight the text to apply the heading style. 
2. On the Home tab, in the Styles pane, select a style by hovering over the style. 
3. The formatting characteristics of the selected style will be applied to the text.

Learn more: How to customize or create new styles with Microsoft Word and Improve accessibility with Heading Styles.

Use a built-in list to format list items. 

• Avoid using open-face bullet icons, reformat with closed bullet icons. 
• Make sure there are no extra spaces between list items. 
• Use a bullet list for unordered items and a numbered list for ordered items. 

Numbered Lists

1. Select the text for the numbered list. 
2. On the Home ribbon, select the numbered list icon. 

Bullet Lists 

1. Select the text for the bullet list. 
2. On the Home ribbon, select the bullet list icon. 

Learn More: MS Word Lists

Alternative text also referred to as alt-text is text used to convey the context of the visual represented. 

• Keep alt-text short and meaningful to describe the context of the visual.  
• Do not include the words “image of” or “picture of” in the alt text as screen readers will provide this information.  
• Provide the words, logo, illustration, and painting in the alt text to describe the visual represented.  
• Consider a supporting document for complex visuals such as maps, graphs, and charts.  

How to Add Alt Text

1. Right-click the image and select Edit Alt text.
2. Type the descriptive alt text in the Alt Text pane.

Learn More: Section 508: Authoring meaningful alternative text and Add an alternative text to a shape, picture, chart, or other object

Authoring with meaningful descriptive links will provide the context of the link referenced. 

• Provide a meaningful description of the hyperlink, specifying the purpose.
• Avoid non-descriptive verbs such as “click here” or “more information”. 
• Test the descriptive link to make sure that the link will direct the website. 

How to Create Descriptive Links

1. Copy and paste the resource link into the document.
2. Highlight the link, right-click, and select Link. 
3. The Insert Hyperlink dialog box will appear, enter the descriptive text into the “Text to Display field”. 

Learn More: Section 508 Descriptive Links and Hypertext and Create Accessible Links in MS Word 

Color contrast is the difference in hue between colors. Font and graphics with high-contrast colors will increase user readability.  

• A color contrast ratio of 4:5:1 is acceptable for regular text.
• A color contrast ratio of 3:1 is acceptable for Large text, which is defined as a 14-point font. 
• Toggle High Contrast Colors in the Font pane of MS Word and select a color.

How to Check for Color Contrast

1. Go to Web Aim Color Contrast Checker
2. Select the color on Foreground.
3. Next, select the dropper tool and a circle will appear. 
4. Select the foreground text on the document. 
5. Repeat this process for the Background. 
6. The result will populate with a contrast ratio and pass or fail rating.

Learn More: Web Aim Color Contrast Checker

The most accessible table structure is a simple table. A simple table structure has a single header and column row. 

• Add a header row.
• Avoid nested, merged, and blank cells. 
• Use tables for data, not for layout. 
• Consider revising a complex table into a simple table. 

Learn More: Microsoft Word Format a Table

Improve accessibility by using the accessibility checker.

• The accessibility checker categorizes content as errors, warnings, and tips. 
• Use the accessibility checker when creating, editing, and revising content. 
• Check all content manually to verify that the content is accessible. 

Accessibility Review Checklist

• Heading Levels: Are headings in the proper reading order? 
• Heading Styles: Are styles consistent and is formatting applied using styles? 
• List: Are lists formatted using built-in lists? 
• Alternative Text: Is meaningful alt-text applied to visuals? 
• Descriptive Links: Are text descriptions added to links? 
• Descriptive Links: Do the links direct to the website?
• Color Contrast: Are colors that have high contrast used?
• Tables: Does the table include a simple layout? 

How to Use the Accessibility Checker

1. Select, the Review tab and select Check Accessibility. 
2. Next, the Accessibility Checker pane will open. 
3. Review the errors and warnings that are provided and fix them accordingly. 

Learn More: Microsoft Accessibility Checker

Add metadata, which is information that describes the document properties such as the title and author. 

How to Add a Title 

1. Select the File tab and then select Info. 
2. Under Properties, type a title in the Title field. 

How to Save As a PDF

1. Save the original file, as a copy. 
2. Select File, Save As, and then select Browse. 
3. Select PDF in the Save As dialog box, under Save As Type.
4. Next, select Options to open the Options dialog box.
5. In the Options dialog box, check the “Document structure tags for accessibility” checkbox.
6. select Ok. 

Learn More: Saving an accessible PDF in Microsoft Word