Therefore, in order to experience maximum accessibility, users must download and save the document and then open it in Word. Much of the specialized functionality that allows users to read, navigate, and better understand a document within the Microsoft Word application is lost when the document is opened within a plug-in. This "alt text" is read aloud by screen readers and is a textual way of representing visual content.Īnother consideration, screen readers and other assistive technologies tend to perform poorly when reading a document opened within a web browser. With most versions of Word include a field to enter alternate text for images. Simple tables with a defined header row and no nested or merged cells can be accessible to screen readers, more complex tables should be simplified by breaking them into multiple simple tables for clarity. Word has limitations when it comes to making tables accessible. H1, H2, H3), screen reader users can navigate easily through a document's headings, often with a single keystroke. When headings are marked up with a particular heading level using Word's styles and formatting functionally (e.g. However, as documents become more complex, they are increasingly likely to present challenges to users of assistive technologies, particularly blind individuals using text-to-speech software (screen readers). These challenges can be overcome when Word styles are used properly and advice from Microsoft about accessibility is taken seriously.Īn accessible format is one that explicitly communicates a document's structure, including but not limited to headings, subheadings, table structure, and alternate text for images. However, for documents with larger distribution or where users' technology is unknown, some recipients may not have Word and may be unable or unwilling to procure it.īeyond availability, whether Word is a good choice for accessibility depends largely on the content of the document. Microsoft Word itself is a reasonably accessible application, and many individuals with disabilities use it comfortably on a regular basis to compose their own documents. For example, in a school where Word is installed on all classroom computers, all students do have access to Word. In cases where the entire audience is known, this may be an accurate assumption. The greatest problem in distributing Word documents is that doing so assumes all recipients have Microsoft Word. DOCX) are common as a means of distributing materials over the web, including materials used in education. Microsoft® Word is the world's most popular word processing software application, and files created with Word (typically ending in.
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