The document provides step-by-step instructions for improving the accessibility of a Microsoft Word document. It details how to check for accessibility issues, customize text styles and structure, add alternative text descriptions to images and other non-text elements, format lists and tables for screen readers, and remove watermarks and add descriptive text to hyperlinks. The goal is to ensure the content can be understood when read aloud by a screen reader.

1. John Allan, Hands on Accessibility Workshop Steps, April 2022
1
Hands on Accessibility Workshop Steps
Let’s start
1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Open the document, Accessibility_webinar_one.docx
3. Click on the Show/Hide codes to reveal more editing information (useful)
Accessibility Checker
1. In the menu bar, click on the Review tab
2. Click on the Check Accessibility icon
3. Click on the Check Accessibility link
4. In the panel, click on identified issues.
5. Close the Accessibility panel
Note: does not show comprehensive results. It only finds problems; it does not fix them. It will
tell you why and how to fix them.

2. John Allan, Hands on Accessibility Workshop Steps, April 2022
2
Customize Text Styles
1. Click on the Home link on the menu bar
2. There are text Styles are located on the right side
3. Change the Headings 1, 2 and 3 to black text colour
4. Right-click on a text style name
5. Click on the Modify link
6. In the Formatting area, check bold and Italic
7. In the Formatting area, change the colour chip to black
8. Click OK
Text structure (hierarchy)
1. Use the text styles settings to structure the document in a hierarchy
o Business is Business (Heading 1)
o Introduction (Heading 2)
o Steps forward (Heading 2)
o Main concepts (Heading 2)
▪ Part 1 (Heading 3)
▪ Part 2 (Heading 3)
▪ Part 3 (Heading 3)
• Statistics (Heading 4)
o Potential Roadblocks (Heading 2)
o Profit (Heading 2)

3. John Allan, Hands on Accessibility Workshop Steps, April 2022
3
o Reflection (Heading 2)
o More information (Heading 2)
Note: Colors should not be used to convey information
Note: Screen readers do not recognize font type, color size
Text
Note: No decorative text, minimum font size 12pt, Sans Serif fonts
1. In the first paragraph, select(highlight) the word Leverage
2. Change the font to Calibri or Arial
3. Change the font size to 12pt
ALT Text
Note: Alt Text descriptions are required for the following. Otherwise, the screen read may report the
image’s dimensions or the file name. Ensures that content is seen and read by screen readers
• Photos
• Charts
• SmartArt
• Shapes
• Images of Text such as a Word clouds or banners
• Clip Art
No text in images
1. Delete this image and type Business Rocks in its place or Right- click on the image, Business
rocks
2. In the drop-down menu, click on Edit Alt text
3. In the Alt Text textbox, type, A poster that reads Business rocks with business chart around the
text.

4. John Allan, Hands on Accessibility Workshop Steps, April 2022
4
Text boxes
1. Text boxes, to ensure the content is seen and read by screen readers
2. Right-click on the text box
3. In the menu, choose the Edit ALT Text option
4. Paste the contents of the textbox into the Alt Text box
5. Close the Alt text panel
Images
1. Right-click on the image
2. In the menu, choose the Edit ALT Text option
3. Type description of the image in the textbox into the Alt Text box or click on the generate a
description for me button
4. Close the Alt text panel
Text wrapping
Floating images are not recommended (turn off text wrapping)
1. Right-click on the image
2. In the menu, choose the Edit ALT Text option
3. Click on the Wrap Text icon
4. Choose the, In line with text Option.
5. If necessary, click at the front of the text and press the Enter key.

5. John Allan, Hands on Accessibility Workshop Steps, April 2022
5
Lists
Ensure the list is described and each list element and read by screen readers
1. Remove each of the hyphen at the front of the bulleted terms
2. Select all of the terms
3. Right-click on this selection
4. In the menu, choose either, bullets or numbering
5. Place the cursor at the end of the first line of the bulleted list
6. Press the Enter key
7. Press the Delete key
8. Continue until the list is complete
Tables
Ensure the table’s content is read by screen readers in the order intended
1. Select the table
2. Right-click on the table
3. In the menu, choose Table properties
4. Click on the Row tab
5. Check Repeat as header row at the top of each page
6. Uncheck Allow row to break across pages
7. Click on the tab Alt Text
8. Do not type a Title
9. Type a Description of the table
10. Click on the OK button

6. John Allan, Hands on Accessibility Workshop Steps, April 2022
6
11. Note: In the table replace % with the word percentage and the $$$$ with dollars
Watermarks
Remove all watermarks
1. On the menu bar, click on the Design link
2. Click on the Watermarks icon
3. Click on Remove Watermark
Hyperlinks
Ensure text displayed describes the link in plain language and the text is concise.
1. At the end of the document, Right-click on the link, Click here
2. In the drop-down menu, click on the Edit hyperlink option
3. In the Text to display box, type in a descriptive text for this link, Wall Street Journal Front Page
4. Click on the OK button
5. Just under this link, Right-click on the next link, https://www.
6. In the drop-down menu, click on the Edit hyperlink option
7. In the Text to display box, type in a descriptive text for this link, Singapore Business News
8. Click on the OK button
Bonus challenge, Add an Alt Text for the information icon.