Create Accessible Documents

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Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Create a Document</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item active usa-current "> <a href="/create/documents/">Create Accessible Documents</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/documents/authoring-guides/">Authoring Guides</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/documents/#tips">Tips and Tricks</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/documents/training-videos/">Video Training</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" class="header-menu-text" aria-label="Create a Presentation - Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Create a Presentation</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/presentations/authoring-guides/">Authoring Guides</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/presentations/">Tips and Tricks</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/presentations/training-videos/">Video Training</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" class="header-menu-text" aria-label="Create a Spreadsheet - Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Create a Spreadsheet</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/spreadsheets/authoring-guides/">Authoring Guides</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/spreadsheets/">Tips and Tricks</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/spreadsheets/training-videos/">Video Training</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" class="header-menu-text" aria-label="Create a PDF - Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Create a PDF</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/pdfs/authoring-guides/">Authoring Guides</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/pdfs/common-tags-and-usage/">Tags and Their Usage</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/pdfs/">Tips and Tricks</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/pdfs/training-videos/">Video Training</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item list "> <a href="javascript:void(0);" class="header-menu-text" aria-label="Audio & Video - Submenu" aria-expanded="false">Audio & Video</a> <ul class="usa-sidenav__sublist items"><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/audio-video/">Audio- and Video-Only</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/captions-transcripts/">Captions & Transcripts</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item "> <a href="/create/synchronized-media/">Synchronized Media</a> </li></ul> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/create/alternative-text/" >Alternative Text</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/create/electronic-signatures/" >Electronic Signatures</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/create/email-messages/" >Email Messages</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/create/accessible-equations-formulas/" >Equations and Formulas</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/create/accessible-meetings/" >Meetings</a> </li><li class="usa-sidenav__item"> <a href="/create/social-media/" >Social Media</a> </li></ul> </nav> </aside> <main class="usa-layout-docs__main desktop:grid-col-9" id="content-section"> <div class="usa-graphic-list"> <p>Learn how to create accessible Microsoft Word documents that conform to the <a href="https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines">Revised 508 Standards</a>.</p> <h2 id="microsoft-word">Microsoft Word</h2> <p>Guidance developed by the Accessible Electronic Documents Community of Practice (AED COP).</p> <h3 id="training-videos">Training Videos</h3> <hr /> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="desktop:grid-col-3 display-flex flex-column flex-align-self-center"> <a href="/create/documents/training-videos"><img alt="How to Test and Remediate PDFs for Accessibility Using Adobe Acrobat DC" src="https://assets.section508.gov/files/thumbnails/training-video-word-thumb.png" style="width:100%" class="radius-lg" /></a> </div> <div class="desktop:grid-col-9"> <p class="video-title"> <a href="/create/documents/training-videos">How to Make an Accessible Document in Microsoft Word</a> </p> <p> The Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED CoP) created this series of videos to explain and demonstrate the minimum steps needed to ensure your Microsoft Word document is Section 508 conformant. </p> <p> Duration 59m 21s | 14-Part Video Series </p> </div> </div> <hr /> <h3 id="tips">Tips</h3> <ul> <li>Save documents as .docx format to preserve accessibility features. Other formats that can be produced by Microsoft Word (RTF, DOC, TXT, and ODF) may not be accessible.</li> <li>Develop reusable accessible design templates to reduce the level of effort to create accessible electronic content. <ul> <li>Follow responsive design principles that support accessibility on different types of devices.</li> </ul> </li> <li>Advocate for the use of authoring tools and document converters that enable users to easily create accessible documents. Where possible, upgrade existing tools (e.g., Microsoft Office or Adobe Acrobat) to the latest version. Benefits include: <ul> <li>Authoring and evaluation features that make it easier to create accessible documents;</li> <li>Conformance to requirements for software-authoring tools requirement in the Revised 508 standards.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h2 id="agency-developed-guidance">Agency-Developed Guidance</h2> <p>The resources in this section were developed by federal agencies and shared here for your convenience. Note, much of this guidance predates the <a href="https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines">Revised 508 Standards</a>.</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ssa.gov/accessibility/developer_resources.html">Resources for Developers and Document Authors</a> - Guidance on how to create accessible electronic content</li> <li><a href="http://www.ssa.gov/accessibility/files/SSA_Alternative_Text_Guide.pdf">Alternate Text For Images</a> (PDF, July 2011) - Developed by SSA</li> <li><a href="https://blog-nrrd.doi.gov/beyond-auto/">Making a diagram screen reader friendly</a> - ONRR.gov</li> </ul> <h2 id="related-resources">Related Resources</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/create">Create Accessible Digital Products</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/train">Web Accessibility Tutorials and Presentations</a> - Guidance from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)</li> <li>Review <a href="https://webaim.org/techniques/alttext/">WebAIM Alternative Text</a> for appropriate use of alternative text.</li> <li>Review <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/images/decision-tree/">W3C鈥檚 Alt Decision Tree</a> for guidance on how to describe images.</li> <li><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/default.aspx">Microsoft Accessibility</a></li> </ul> <div class="border-base radius-lg border-1px"> <div class="padding-1"> <strong>Before You Go</strong> <p dir="ltr"> We're always working to improve the information and resources on this website. 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