Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Mt. Hood Community College Accessibility Guide for electronic documents using Word 2013.
The list on this page will link to the pages of instructions associated with the accessibility
feature. The document may grow as new questions are asked.
Contents
Default Settings....................................................................................................................... 2
Font: ................................................................................................................................... 2
Heading Styles: .................................................................................................................. 2
Embed Font Types: ............................................................................................................ 5
Unset/Reset user options in Word 2013: ............................................................................ 6
Document Title and Language Properties * ........................................................................... 6
Images with Alternative Text Descriptions ............................................................................. 7
Adding Alternative Text: ..................................................................................................... 7
How to Describe Graphics and Objects .............................................................................. 8
Object Boxes in Word: ...................................................................................................... 10
How to Flatten Layered Images/Objects ........................................................................... 10
List Formats for Accessibility ................................................................................................ 12
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................. 13
Tables Developed for Accessibility ...................................................................................... 14
Table Heading is Left Column and not Top Row .............................................................. 15
Style Headings ..................................................................................................................... 17
Hyperlinks – More than just Links ........................................................................................ 20
When to use Unnamed URL addresses in Word: ............................................................. 21
Columns with Accessibility in Mind ...................................................................................... 23
Creating Accessible Forms in Word ..................................................................................... 26
Accessibility Checker with Word 2013 ................................................................................. 29
Creating PDFs – To Save As or Export?............................................................................. 31
Page 1 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Default Settings
Font:
Select Home > Font Group (Access the font settings by clicking on the lower right corner
button in the Font Group or use Ctrl+D) [See example below.]
When Font Options Window opens – Scroll
down to a San Serif Font like Arial or
Verdana, choose the Font, Font Style
Regular and Size 12. Then click “Set as
Default” button on bottom of window.
Finalize by clicking on the option you want
to set: “This document only?” or “All
documents based on the Normal.dotm
template?” Then click on the OK button.
Heading Styles:
Select Home > Styles Group (Access the Styles settings by clicking on the lower right corner
button in the Styles Group or use Ctrl+S) [See example below.]
Page 2 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
A Dropdown Window opens for the Styles
options. On the lower right corner of the list
in the window, locate and click Options
button.
The Styles Pane Options will open. Click on
“Font formatting” and select “New
documents base on this template” before
clicking on OK button.
Now, returning to the Styles Dropdown
Window, click on the “Manage Styles”
button just left of the Options on the bottom
of the window.
Page 3 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
This brings up the Manage Styles window
for the default settings. You should scroll
through the various styles shown in the
“Select a style to edit” and the Preview will
allow you to see what is currently set there.
When you find a style that you want to
change the settings, click the Modify
button.
The Modify Styles window will change to
allow you to change the Headings and
other font style settings. The example of the
window here shows the available options
for modifying the styles based on Heading
1. Your visuals may be a little different
based on the settings already established in
your version of Word 2013.
It is recommended that you change the
Formatting of the color to Automatic. You
can change other settings such at font,
bold, italics, centering, paragraph spacing
and indentation options. Near the bottom of
the window, make sure to check “Add to
the Styles gallery” and check “New
documents based on this template” if you
want these style settings to carry over into
other documents before clicking on the OK
button.
Page 4 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
It is recommended that the first three
heading style settings be modified for ease
of use in the future. While still in the
Manage Styles window, click on the “New
documents based on this template”
option at the bottom of the window, then
click on OK button.
When you open new Word 2013 documents after the changes to the Styles have been
completed, you may notice the changes in the Font and Styles groups of the Home Ribbon
section.
Embed Font Types:
Select File > Options to open Word
Options window. [Options is located in
the left column near the bottom of the Info
Page.]
In the Options window, select Save.
Next, locate the section “Preserve
fidelity when sharing this document.”
Change the document dropdown to
“All New Documents” then click
“Embed fonts in the file” and click
“Do not embed common system
fonts.” Click OK button.
Embedding TrueType fonts will pass the font type from Word into PDFs to preserve the text
style.
Page 5 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Unset/Reset user options in Word 2013:
If for any reason you need to unset the settings you made in Word, you can access Microsoft
to reset user options. (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822005) If you would rather fix the reset
yourself, there are instructions on that page for “Let me fix it myself.”
Document Title and Language Properties *
* This topic is important only if the Word document will be turned into a PDF or an HTML page.
This cannot be established as a default setting and should be done on each Word document that might,
potentially be converted into another format.
1) Click on FILE in the upper left corner of Word 2013.
2) Click on Properties in the right column on the INFO page.
3) Select “Advanced Properties” from the dropdown.
4) In Properties Summary tab, type in the Title.
5) Still in the Properties window, select
the Custom tab. (1) In Name, select
Language. (2) In Value field, type
English (or the language used in the
document). (3) Click the Add button
and then (4) click the OK button.
The Title and Language information will be passed into the PDF or HTML page.
Page 6 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Images with Alternative Text Descriptions
Adding Alternative Text:
After an image is pasted or inserted in a
Word document, use the mouse to click on
the image to access the objects box and
layout option. Resizing tools around the
image will become apparent along with a
Layout Options box near the upper right
corner. Click on the Layout Options box to
open a dropdown list of options.
In the Layout options dropdown, check to
ensure that “In Line with Text” is selected
for the image. Inline is preferred. Text
wrapping may be used occasionally if
necessary for other layout purposes.
After the layout with text is chosen, select
the image again, except now you will use
the mouse to right click on the image and
select “Format Picture…” to open different
options.
An alternate way to access “Format Picture” is to (1) Left click on the picture, (2) Click on
INSERT in the Ribbon, (3) Click on Picture Tools FORMAT, then (4) Click on the Picture
Styles Format Shape (corner button). [See example on next page.]
Page 7 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
The Format Picture options will open on the
right of the Word document page. Click on
the Layout and Properties option (square
box with four directional arrows).
Open the Alt Text option to view the Title
and Description boxes. Do not type in the
Title box. Type in the Description box to
enter the information describing the image.
As soon as something is typed into the
Description box, you may close the format
picture option or click on another image in
the document to describe it. The Alt Text is
automatically saved without needing to click
on any “saving” option/button.
How to Describe Graphics and Objects
Appropriate Alt Text descriptions for images involve providing just enough information to
explain what the sighted person is seeing. For example, image at the beginning of this
Alternative Text section might be described as, “Graduating student holding diploma.” The
description will depend on the context of the image in the document.
It is not necessary to describe all the fine details such as color of the cap and gown, or that the
diploma is in the foreground while the student is blurred in the background. The gist of the
picture is all that is necessary. If the image is simply for decoration and does not pertain to the
content, it can be described as “decoration.”
Page 8 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Charts, graphs and symbols might need to be described with more detail based on the image’s
message, which might not be available in the overall content of the document. If the
chart/symbol image refers to detailed information located somewhere in the document, that
description can be noted with a “Figure #” reference from the alt text to the explanation in the
document.
Photos/Graphics:
Too Much Info: Photo of Professor
Pradeep smiling while sitting behind his
office desk.
Not Adequate: Smiling
Not Acceptable: data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/
//Z, image1.gif, or dstuns.iitm.in/professor-
Images of Charts/Graphs:
Depends – Might Be Too Much: Graph –
Home broadband penetration, Jun – 04
(23%), Oct – 04 (27%), Feb – 05 (32%),
Jun – 05 (29%), Oct – 05 (36%), Feb – 06
(42%)… [This will be dependent on how
much the individual will need to know if
there are not additional descriptions in the
main content of the document.]
pradeep.jpg
Not Adequate: Graph
Appropriate: Professor Pradeep
Appropriate: Graph – Home broadband
penetration. Date range June 2004 –
February 2007. Trends of growth starting at
23% and ending at 49%. Reference Figure
1.7 in text
Text Continues in next Column
Shortcut Description Method - If you have a lot of photos to describe in a document, you may
want to wait until you run the Accessibility Checker. The checker will show a list of the photos
that will need descriptions so that you can do them all at the end.
Page 9 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Object Boxes in Word:
Objects, tables, textboxes, and charts Inserted in Word will also require some Alt Text. Refer to
the previous section explaining how to describe graphics and objects.
Be aware that shapes, e.g. circles, rectangles, arrows, stars, etc., layered over a screenshot,
photo, image, chart, etc., should either be described as decoration or flattened into the overall
original images.
How to Flatten Layered Images/Objects
The quickest and easiest way to flatten out the layers of shapes placed onto the screenshots
or photos in Word is to use the Snipping Tool available in Windows 7 and Windows 8. If you
have never used the Snipping Tool, it can be located in All Programs under Accessories
folder.
1) Click on the Windows Start
button in the lower left corner of
your desktop to open the
directory list.
2) Near the bottom of the directory list
click the All Programs button.
(Shortcut method – type Snipping” into the Search programs and files search box.)
3) This opens programs list. Find and
click the Accessories folder to open
one more list.
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4) In the Accessories folder, scroll
down to find the Snipping Tool.
5) When opening the snipping tool, it will present as a white transparent layer over the
entire screen. The cursor becomes a cross. Press and hold the left mouse button
while dragging the cursor across the area that you want to capture a picture. Use
Snipping Tool directions are located on the Microsoft support pages.
(http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-snipping-tool-capture-screen-shots#1TC=windows-7)
6) Place your photo as the first layer into a separate blank Word document
7) Add the desired objects, i.e. textbox,
shape, image, etc. over the original
image.
8) When you have placed the layered
objects needed for that particular
image, you can flatten the multiple
layers into a single-layer image by
opening and using the Snipping Tool
to copy and paste that screenshot
image into the main primary Word
document you are working with.
9) Remember to add the Alt Text for the new “single layer” image.
Page 11 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
List Formats for Accessibility
The first thing a person using a screen reader will suggest to anyone who needs to make a list;
“Don’t use a table to create a list.” Just because the word “table” is in the phrase “Table of
Contents” which is just an expansive list, please don’t use a table to create that Table of
Contents. Refer to the next section to learn how to make an Accessible Table of Contents.
Ø Don’t use spacing, tabs or tables to create a list. The users of screen readers will not be
able to recognize your list is a list if the List option is not used.
Word 2013 can create an accessible list for you. Perhaps the easiest way to create the list is to
simply type each item on separate lines.




Apple
Orange
Banana
Strawberry
1) First
2) Fourth
3) Second
4) Third
(1) Start with typing each item of the list on separate line. (2)Using the mouse/cursor, highlight
the list and (3) select a list option (Bullets or Numbering) from the Paragraph group located in
the Home section of the Ribbon toolbar. (4) Your list is now correctly formatted and will be
identified as a list. (Visual examples are shown below.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
After the list is created, you can adjust the indentation using the Decrease Indent and Increase
Indent options to the right of the List options.
Line spacing can also be adjusted by highlighting the list again when using the Line and
Paragraph spacing options which are also located in the Paragraph group.
The Lists option offers many features; changing the numbering, alphabetizing and choice of
bullets. Regardless of which list format you choose, the correct use of lists will make your
document more accessible.
To learn more about making Lists using Word, visit the Word Formatting: Paragraphs and Lists
at How-To-Geek. (http://www.howtogeek.com/school/microsoft-word-document-formattingessentials/lesson2/all/) NOTE: How-To-Geek is not fully accessible for screen readers. An
accessible alternative is Making Lists with Bullets and Numbers (http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/how-to-make-lists-with-bullets-and-numbers-in-word.html).
Page 12 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Table of Contents
The Table of Contents should not be created in a table. Word 2013 has a great feature to
assist in creating the Table of Contents when Styles Headings have been implemented into a
document. Documents longer than eight to ten pages should include Headings, at the very
least, and a properly created Table of Contents will accessorize the accessibility of the
document.
1) Place cursor on page where the table of contents is to be created
2) Select References in the Ribbon and click on Table of Contents button for a dropdown
of built in options.
3) Select the type of Table of Contents
(TOC). If headings were properly
defined in the Word 2013 document,
the TOC will be automatically
created for you.
4) If you add content after the TOC has been created, click on the Update Table button in
the Table of Contents Group section.
This document was created using the Table of Contents feature in Word 2013.
Page 13 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Tables Developed for Accessibility
The goal here is not to teach you how to make a table. To learn how to make a table, visit How
to Create Tables in Word 2013. (http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-create-tables-in-word2013.html)
1) Create the table.
2) Add Alt Text to the table.
a. Right click on box in the upper left corner of the table to access the Table
Properties.
b. In the Table Properties window, click on the Alt Text tab and type in the table
description. Then click the OK button.
3) Add Headings.
a. In Word 2013, Headings in tables are referred to as headers.
b. Depending on the table style, header/headings should be established in the
first/row or the first column on the left. Most of the pre-made styles have the top
row for headings.
c. If you have the accessibility checker turned on while creating the table, you may
get a continuous error “No Header Row Specified.” To establish the top row as
the header row and set it into motion, click the following: INSERT, TABLE
TOOLS – DESIGN, use the cursor to highlight the first row in the table and click
Header Row. (The Ribbon Tabs are circled in the screenshot below. Continued on next
page.)
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Then click TABLE TOOLS – LAYOUT, click Repeat Header Rows. (Refer to
screenshot above.)
4) Try to avoid using blank cells for formatting.
a. Attempt to keep the table layout as simple as possible. If a cell needs to be
empty, a comment that the cell is “null”, “empty” or “blank” will help the individual
using a screen reader to track the cells that have nothing.
Example:
Sample of a
blank cell
Sample describing
“empty cell”
Sample describing “empty
cell” changed to white font.
[empty cell]
[empty cell]
b. Merged cells can cause issues with reading order in Word. If merged cells are
needed for a complex table, refer to Complex Tables for work around
information. Click on the “show all” link on that website to view the entire
explanation.
(http://www.socialsecurity.gov/accessibility/checklists/word2010/complexTables.htm )
5) Check reading order.
a. Reading order is easy to check in Word – place the cursor in the first cell of the
table.
b. Press the tab button on your keyboard and watch the cursor move through the
cells. If the cursor moves to a cell that it has already “visited” then the content
may be confusing for a screen reader user. Refer to the website mentioned in the
blank cells description above in 4.b.
6) Tables that extend beyond the page should include headings on each subsequent
page. Refer back to Headings description in 3.c. above.
7) Avoid using a lot of blank spacing inside the cells.
Table Heading is Left Column and not Top Row
Word does not have an option yet for identifying when a column is full of headings rather than
the top row. A work around for that is to use a bookmark.
1) Create table with headings in first column
2) Click or place the cursor in upper left table cell.
3) Select INSERT on the Ribbon and click on
Bookmark.
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Heading 1
Heading 2
Heading 3
Content 1
Content 2
Content 3
4) Bookmark window opens. In the
name, type ColumnTitle (all as one
word and no spaces) and click Add.
5) There may still be an accessibility
error that shows up, however this is
the correct format for alerting a
screen reader user that the first
column contains the headings in the
table.
Page 16 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Style Headings
The function of Heading Styles in a Word document can help create consistent access across
the document’s pages both from a Table of Contents, as well as the user of a screen reader.
Long documents, such as a syllabus, or an administrative report is frequently developed with
sections and sub-categories that benefit from having larger, bold text leading the reader into
the content, similar to how this checklist has been developed. But, instead of using larger,
bold or italicized font, you should rely on using Styles for Heading levels. When the styles are
used effectively, the Table of Contents will basically create itself. Also, having headings in long
documents help users of screen readers to quickly navigate through the material without the
need to read every line of text.
Ø Do not simply use bold or larger font to indicate headings.
Ø Do not use headings to denote visual emphasis in the main content.
If you merely want a word or phrase to stand out in a sentence, use bold, italics or other styling
options. Refer to the end of this section for a list of the Word Styles options.
To develop a default Styles template, refer to Default Setting Heading Styles.
When utilizing Headings in a document, start with a Heading 1 for the beginning title. If there is
only one heading to be used in a document, style that heading with “Heading 1.” Starting a
document with a Heading 2 or 3 or even a Heading 4 can cause confusion for the user of a
screen reader. Also, this will cause confusion with the accessibility checkers in Word or Adobe
Pro.
To access Styles, click on the HOME tab in the Ribbon toolbar. The Styles preview is the little
box to the lower left of the Styles group. (The keyboard command to open the preview involves holding
down four keys at the same time; Alt + CTRL + Shift + S.)
To create a Heading on a page, 1) type the text for the heading. 2) Using the cursor, highlight
the word or phrase to be “styled.” 3) While the word(s) are still highlighted, click on the
Heading option in the Styles group. 4) The Heading will now change and a little tab triangle
will appear to the left of the Heading.
1)
2)
Page 17 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
3)
4)
Now you can modify the heading’s style
with a right click on the chosen Heading
Style option for a dropdown list of options.
Select the Modify option to open a
formatting window.
In the Modify style window, change the
style in a way that fits your document’s
needs. Before clicking OK, you have the
option of automatically updating any other
Heading that might be using that heading
level
When using Headings in a document, think of them as being an outline hierarchy of
information. Use a Heading level 1 only once per document unless there are several different
documents contained into one. After Heading 1, Heading 2 should follow as primary sections
and can be used as frequently as needed throughout the document. If there are subsections,
Heading 3 and Heading 4 can be used, if needed.
Below is a quick example of working with Headings in Word 2013.
What does working in My Government involve? (Title = Heading 1)
Who can work for My Government? (2nd level sub-heading = Heading 2)
What does My Government expect from its employees? (Heading 2)
How does a promotion work? (3rd level sub-heading = Heading 3)
When can you expect a promotion? (4th level sub-sub-heading = Heading 4)
What is the executive structure? (Heading 3)
What is a job classification? (Heading 2)
What are your employee benefits? (Heading 2)
Page 18 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Looking back to the example, the hierarchy of the Headings starts at level one, moves to level
2, followed by another level 2, then there’s a subsection with a couple of level 3, and even a
sub-sub-heading level 4, then moves back to level 2. The use of Headings in this way helps
the listener to make sense of the information contained in the document as much as it does for
a sighted individual.
To see more Styles options, click on the “row”
Styles window in the Ribbon toolbar.
or “more” styles button
to the right of the
To learn more about Heading Styles and accessibility, visit WebAIM’s Word Accessibility
pages. (http://webaim.org/techniques/word/)
Page 19 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Hyperlinks – More than just Links
Links are the URL address to a webpage. Hyperlinks are the URL address to a webpage.
Both are considered the correct way to identify the connection of one page to another with the
use of the URL address. Word 2013 will quickly identify the format of a URL address and make
it “Live”, as in changing the color of the address blue and underlining it while allowing the
option to click on the link to go to the intended website.
Hyperlinks are not considered accessible without some meaningful text. Word allows you the
ability to add text to the hyperlink so that a user of a screen reader will know more about the
hyperlink.
Some hyperlinks will not make sense to a listener, and even most sighted individuals without
contextual wording. It is frequently assumed that the listener will hear the content leading up to
the link. They will if they are reading the entire page. But screen readers allow the users to cut
through the content to find only the links (similar to the shortcuts for headings and lists). For
accessibility purposes, it is always best to create a hyperlink with meaningful text. Some
examples are presented below:

These Links may not have much meaning using a screen reader:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/arc/sec/nat/vit/514?id=a254.php (Not real link)
http://www.seoads.com/index.html (Not real link)

These Links have more meaning but may need more context
http://freedomscientific.com
http://www.mhcc.edu

These Links have adequate meaning with text
Freedom Scientific Software for Vision Impairments
Mt. Hood Community College
If you are at a loss as to what to name the hyperlink, look to the title of the webpage that the
link is connected to for an idea.
Page 20 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Creating a hyperlink in Word is easy. Place
the cursor at the point you want to link to
begin, or highlight the text designated for
the hyperlink. Right click on the
highlighted text or at the cursor’s starting
point, to open the dropdown list. Select the
Hyperlink option to open the Insert
Hyperlink window.
In the Insert Hyperlink window, the four
options buttons on the left column allow
you to link to other files, internet pages,
within the existing document and other
options as shown.
Near the top center of the window, the
name of the link can be typed in the field
Text to display:. The Look in: option
allows you to find files on your system
and can be ignored for a webpage
hyperlink. Near the bottom, the Address
field is for the URL address to the
webpage. Then click OK to finalize the
link.
When to use Unnamed URL addresses in Word:
You may have noted that this handout contains both meaningful text links as well as URL
addresses in close proximity. Sometimes, you may want to print out the handout and then the
address will be lost behind meaningful text formatted in blue and underlined. In those
instances, it is appropriate to include the full URL address in brackets or parentheses and then
remove the automated hyperlink from the URL.
Page 21 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Right click on the URL to access the
dropdown window and select Remove
Hyperlink. This will de-activate the linking
function and it will not show up in the
screen reader’s list of links.
To learn more about accessible hyperlinks, hypertext, screen readers as well as keyboard
accessibility of links, WebAIM Links and Hypertext page can give you more insight about the
subject based on internet standards. (http://webaim.org/techniques/hypertext)
Page 22 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Columns with Accessibility in Mind
Sometimes, you may need two or three columns of text that flow from one section to the next,
being read top to bottom in each column, and not read straight across as a row. While the
appearance of columns can be created by using tabs between columns, the screen reader
user will lose track of the information. The average person may think the solution is to use a
table for the cells to sort out the columns. The better option is to use the Columns option in
Word 2013.
Let’s start with some examples of what should not be done, and why.
Jon Stewart
123 Mystery Ln.
Portland, OR 97299
Alison Grey
321 Fantasy Cr.
Portland, OR 97299
The above example gives the illusion of columns. Instead, the screen reader will read it as:
Jon Stewart (tab)(tab) Alison Grey.
123 Mystery Lane (tab)(tab) 321 Fantasy Creek.
Portland, OR 97299 (tab) Portland, OR 97299.
To the eye, we see the distinction. To the ear, the distinction is lost. Some may think the
solution is to create a table and remove the black borders:
Jon Stewart
123 Mystery Ln.
Portland, OR 97299
Alison Grey
321 Fantasy Cr.
Portland, OR 97299
That is better, but it now forces the listener to “step” into a series of data cells for all the wrong
reasons. There’s no heading for the table and the table is announced out of context to the
document (or letter).
It is never recommended that you use two “Text Boxes” to obtain the appearance of Columns.
Text boxes in Word documents are not accessible with a screen reader.
The best option is to utilize the Column option.
1) Type the information similar to creating a list.
Jon Stewart
123 Mystery Ln.
Portland, OR 97299
Alison Grey
321 Fantasy Cr.
Portland, OR 97299
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2) Now, highlight the information for the
two columns.
3) Click the PAGE LAYOUT in the Ribbon toolbar. In the Page Setup group, select
Columns for the dropdown and select “More Columns.”
4) In the Columns window, select Two (or Three) from the Preset options OR Select the”
Number of columns” options. Notice that the “Apply to:” option is set to Selected text.
To adjust the column width, Uncheck “Equal column width.”
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5) This is where the ruler displayed at the top of the document helps to determine how
wide to make the first column.
6) As determined with the ruler, the
width of the text was just under two
inches.
a. Change Col#:1’s width to 2”.
b. Keep the spacing for Col#:1 at .5” to
provide a nice appearance of two
cells of distinct text.
Jon Stewart
123 Mystery Ln.
Portland, OR 97299
Alison Grey
321 Fantasy Cr.
Portland, OR 97299
Now, when a screen reader is used on the two columns of information above, the listener will
easily distinguish that Mr. Stewart can be located on Mystery Lane in Portland, while Ms.
Grey’s address is Fantasy Creek.
The remaining text outside of the two columns is retained as a single column without losing the
normal flow of content and without losing its intent. In a nutshell, the reading order is now
correctly established for the listener. Many portions of this document were created with the use
of columns in the layout. To learn more about creating columns, visit Word 2013 – Columns at
GCF Learn Free. (http://www.gcflearnfree.org/word2013/16)
Page 25 – Word 2013 Accessibility Checklist
Creating Accessible Forms in Word
Some of the form controls in Word 2007, 2010 and 2013 are not currently accessible with most
screen readers. However, there are legacy controls that can be utilized to create accessibility.
The goal here is not to teach you all about making forms. The basics will be covered. First
ensure that your Word 2013 Ribbon includes the “DEVELOPER” option. (Please Note: If you
are wanting a form online that students complete online and sent to your email account, you will need
to set up a template without using Word’s form fields. See template example below. Then submit your
template to the campus web designers. If you are wanting a Word document form for other purposes,
continue following the demonstration beyond the template example.)
Create your template
Contact Information <Heading 2>
Instructions: All applicants must complete this section.
Full Name: <Edit box>
Street Address: <Edit box>
City: State: Zip: <Edit boxes>
Phone Number: <Edit box>
Personal Information <Heading 2>
Instructions: All applicants must complete this section.
Date of Birth: <Edit box>
Sex: Male Female <Radio buttons or dropdown>
This allows you to work with the layout before actually putting in the boxes, etc. It is acceptable
to use a simple table for layout as long as there are not any extra tables nesting inside of
primary table cells.
While in DEVELOPER, locate the Legacy
Tools options. It looks a little like a tool box
in the Controls group.
The dropdown options are Legacy forms
and ActiveX Controls. Only of the legacy
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form options are accessible. The ActiveX
and Content controls are not currently
accessible.
While in the form, place the cursor after the field but before the <edit box> sections begin to
add the boxes for the forms from the Legacy Form options.
After the form fields have been added, you can begin to edit them.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Double click on the field to begin to edit the settings.
Click “Add Help Text”
Add information in the status bar
The Help Key tab opens the option for longer messages
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Restrict Editing by using
the Protect option. The
Restrict Editing options
open in the right column of
the document. Skip over
step 1. Check the box for
step 2 “Editing restrictions”
and select “Filing in forms”
on the dropdown. Then
click “Yes, Start Enforcing
Protection” in step 3.
The “Start Enforcing Protection” window
will pop up requesting a password.
This finalizes the accessible Word 2013 form.
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Accessibility Checker with Word 2013
The newer versions of Microsoft Office have accessibility checkers to help ensure that the documents
we create are accessible for everyone.
Click on FILE in the upper left corner of Word 2013.
On the INFO page, click on the Check for
Issues button located to the left of “Inspect
Document.”
In the options dropdown, select “Check
Accessibility.”
The Accessibility Checker Inspection
Results will open on the right column of the
document. The Errors and Warnings will be
listed in that column. This is a list of the
Errors and Warnings received in this
document before it was finalized.
Click on the arrow to the left of the category
to open the Error or Warnings lists.
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When you click on the items under a specific category, the pertinent page for that error or
warning will show up. For example, clicking on “Table” (with no header row) the Table in
question showed up. If you read the topic about columns above, you may remember this being
discussed.
By clicking on each Error item and Warning
item, you will be able to locate and fix the
accessibility issues before finalizing the
document.
Important Information for Older Word Documents!
What if you have an old Word document
with the .DOC extension?
1) Re-save the file using Save as to a
.DOCX.
2) Utilize the Accessibility Checker.
To learn more about the Accessibility Checker, visit Office Support’s Check for Accessibility
Issues and Rules Used by Accessibility Checker (https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Check-foraccessibility-issues-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US)
(https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Rules-used-by-the-Accessibility-Checker-651e08f2-0fc3-4e10-aaca74b4a67101c1?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US)
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Creating PDFs from Word – To Export or Save As?
When creating a Word document intended to be a PDF, it is best to use this checklist to ensure
that the document has been created with Accessibility in mind.
NOTE! – We have learned by trial and error that using Export will ensure the accessibility in
the document will be transferred over to the PDF!
Before Exporting to PDF, Save the Word document to finalize any changes.
Click on FILE in the upper left corner of Word 2013.
It is always recommended that you choose
“Export” and not choose “Save As.” The
Export option will preserve the accessibility
features when the PDF is developed.
Export option is located near the middle in
the left column on the INFO page.
Depending on your Word program’s
capabilities you may have several PDF
creation options, such as PDFMaker and
Create a PDF/XPS Document.
A pop-up window similar to
“Save As” will open. Keep
the Optimize for: setting
with Standard.
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If your document is longer than a few pages
and contains Headings, you should click the
Options button (see “Options…” button in
screenshot above.) The Options window
will pop open. Click the Create bookmarks
using and Headings options. Then click
OK to return to the Save/Publish as PDF
window and click Publish button.
Note - If you are not certain which to use, defer to Word’s “Create PDF/XPS” option.
[To learn more about creating PDFs using PDFMaker, visit Adobe Help –
PDFMaker.](https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/creating-pdfs-pdfmaker-windows.html)
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