Did you know that Microsoft Office has a built-in Accessibility Checker? The Accessibility Checker checks your documents for you and provides step-by-step instructions on how to correct any non-accessible content. 

Please see this Microsoft support document about how to use the built-in Accessibility Checker. You may also request training from Instructional Design and Training (IDT) or use the Knowledge Base article "Accessibility: Using MS Office to Create Course Materials."

Are you presenting at an academic or professional conference, to a local business chapter, or to a conference committee? Are you sharing your files via your own website, a conference website, or a professional website? If so, your files must be accessible. 

Use the Microsoft Office Accessibility Checker to check for access issues.

You may also request training from Instructional Design and Training (IDT) or refer to the Knowledge Base article Knowledge Base article "Accessibility: Plan Ahead for Creating Content."

Are you presenting at an academic or professional conference, to a local business chapter, or to a conference committee? Are you sharing your files via your own website, a conference website, or a professional website? If so, your files must be accessible. 

Use the Microsoft Office Accessibility Checker to check for access issues. See the Knowledge Base article Accessibility: Plan Ahead for Creating Content for more information. You may also request training from RITE's Instructional Design and Training (IDT) team.

The dean of the Graduate School, Kevin Miller, will host a meeting of all graduate faculty on Friday, October 26, at 3:00 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 214. The meeting will focus on important policy and programmatic updates as well as other matters pertinent to graduate students.

When adding links to documents or slides, there are some specific things you can do to optimize accessibility. Because screen-reading software reads the links presented on a page as words or letters, it is important to make links meaningful and relevant. Links that say “click here,” for example, do not allow users to discern what a link is about.

This web page from the University of Minnesota gives some good examples and tips for creating meaningful hyperlinks. You may also request training from Instructional Design and Training (IDT) or link to the Knowledge Base article "Accessibility: Hyperlinks."

When adding links to documents or slides, there are some specific things you can do to optimize accessibility. Because screen-reading software reads the links presented on a page as words or letters, it is important to make links meaningful and relevant. Links that say “click here,” for example, do not allow users to discern what a link is about.

This web page from the University of Minnesota gives some good examples and tips for creating meaningful hyperlinks. You may also request training from Instructional Design and Training (IDT) or link to the Knowledge Base article "Accessibility: Hyperlinks."

Microsoft Word has features that close the accessibility gap without a lot of extra work. The next time you format a document, instead of merely increasing the font size or adding boldface or colored text to visually indicate headings, use the built-in features in Word for headings, bullets, and lists to create accessible documents in a more structured way.

To use structured headings, for your content:

• Type your heading.
• Highlight the text with your cursor.
• On the Home tab in the Styles group, click on Heading 1. The font style, color, and size of your highlighted text will become the preset style for Heading 1.

To change the style, right click on Heading 1 and select Modify. Change the properties to a new style, for example, Garamond, font size 14, blue. This will become the new preset for Heading 1. Use Heading 1 for all your top-level headings.

Do the same for subheadings: choose the font size, formatting, color, and style you want; highlight the text; go to styles; and choose Heading 2. Modify if needed. This selection will become the preset for Heading 2. Use Heading 2 for all subheadings at that level.

If you need more subheadings, continue to create and use Heading 3 and so on. This structures the document for visually impaired students who use screen readers, and it keeps your personal style alive and well.

The same is true with bulleted and numbered lists. Using the icons in the menu to create bullets and lists, click on the adjacent drop-down arrow to modify the style of each. Sighted students will see your style, while visually impaired students will be able to follow with their screen readers.

You may request training from Instructional Design and Training (IDT).

You may also link to the Knowledge Base Article "Accessibility: Headings, Bullets, and Lists."

Microsoft Word has features that close the accessibility gap without a lot of extra work. The next time you format a document, instead of merely increasing the font size or adding boldface or colored text to visually indicate headings, use the built-in features in Word for headings, bullets, and lists to create accessible documents in a more structured way. 
 
To use structured headings, for your content:

• Type your heading.
• Highlight the text with your cursor.
• On the Home tab in the Styles group, click on Heading 1. The font style, color, and size of your highlighted text will become the preset style for Heading 1.

To change the style, right click on Heading 1 and select Modify. Change the properties to a new style, for example, Garamond, font size 14, blue. This will become the new preset for Heading 1. Use Heading 1 for all your top-level headings.

Do the same for subheadings: choose the font size, formatting, color, and style you want; highlight the text; go to styles; and choose Heading 2. Modify if needed. This selection will become the preset for Heading 2. Use Heading 2 for all subheadings at that level.

If you need more subheadings, continue to create and use Heading 3 and so on. This structures the document for visually impaired students who use screen readers, and it keeps your personal style alive and well.

The same is true with bulleted and numbered lists. Using the icons in the menu to create bullets and lists, click on the adjacent drop-down arrow to modify the style of each. Sighted students will see your style, while visually impaired students will be able to follow with their screen readers.

You may request training from Instructional Design and Training (IDT).

You may also link to the Knowledge Base Article "Accessibility: Headings, Bullets, and Lists."

Creating or updating a PowerPoint presentation? Make sure your presentations are accessible. Below are some helpful tips to get you started:

• Add alternative text (descriptions) to your images using a few simple steps.
• Verify reading order within each slide.
• Use pre-defined layouts.
• Use the Check Accessibility feature.

If you need further assistance, please request a training session from Instructional Design and Training, or use the Knowledge Base article Accessibility: Creating PowerPoint Presentations.

Creating or updating a PowerPoint presentation? Make sure your presentations are accessible. Below are some helpful tips to get you started:

• Add alternative text (descriptions) to your images using a few simple steps.
• Verify reading order within each slide.
• Use pre-defined layouts.
• Use the Check Accessibility feature.

If you need further assistance, please request a training session from Instructional Design and Training.

Or use the Knowledge Base article Accessibility: Creating PowerPoint Presentations.