About creating accessible Office documents
If you use Microsoft Office programs to design presentations, Web pages, and other types of documents, you should make sure that the content you create is accessible to all people, including those with disabilities.
These tips illustrate just a few ways to create accessible content:
-
If you design Web pages or HTML-based documents, be sure to add alternative text to any graphics you use. Web browsers display alternative text while pictures are loading or if they are missing. Alternative text helps users who have graphics turned off in their browser or users who rely on screen review utilities to interpret information on the screen.
-
Don't rely on sound alone to convey important information. For example, if your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation contains audio, you can make text descriptions of the audio content available as part of the slide, in the notes pane. Making audio information available in an alternative form benefits users who don't have a sound card or who have sound turned off, or users who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.
-
Don't rely on color alone to convey important information. For example, if your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet contains a color-coded chart legend, use additional cues, such as textual annotations, to supplement the use of color. Users may use a limited color scheme, or use a handheld computer with a monochrome display, or rely on screen review utilities, and these seldom convey information that is only represented by colors.
If you have access to the Web, you can learn more about creating accessible content for Web pages by referring to the accessibility standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium. To learn more about accessibility in Microsoft products, visit the Microsoft Accessibility Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/enable.