Customize your document to accessible format

One of the most basic guidelines when it comes to accessible documentation is the format of the text and the document. It is therefore important to:

• use a font size of at least 12 px in Word and 24 px in PowerPoint. Preferably of the San serif type.
• ensure that there is sufficient contrast between text and background. Preferably black or "SU-blue" text on a white background or white text on a black or "SU-blue" background. Some color combinations are very difficult to read (for example, blue / red and red / green).

Highlight your content

Screen readers do not have the ability to identify different fonts, colors or formatted text such as. bold, italic, underlined, etc. It is therefore important not to use these character formats as the only way to capture the reader's attention or convey information.

If you e.g. uses red text or bold markings to reinforce that something in your text is extra important, the students who use screen readers will not know that that text is red or bold. They simply miss it and do not know that it is extra important.

Make sure you use an available option when giving a clear visual indication. Use an exclamation point at the end of a sentence that is extra important. Exclamation marks and question marks have an impact on the intonation of a screen reader. This does not mean that the tool reads out the word "question mark", but that the sentence is read with question intonation.

Write academically, but accessible

In a text that is accessible to all readers, it is easier to understand the message. If a sentence is too complicated or too long, the recipient will not understand all of it. You can make your text available to everyone by:

• keeping sentences short. They should not contain more than 20-25 words.
• matching your text to a readability index, e.g. Lix

Heading structure

Correct headings are crucial when creating accessible content. It allows students using screen readers to jump between different headings in a document and save time.

Therefore, always use the built-in heading tools in the program you are typing in. If you create the headings yourself by changing the font size or bold text, it will not be perceived as a heading by the screen reader. All popular programs such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Open Office have style and format options that can help you create the right structure for your documents.

Example:

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

The numbers in the title help to structure the context for the screen reader and help, for example, visually impaired readers to understand the content, even if they have difficulty seeing how the document is structured.

Accessible images in documents

When it comes to images in documents, it can be good to first ask yourself what the purpose of the image is. Does it have only an aesthetic purpose or does it give the user a visual reference of something in the text? If you are unsure of the function of the image - do not use it! It can make the presentation more cluttered and more difficult for those with learning difficulties to understand. Limit the number of objects to a maximum of five per page and avoid moving, animated images completely.

Alternate text: If you do not want the screen reader to skip images, you need to add alternate text for them. You do not need to add "image of" because the screen reader already knows that it is an image. Be concise, clear and descriptive. Do not use the same alternate text for all images, such as "image illustrating the text". It's pointless and confusing for students who use screen readers.

For more advanced images, you can add a short descriptive alternative text and then also add an explanatory caption below the image. It is visible to everyone and may contain a clearer description.

Infographics: Information graphics must always have a text option. It is a description of the same information given in the information graphics. The text option should be on the page immediately after the infographic.

See an example of an infographic with a text option.

Text in images: According to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), text should not be in images. Instead, explain the image using text on the page.

Links

It is important that your links are descriptive. Each link should be a description of what the user can expect to find when he or she clicks on the link. Avoid using "click here" or "read more". The screen reader reads out the text exactly as it stands. If the same link name is repeated (imagine you hear "click here, click here, click here" several times) it only creates confusion among users. They need to understand where the link leads and why they should click on it. Descriptive links give users a context. URLs are not informative and should not be used as descriptions. Instead, make the text descriptive. Opening links in a new window can be confusing as the screen reader is thrown into a new context. Avoid it.

Lists and tables

Use the list and table tools that are integrated into the program you are typing in.

Lists: Correctly created bulleted lists inform students who use screen readers how many points are in the list. Correctly created numbered lists inform about how many objects are in the numbered list and read out the number for each object.

Tables: Use lists instead of tables when you can! Tables can be made available, but those who use screen readers must know advanced keyboard commands in order to navigate tables and understand them.

If you must use tables, it is important that you use column headings, as they will be re-read by the screen reader each time the user navigates to a new cell. In this way, the user gets the context for each cell clear. Keep in mind how the reading will sound for each of the cells as you select column headings and add information to the cells.

NOTE! Never use tables to create a visual layout.

Text: Stefan Karlsson, ICT pedagogical team