Authoring Accessible Documents

When choosing fonts for a document the following issues require careful consideration:

• Font Styles - It is important to consider the most appropriate fonts to use when creating a document. Every user will have slightly different requirements, but the guidance enclosed will provide the base information for more accessible use of fonts.
• Font Colours and Contrast Issues - The use of colour should be carefully considered when creating documents. No recommendations will be universal to all people and individual requirements must still be taken into consideration. However, the guidance available will provide general information on the appropriate use of colour and issues concerning appropriate contrast with background colour.
• Issues for Background Colour - Issues relating to the background colour of text boxes require consideration as a substantial contrast is needed between the text and the chosen background colour.

The most important issue when creating a document is the appropriate use of inbuilt styles and structures. The use of headings and style structures can enable the user to effectively navigate any document and as such, be directed to the appropriate information with ease.

• Styles and Formatting - The use of the Styles and Formatting toolbar is one of the most important tools which will increase the accessibility of any document substantially.
• Amending Font Style of Headings - Microsoft® Word contains a number of predefined styles for headings. This section enables users to amend these styles into one which suits their needs.
• Creating New Headings - Depending on the document it may be necessary to create additional headings. This section describes the creation of new headings.
• Accessibility Benefits of Styles and Headings - This section explains the accessibility benefits of styles and headings, and examines the use of the inbuilt 'Document Map' for document navigation.

When choosing an image for a document the following issues require careful consideration.

• Suitability of Images - It is important to consider the suitability of images within a document. For example, the contrast between colours and the reliance on colour to convey the message of an image.
• Use of Alternative Text - Microsoft® Word has the ability to insert a textual alternative for images. In order to use this tool effectively, an examination is needed as to the learning objective required from the image.
• Inserting Captions - When inserting images it is generally appropriate to insert a caption describing the image. A way of inserting captions, along with the examination of their appropriate insertion, is described.
• Appropriate Captioning - When captioning an image it is important to ensure the caption appropriately reflects what is being conveyed in the image.
• Use of Screen Tips - Screen tips can be used to insert information over different parts of an image. This can be exceedingly useful in providing contextual or exemplified information for those requiring it without leaving the image cluttered and incomprehensible.

Hyperlinks can be used in a variety of different ways to enable the writer to link either to an external document or web page, or to internally link to a relevant part of the same document. Hyperlinks can be used in conjunction with screen tips to contextualise the resource the user will be forwarded to.

• Linking to a Web Page - This section explains how to insert hyperlinks when linking to a web page or resource on the internet.
• Linking to Documents - This section explains how to insert hyperlinks when linking to a complementary document.
• Linking internally within a document - This section explains how to link internally within a document, thus enabling a large document to be navigated with ease.