Microsoft Word has built-in tools that make it relatively straightforward to check and improve accessibility. Here's how you can assess a Word document:

1. The Accessibility Checker, Your Most Valuable Tool

• How to Use: Go to the Review tab on the Word ribbon. Click on Check Accessibility.
• What it Does: The Accessibility Checker pane will open on the right side of your screen, listing any errors, warnings, and tips for improvement.
• Errors: These are issues that make the content very difficult or impossible for some users to understand. Address these first. Examples include missing alternative text for images, insufficient color contrast, or missing table headers.
• Warnings: These are issues that might make the content difficult for some users. While not as critical as errors, it's best to review and address these when possible. Examples include redundant links or unclear heading structure.
• Tips: These offer suggestions for improving accessibility even if no errors or warnings are detected.

2. Visual Inspection of the Document and Common Issues to Look For:

• Headings: Are headings used logically and consistently to structure the document? Can you easily navigate the document by just reading the headings? Proper heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) should be used, not just visual formatting.
• Lists: Are bulleted and numbered lists used correctly to present lists of items? Avoid manually creating lists with dashes or numbers. Word's built-in list features provide semantic information for screen readers.
• Images and Graphics: Do all images have descriptive alternative text? If an image conveys important information, the alt text should describe that information concisely. Decorative images can have empty alt text. To check, right-click on an image, select Edit Alt Text..., and see if there's a meaningful description.
• Tables: Are tables structured simply with clear row and column headers? Avoid using tables for layout purposes. For data tables, ensure header rows are designated. Select a table, go to the Table Design tab, and check the Header Row box.
• Color Contrast: Is there sufficient contrast between text and background colors? Poor contrast can make text difficult to read for users with low vision. You can use online color contrast checkers, such as the WCAG color contrast checker, to evaluate.
• Hyperlinks: Are hyperlink text descriptive? Avoid generic text like "click here." Instead, use the actual title or destination of the link (e.g., "University Accessibility Services Website"). To check, right-click on a hyperlink and select Edit Hyperlink... The "Text to display" field should be meaningful.
• Font Choice: Are you using clear and readable fonts? Avoid overly decorative or script fonts for large blocks of text. Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, and Helvetica are generally good choices.
• Document Structure: Is the document logically organized? Does the reading order make sense? Screen readers read content in a linear fashion based on the underlying structure.

3. Using the Navigation Pane:

• How to Use: Go to the View tab and check the Navigation Pane box.
• What it Shows: The Navigation Pane displays the document's structure based on the heading styles used. If your headings are properly applied, you should see a clear outline of your document. This helps users navigate and understand the content's organization.

By systematically using the Accessibility Checker and visually inspecting your Word documents for these common issues, you can significantly improve their accessibility for all students.

Evaluating PDF accessibility can be more complex, especially if the PDF was not created with accessibility in mind (e.g., scanned documents without Optical Character Recognition - OCR).

1. Using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (Recommended):

• The Accessibility Checker: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC has a robust Accessibility Checker.
  • How to Use: Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro DC. Go to Tools > Accessibility > Accessibility Check.
  • What it Does: Similar to Word's checker, it identifies errors, warnings, and provides guidance. You can often right-click on an issue and choose "Fix" to address it directly within Acrobat.
• Reading Order Tool: This tool allows you to review and adjust the order in which a screen reader will read the content. Incorrect reading order is a common accessibility barrier.
  • How to Use: In the Accessibility tools, select Reading Order. You'll see numbered tags appear on the document elements, indicating the reading sequence. You can modify this order if necessary.
• Tags Pane: PDF tagging is crucial for accessibility. Tags provide a logical reading order and identify elements like headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables, allowing screen readers and other assistive technologies to interpret the document correctly.
  • How to Use: In the Accessibility tools, select Tags. The Tags pane shows the underlying structure of the PDF. A well-tagged document will have a logical hierarchy of tags.
• Alternative Text for Images:
  • How to Check: In the Accessibility tools, select Set Alternate Text. Review each image and ensure it has appropriate alt text.
• Table Editor:
  • How to Use: In the Accessibility tools, select Table Editor. This allows you to verify and correct table structure, ensuring header rows are correctly identified.

2. Visual Inspection (Similar to Word):

Many of the visual checks you perform in Word also apply to PDFs:

• Headings: Do they look like headings? Is there a visual hierarchy? While visual cues are helpful, remember that proper PDF tags are the underlying requirement for screen readers.
• Lists: Are they visually presented as lists? Check if they are also properly tagged as lists.
• Images: Do they have captions or surrounding text that might serve as a description if no alt text is present? Ideally, all informative images will have alt text.
• Tables: Are they simple and easy to understand visually? Do they have clear row and column headers? Verify proper table tagging in Acrobat.
• Color Contrast: Is there sufficient contrast between text and background?
• Hyperlinks: Are they visually distinct and does the surrounding text indicate their purpose? Check if the underlying link is active and meaningful.
• Font Choice: Is the font clear and readable?

Adobe Acrobat offers an "Autotag Document" option to automatically add structure tags to untagged PDFs.

These tags provide a logical reading order and identify elements like headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables, allowing screen readers and other assistive technologies to interpret the document correctly. 

To use this feature, open your PDF in Acrobat, navigate to the "All tools" menu, then select "Prepare for accessibility," and finally click "Autotag Document." Acrobat will then analyze the document's layout and content to apply the appropriate tags. 

While this automated process can significantly reduce manual tagging effort, it's essential to review the generated tags afterward, especially for complex tables, images (to add alt text), and the overall reading order, as auto-tagging isn't always perfect and may require manual adjustments for full compliance. Newer cloud-based auto-tagging features leverage AI for improved accuracy, but the principle of review remains vital.

If a PDF was created by simply "printing to PDF" from another application (like Word) without ensuring accessibility features were in place before printing, it is likely to have accessibility issues. Whenever possible, create accessible source documents (like Word files) first and then export them to accessible PDFs using the "Save as PDF" option within the original application, ensuring accessibility settings are maintained.

By using these methods, you can gain a good understanding of the accessibility of your PDF and Word documents and take steps to create more inclusive learning materials for students.