NETC 01-6 - UMass
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Report Formatting Template
June 2014
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Formatting and Content Requirements for all Research Reports
Overview
The organization and content of the report body may vary, depending on the nature of the research project. However, in general, and without prior notice regarding a change in format, the organization of the report must follow the direction outlined in the work plan. Most reports will include the background of the research problem, the research approach and methods, an analysis of research results, conclusions, and recommendations for implementation and further testing. The report body should be organized into chapters, with each chapter starting on its own page. The Introduction will serve as the first chapter of the report (1.0).
The Instructions for Preparation of Cooperative Research Program Reports as well as the Chicago Manual of Style were referenced to generate these guidelines. If the researcher feels that variance from this format would better present the research in question, they should submit a change of format request to the Office of Transportation Planning as soon as possible. This form is available by request at MCRP or MassDOT, and must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the Final Report Review date, set at initial kick-off meeting.
As a State Agency, The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is required by law to ensure that all web content, and thereby research documents, comply with Federal Section 508 accessibility standards. These standards have been finalized by the Federal Access Board, and were put in place in order to make technology accessible for people with mobility, auditory and visual disabilities.
In order to comply with this Law, and in order to provide every citizen of the Commonwealth with access to all MassDOT information and documents, all Final Reports submitted to MassDOT must comply with all 508 standards. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the Principal Investigator (PI) to ensure that the document is fully accessible prior to submittal. Accessibility guides for Microsoft Word and Adobe are included in this document, along with an accessibility checklist that may be used to check the document as it is written. We suggest that whenever possible, the 508 formatting guidelines are incorporated into the research report from the beginning of the writing process.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
“In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. Inaccessible technology interferes with an ability to obtain and use information quickly and easily. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, open new opportunities for people with disabilities, and encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology.
Under Section508 (29 U.S.C. ‘794 d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to access available to others.”
For more information about the Federal standards, please visit the Section 508 web site () or the Federal Access Board web site ().
The formatting requirements laid out in this document are non-negotiable and all changes must be requested well in advance and in writing. Please contact the MCRP with any questions that may arise during the process.
Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols
• Abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols must be fully defined the first time they are used in the report, with the abbreviation in parentheses.
• Each time thereafter, the abbreviated term will be used (without parentheses).
• Ex: Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
Equations
• All equations should be created and inserted as part of the text, or they may be submitted as embedded images within the text.
• Each variable and constant in the equation must be explained or identified.
• The source for equations must be cited, as well.
• Be sure that all symbols, Greek letters, and mathematical signs are exact, defined, and absolutely unambiguous; for example:
|• w versus ω [omega] |• capital O versus θ [theta] versus 0 [zero] |
|• p versus ρ [rho] |• capital X versus χ [chi] versus × [times sign] |
|• Y versus Ψ [psi] |• lowercase l [el] versus number 1 [one] |
• Show the relative positions in equations and formulas of all subscripts, superscripts, fractions, and operators.
• Give units of measure common to the field of research reported.
• Most projects will involve the use of the US Standard system in the conduct of the research and the reporting of research results.
• Specific requirements for the units to be used in a project are dictated by the need to facilitate application of the findings in a particular technical area.
Analytical Methodology
• Accepted and reproducible methods should be used for the research and cited within the report.
• The methodology should include a description of materials, apparatus or equipment, treatment of data (whether computer, statistical or mathematical), standard sampling and test methods, etc.
• All standardized test procedures must be referenced but should not be described.
• Variations from standard procedures must be explained in an appendix.
Chapters and Subchapters
• Begin each chapter on its own page, with blank pages used to ensure the chapter begins on the right hand side when printed.
• Include the chapter’s title at the top of the page, using the following format:
• Times New Roman, Bold, 20 Point.
• Aligned center, 0” left indent, 0” right indent, no hanging indent, single line spacing, 0 point before spacing, 24 point after spacing.
• Example:
1.0 Main Heading
• Do not exceed two levels of subchapters.
• Example: (1.1, 1.2 and 1.1.1, 1.2.1).
• For the first level of subchapters (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.), use the following format:
• Times New Roman or equivalent serif font, Bold, 14 Point.
• Aligned left, 0” left indent, 2.5” right indent, no hanging indent, single line spacing, 30 point before spacing, 18 point after spacing, 0.5 point dotted border under text.
• Example of first level of subchapters:
1.1 Heading 1
• For the second level of subchapters (1.1.1, 1.1.2, 2.1.1), use the following format:
• Times New Roman or equivalent serif font, Bold, 12 Point.
• Aligned left, 0 left indent, 0 right indent, no hanging indent, single line spacing, 18 point before spacing, 6 point after spacing.
• Example:
1. Heading 2
• Start Arabic (1, 2, 3…) page numbering with the Introduction, and continue through to the end of report (including all Appendices).
• Page numbers should be centered at the bottom of each page.
• Do not include author name, date, logos, etc. on the top or bottom of the page.
• The following sections should appear on the right hand page when printed: Technical Report Document Page, Title Page, Acknowledgements and Disclaimer, Executive Summary, Table of Contents, Chapter Headings, References and Appendices.
• Insert blank pages as necessary to ensure that these sections begin on a right-hand page when printed.
Margins
• Left 1.25”, Right 1.0”,
• Top 1.0”, Bottom 1.0”,
• Header 0.5”, Footer 0.5”
Widows and Orphans
• Do not leave a single line of text at the top or bottom of a page. If necessary, move the associated paragraph to the next page.
• Do not put a header without text at the bottom of a page. Instead, move it to the next page.
• Keep numbers or words that depend on each other for meaning on the same line.
• Text should be as simple as possible: concise, clear, readable and effective.
Tables
• Tables are used to present short descriptions or numerical listings that are most clearly and effectively presented in tabular form.
• They should be self-explanatory and should supplement, not duplicate, information given in the text and illustrations.
• Please be guided by the following instructions:
o Provide tables embedded within the text of the document, but do not break the table across two pages. Large tables should be in an appendix.
o Number all tables in the body of the report consecutively with Arabic numerals.
o Number appendix tables by appropriate chapter number and consecutive Arabic numerals (e.g., 1-1, 1-2, 2-1, 2-2, etc.).
o Title all tables to identify their contents, centered above the table.
o When a dash (-) is used in a table, indicate its meaning in a footnote (e.g., missing data, data not available or applicable).
o Check the accuracy of all totals included in tables.
o Refer to each table by number at the appropriate places in the text.
• All tables should appear on the same page with their first textual reference.
• The table should be centered on the page and the title should be in the style “table header”. This will allow the table of tables to be automatically generated.
• The columns and rows should be labeled as appropriate with bold 12 point New Roman Times font.
Table 1.1: …
|Column 1 |Column 2 |Column 3 |Column 4 |
|X |X |X |X |
|X |X |X |X |
Figures
• Figures should convey information clearly and completely.
• Lettering and numerals must be adequate size and clarity to be easily read.
• Please be guided by the following instructions:
o Provide figures (including photographs) embedded within the text of the document.
o Number all figures in the body of the report consecutively with Arabic numerals.
o Number appendix figures by appropriate chapter number and consecutive Arabic numerals (e.g., 1-1, 1-2., 2-1, 2-2, and so forth).
o Caption all figures to identify their contents, centered above the figure. Cite the outside source of the figure if applicable.
o Use figures of comparable size and scale when they are intended to be compared.
o Use abbreviations, numerals, and capitals consistent with text material.
• All figures should appear on the same page with their first textual reference.
• The figure should be centered on the page and the title should be in the style “figure header”. This will allow the table of tables to be automatically generated.
Figure 1.1: …
Creating the Table of Contents (TOC)
• It is critically important to create an automatically generated TOC for the report.
• Doing this will ensure that after the report is edited, the TOC will continue to reflect the true page numbers and section headings.
• Create a TOC that can be automatically updated.
• A “style” must be assigned to each heading that is meant to be represented in the TOC.
• Assign a “style” to the following headings:
o Technical Report Document Page
o Title Page
o Acknowledgements and Disclaimer (Assign both a style so they are represented separately in the TOC)
o Executive Summary
o Table of Contents
o All Chapter Headings and up to two levels of subheadings (1.1, 1.1.1)
o References
o Appendices.
• To create a new style that can be used for creation of the TOC, begin by formatting the Main Headings.
• Times New Roman, Bold, 20 Point.
• Aligned center, 0” left indent, 0” right indent, no hanging indent, single line spacing, 0 point before spacing, 24 point after spacing.
• Example:
1.0 Main Heading
• Highlight the heading and go to the “Home” tab.
• Choose “Style Set” under the “Change Styles” drop down menu.
• Here, select “save as quick style set”.
• Name the style Main Heading, and use it for the following main TOC headings:
o Technical Report Document Page
o Acknowledgments
o Disclaimer
o Executive Summary
o Table of Contents
o List of Tables
o List of Figures
o All Chapter Headings (Including Appendices)
• Next, format the first level of subheadings.
• Times New Roman or equivalent serif font, Bold, 14 Point.
• Aligned left, 0” left indent, 2.5” right indent, no hanging indent, single line spacing, 30 point before spacing, 18 point after spacing, 0.5 point dotted border under text.
• Follow the same steps to create this heading, and name the style Heading 1.
• Use this for subheadings 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, etc.
• Example:
1. Subheading
• Next, format the second level of subheadings.
• Times New Roman or equivalent serif font, Bold, 12 Point.
• Aligned left, 0 left indent, 0 right indent, no hanging indent, single line spacing, 18 point before spacing, 6 point after spacing.
• Follow the same steps to create this heading, and name the style Heading 2.
• Use this for subheadings 1.1.1, 1.2.1, etc.
• Example:
1. Heading 2
• When all headings and subheadings have been created, the TOC can be inserted into the front of the document.
• Place the cursor on the page where the TOC will go, and click on the “References” tab.
• Under the “Table of Contents” drop-down menu, select “Insert table of contents…”.
• A box will open, giving several options.
• Make sure the boxes for “Show page #s” and “Right align pages” are checked.
• Under “Formats”, choose “from template” from the drop down menu.
• Under “Show Levels”, choose 3 from the drop down menu.
• The “Tab leader” should be a dotted line (…..).
• Uncheck the box that says, “use hyperlinks instead of page #s”.
• Select the “Options” tab, and select the TOC levels (1, 2, 3) that you will be using.
• The styles that you created should appear.
• Number 1 should be the Main Heading, with #s 2 and 3 representing Heading 1 and Heading 2.
• Make sure these are the ONLY styles selected, as otherwise, unwanted text will end up in the TOC.
• Select “ok” when all specifications have been made.
Report Formatting Template
March 2012
University of Massachusetts
Transportation Center
[Report Title]
[pic]
Deval L. Patrick Timothy P. Murray Jeffrey Mullan
Governor Lieutenant Governor Secretary & CEO
Month Year Office of Transportation Planning SPRII.XX.XX.X
Technical Report Document Page
|1. Report No. |2. Government Accession No. |3. Recipient's Catalog No. |
|SPRII.**.**.* | | |
|4. Title and Subtitle |5. Report Date |
| |6. Performing Organization Code |
|7. Author(s) |8. Performing Organization Report No. |
| |UMTC-XX |
|9. Performing Organization Name and Address |10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) |
| |11. Contract or Grant No. |
|12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address |13. Type of Report and Period Covered |
| |14. Sponsoring Agency Code |
|15. Supplementary Notes |
|16. Abstract |
|An abstract of 200 words or less, suitable for use in computerized information storage and retrieval systems, should be presented. The abstract will be|
|provided to the Transportation Research International Documentation (TRI) website and the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). The abstract |
|should use direct statements in complete sentences to describe the work scope and principal findings. |
|17. Key Word |18. Distribution Statement |
|19. Security Classif. (of this report) |20. Security Classif. (of this page) |21. No. of Pages |22. Price |
Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized
[Report Title]
[Report Type]
Prepared By:
Author #1
Research Role
Author #2
Research Role
Address1
Address2
City, State Zip
Prepared For:
Agency Name
Address1
Address2
City, State Zip
Month Year
Acknowledgements
Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Planning, and the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.
The Project Team would like to acknowledge the efforts of [… here the authors may acknowledge others, such as personnel who provided specialized assistance on the project].
Disclaimer
The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is (are) responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation.
Executive Summary
[The following paragraph should be included in the beginning of the Executive Summary and the Introduction, preceding any other text:]
This study of [report title], was undertaken as part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Research Program. This program is funded with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Statewide Planning and Research (SPR) funds. Through this program, applied research is conducted on topics of importance to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts transportation agencies.
The Executive Summary should provide a stand-alone summary of the research report. As readers are more likely to refer to the Executive Summary more often than to the full report, recommendations should be supported within the Executive Summary.
Requirements of the Executive Summary:
• Provide the primary scope and objectives of the study.
• Provide a concise synopsis of the research issue.
• Convey the significance of the research.
• Convey the main findings or results, in a concise manner.
• Provide conclusions and recommendations of the research.
o For consistency, these should match exactly those presented later in the final report.
• This section should not contain:
o Unfamiliar terms that haven’t been defined,
o Undefined acronyms,
o Reference citations, or
o Displayed equations or lists.
• The length of the Executive Summary should be approximately two to five pages.
** Note: If the research report contains a good amount of acronyms, please provide an acronym table either at the front of the document (directly following the Title Page), or in an Appendix. Reference the Table in the TOC as a Main Heading.
Table of Contents
Technical Report Document Page i
Acknowledgements v
Disclaimer v
Executive Summary vii
Table Of Contents ix
List Of Tables xi
List Of Figures xi
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Subheading 1
1.1.1 Subheading 1
2.0 Research Methodology 3
2.1 Subheading 3
2.1.1 Subheading 3
3.0 Results 5
3.1 Subheading 5
3.1.1 Subheading 5
4.0 Implementation/Tech Transfer 7
4.1 Subheading 7
4.1.1 Subheading 7
5.0 Conclusions 9
5.1 Subheading 9
5.1.1 Subheading 9
6.0 References 11
7.0 Appendices 13
7.1 Appendix A 13
List of Tables
Table 1.1: … 1
Table 2.1: … 3
List of Figures
Figure 3.1: … 5
Figure 4.1: … 7
1.0 Introduction
[The following paragraph should be included in the beginning of the Executive Summary and the Introduction, preceding any other text:]
This study of [report title], was undertaken as part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Research Program. This program is funded with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Statewide Planning and Research (SPR) funds. Through this program, applied research is conducted on topics of importance to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts transportation agencies.
The Introduction is meant to paint a clear and concise overview of the research. As the opening chapter of the research report, this section should capture the attention of the reader and provide relevant detail.
Requirements for the Introduction:
• Provide a clear and concise overview of the research issue.
• Provide the historical background of the research issue.
• Convey the research goals and objectives.
• Convey the basic approach to the project.
o Ex: Field study, case study, experiments, site testing, etc.
• Main objectives of research project and associated tasks (action steps).
• Unlike the Executive Summary, the Introduction does not include research results, conclusions, or recommendations.
• If the research included site testing, the Introduction should include: a locus map, latitude and longitude in Massachusetts State Plane coordinates, and a detailed site map.
1.1 Subheading
1.1.1 Subheading
Table 1.1: …
|Column 1 |Column 2 |Column 3 |Column 4 |
|X |X |X |X |
|X |X |X |X |
2.0 Research Methodology
The Research Methodology section is meant to provide the reader with detailed explanation of the methods used to conduct the research. The methods should be outlined in a clear and concise format, using tables and figures only when they will add depth to the text.
Requirements for the Research Methodology Section:
• A detailed explanation of the research approach.
• Methods of data collection and analysis.
• Scope and limitations of the research project.
• Overview of research methods.
o Literature review
o Experiment design
o Field study/ site testing detail
o Etc.
• Description of the materials and equipment utilized.
• Analytical procedures/ evaluation methods.
• Criteria for measuring progress/ success.
2.1 Subheading
2.1.1 Subheading
Table 2.1: …
|Column 1 |Column 2 |Column 3 |Column 4 |
|X |X |X |X |
|X |X |X |X |
3.0 Results
The Results section is meant to highlight the outcomes of the research. This may include trends that were recorded or unexpected outcomes. As this section represents the fruits of the difficult research, care should be taken to provide a clear and inclusive picture for the reader.
Requirements of the Results Section:
• Results of the research.
• A clear and concise picture regarding the outcomes and trends recorded.
• Tables and figures may be used to guide the reader toward important information, but should be used in lieu of text to eliminate redundancy.
o If there is very little data or a lack of variation in the data, then a table is not necessary, as the information can be relayed in the text.
o However, if the research is complex, dense, or shows great variation, then a table or figure may be helpful.
• Unexpected outcomes of the research.
3.1 Subheading
3.1.1 Subheading
Figure 3.1: …
4.0 Implementation/Tech Transfer
The Implementation/ Tech Transfer Section will be based on the Implementation/ Tech Transfer plan, as outlined in each agreement. This section is a critical component of the research report, as the information provided here will aid in the transfer of this knowledge.
The Implementation/ Tech Transfer section will include:
• Lessons learned.
• Opportunities for technology transfer.
• An implementation plan for the research.
• Potential institutional barriers.
• Guidance for future planning, design and deployment of research findings.
• Guidance for future training, associated with this research.
4.1 Subheading
4.1.1 Subheading
Figure 4.1: …
5.0 Conclusions
The Conclusions section is meant to provide a summary of the research report, and should include a more general overview of the research and the more broad implications of the findings.
The Conclusions Section will include:
• Conclusion(s) and recommendation(s) of the research.
• Strong connections between the evidence that has been collected, and the recommendations that are being provided.
• Discussion of the findings of the research and the broader implications of said findings.
• Limitations of the research.
• Possibilities for future research.
5.1 Subheading
5.1.1 Subheading
6.0 References
[Reference sections, unlike bibliographies, list only sources cited in the text and are organized in the order of citation. (Bibliographies generally include all sources consulted, not just those cited in the text, and generally are organized alphabetically.) Reference sections are required for all research reports.
The listing of references demands absolute accuracy. Because they come from a wide variety of sources, definite rules for the identification of reference materials have been adopted and should be carefully observed.
1. List numerous references together at the end of the text in the order in which they are cited in the text. An item in this list is referenced in the text by an italic (or underscored) Arabic numeral in parentheses at the pertinent point.
Example: Beskow (14) says…
2. Be sure that
(a) Names are spelled correctly and consistently.
(b) Initials and dates are correctly given.
(c) Title of article is given as published.
(d) ACS (American Chemical Society) abbreviations are used for periodicals and other standard publications.
3. Avoid unpublished references. Do not use expressions such as “Paper prepared for presentation...,” or “Paper presented at...” when publication has occurred. Give only the published location.
4. Print the names of journals, proceedings, bulletins, and so forth in italics; print the titles of papers in roman and in quotation marks, thus:
Jones, J. J., “A Technical Paper.” Proceedings, American Society for Testing Materials, Vol. 22, Part II (1922) p. 450.
5. In citing (and in listing), if reference is made to the whole work, give the total number of pages; if only to a specific part, give the pages involved. If several separate pages or parts of the same work are referred to at different places in the text, give the entire work in the 10 reference list; in the text, simply use (3, pp. 16-21), (3, p. 24), (3, Ch. 5). A reference in the list should not be repeated or be referred to by the use of ibid., loc. cit., and so forth.
6. Ensure that entries agree with text and other citations of references. Remember that text revisions may require renumbering or other reference changes and vice versa.
7. Use the following guide for treatment of reference items [Note: the names and initials of authors (including joint authors) should be inverted]:
|Periodical: |Egar, S. L., “Resurfacing Methods Used Successfully on Chicago’s Streets.” Engineering News-Record, Vol. |
| |243, No. 18 (June 23, 1963) p. 25. |
|Proceedings: |Leadabrand, J. A. and Norling, L. T., “An Example of Soil-Cement Treatment.” 2nd Int. Conf. on Soil Mech. |
| |and Found. Eng., Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Proceedings Vol. 4 (1956) pp. 62-84. |
|Title: |“New Cement Additive.” Engineering, Vol. 196, No. 5072 (July 1963) p. 9. |
|Abstract: |“Directional Signing on Metropolitan Freeways.” Automobile Club of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif. |
| |(July 3, 1963) 11 pp. Highway Research Abstracts, Vol. 34, No. 6 (June 1964) p. 10. |
|Corporate author: |Automotive Safety Foundation, “Traffic Control and Roadway Elements: Their Relationship to Highway Safety.” |
| |Washington, DC (1963) 124 pp. |
|Report: |Author(s), “Title.” NCHRP Report XXX, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, |
| |DC (1975) xx pp. |
|Book: |Author(s), Title. Publisher (year) xx pp. |
|Part of book only: |Hickok, B., “Highways.” Sources of Information in Transportation, Evanston, IL, Transportation Center, |
| |Northwestern Univ. (1964) pp. 201 - 234. |
| Highway Dept. report: |New York Dept. of Public Works, “Asbestos Admixture in Asphalt Concrete.” Physical Research Proj. No. 11. |
| |Engineering Research Series, Research Rept. RR60-5 (Dec. 1960) 22 pp. |
|Congressional document: |U.S. Cong., 77th 2d SESS., Committee on Roads, Proposed Highway to Alaska. Hearings … on H.R. 3095, a bill |
| |authorizing the construction of a highway to Alaska, Feb. 4, 5, and 6, 1942. Washington, DC, U.S. Govt. |
| |Print. Office (1942) 151 pp. |
|Electronic Journal |Hlatky, Mark A., 2002. Stone Matrix Asphalts. American Asphalt Association Journal 287, no. 5 (February 6), |
| | (accessed January 7, 2002). |
|Book both in print and digital |Kurland, Philip B., and Ralph Lerner, eds. The Founders’ Constitution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press,|
| |1987. Also available online at and as a CD-ROM.] |
7.0 Appendices
The Appendices section provides a space in the research report for addendums to the body of the report. The Appendices, while offering more flexibility in terms of formatting (as they are often protocols from other sources, etc.), should still be treated as part of the document. Page numbers are necessary and required. If the Appendices won’t attach to the main document, please send as a separate pdf.
The Appendices will include:
• Relevant data summaries, graphs and charts not used in the report.
• Lab reports.
• Non-standard protocols.
• Glossaries.
• Any other relevant information left out of the main body of the report.
7.1 Appendix A
End of Template
Building a 508 Complaint Document
[pic]
The information provided in this checklist is designed to assist the author/developer in modifying documents to ensure Section 508 compliance.
Manual Tester Contact Information
|Name |Insert Name of Tester. |
|Organization |Insert Name of Organization. |
|Phone Number |Insert Phone Number of Tester. |
|E-Mail Address |Insert E-Mail Address of Tester. |
Content Owner Contact Information
|Name |Insert Name of Content Owner. |
|Agency/Organization |Insert Name of Agency/Organization. |
|Phone Number |Insert Phone Number of Content Owner. |
|E-Mail Address |Insert E-Mail Address of Content Owner. |
Document Information
|Document Name |Insert Name of Document. |
|Developer of Document |Insert Name of Document Developer. |
|Date: (mm/dd/yyyy) |Insert Date Evaluated. |
Microsoft Word
Document Layout and Formatting Requirements
|Description of Element |YES |NO |N/A |
|Has the document been formatted using Style elements (Heading 1, Heading 2) and/or Outline in a | | | |
|hierarchical manner (i.e. Heading 1 to Heading 2 to Body Text)? | | | |
|Does the document refrain from using flashing/flickering text and/or animated text/images? | | | |
|Are page numbering codes used as opposed to manually typed page numbers? | | | |
|If footnotes are present, have they been created through Word Footnote linking? | | | |
|If color is used to emphasize the importance of selected text, is there an alternate method? | | | |
|Is the automated bullet or numbering styles being used as opposed to manually added characters? | | | |
|Have track changes been accepted or rejected and turned off? | | | |
|Have comments been removed and formatting marks been turned off? | | | |
|Has the Document been reviewed in Print Preview for a final visual check? | | | |
|Do all URLs contain the correct hyperlink and display the fully qualified URL (ie. | | | |
|)? | | | |
|Do the URLs on the page resolve to the correct web destination? | | | |
Document Images Requirement
|Description of Element |YES |NO |N/A |
|Do all images, grouped images and non-text elements that convey information have alternative text| | | |
|descriptions? Do complex images (i.e., charts and graphs) have | | | |
|descriptive text immediately after the image? | | | |
|Is the document free of background images or watermarks? | | | |
|Is the image text wrapping style “In Line with Text “used for all images? | | | |
|Are multiple associated images on the same page (e.g., boxes in an organizational chart) grouped | | | |
|as one object? | | | |
|Have all multi-layered objects been flattened into one image and use one Alternative Text (Alt | | | |
|Tag) for this image? | | | |
|Is the document free of Text boxes being used for simple graphics? | | | |
Document Tables
|Description of Element |YES |NO |N/A |
|Are tables being used to create a tabular structure (not tabs or spaces)? | | | |
|Do all tables have a logical reading order from left to right, top to bottom? | | | |
|Do Data tables have the entire first row designated as a ‘Header Row’ in table properties? | | | |
|Is the table free of Merged Cells? | | | |
|Are all tables described and labeled (where appropriate)? Note: In some cases naming/numbering of| | | |
|tables may not | | | |
|be appropriate. For example, a small data table in a presentation may not need a reference. | | | |
|In table properties, is “Allow row to break across pages” Unchecked? | | | |
Notes/Additional Requirements
|Description of Element |YES |NO |N/A |
|Does the document file name contain special characters? | | | |
|Does the file name reflect the content of the document? | | | |
|Does the document utilize recommended fonts i.e. Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Tahoma and | | | |
|Helvetica? | | | |
|Are the Document Properties (i.e. Subject, Creator, Title, Keywords, and Language) properly | | | |
|filled out? ) | | | |
|If the document contains a Table of Contents (TOC), was it created using the TOC style (e.g., TOC| | | |
|command in MS Word)? | | | |
|Has a separate accessible version of the document been provided when there is no other way to | | | |
|make the content accessible? (Example: An organizational chart). | | | |
Accessible Digital Office Document Project:
Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents:
Microsoft Word 2010
Version
Date of Current Version: 04 Feb 2011
Latest Version (HTML):
Quick Reference
Usage Notes 2
Technique 1. Use Accessible Templates 3
Technique 2. Specify Document Language 5
Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects 7
Technique 4. Avoid “Floating” Elements 9
Technique 5. Use Headings 9
Technique 6. Use Named Styles 10
Technique 7. Use Built-In Document Structuring Features 10
Technique 8. Create Accessible Charts 13
Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See 15
Technique 10. Make Content Easier to Understand 16
Technique 11. Check Accessibility 17
Technique 12. Use Accessibility Features when Saving/Exporting to Other Formats 20
Other Application Features 21
Accessibility Help 22
References and Resources 22
Acknowledgments 22
Usage Notes
Overview
At the time of testing (September 30, 2010), Word 2010 provides a set of accessibility features that is sufficient to enable the production of accessible digital office documents. In addition, Word 2010 includes an accessibility checking feature.
What’s an “Office Document”?
You should use these techniques when you are using Word 2010 to create documents that are:
• Intended to be used by people (i.e., not computer code),
• Text-based (i.e., not simply images, although they may contain images),
• Fully printable (i.e., where dynamic features are limited to automatic page numbering, table of contents, etc. and do not include audio, video, or embedded interactivity),
• Self-contained (i.e., without hyperlinks to other documents, unlike web content), and
• Typical of office-style workflows (Reports, letters, memos, budgets, presentations, etc.).
If you are creating forms, web pages, applications, or other dynamic and/or interactive content, these techniques will still be useful to you, but you should also consult the W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) because these are specifically designed to provide guidance for highly dynamic and/or interactive content.
File Formats
The default file format for Word 2010 is Office Open XML (DOCX).
In addition, Word 2010 offers many other word processor and web format saving options. Most of these have not been checked for accessibility, but some information and/or instructions are available for the following formats in Technique 12 (below):
• MS Word
• PDF
• HTML
Document Conventions
We have tried to formulate these techniques so that they are useful to all authors, regardless of whether they use a mouse. However, for clarity there are several instances where mouse-only language is used. Below are the mouse-only terms and their keyboard alternatives:
*Right-click: To right-click with the keyboard, select the object using the Shift+Arrow keys and then press either (1) the “Right-Click” key (some keyboard have this to the right of the spacebar) or Shift+F10.
Disclaimer and Testing Details:
Following these techniques will increase the accessibility of your documents, but it does not guarantee accessibility to any specific disability groups. In cases where more certainty is required, it is recommended that you test the office documents with end users with disabilities, including screen reader users.
The application-specific steps and screenshots in this document were created using Microsoft Word 2010 (ver.14.0.4762.1000, Windows XP, Aug. 2010) while creating a DOCX document. Files are also easily saved as other file formats (see Technique 12, below).
Technique 1. Use Accessible Templates
All office documents start with a template, which can be as simple as a blank standard-sized page or as complex as a nearly complete document with text, graphics and other content. For example, a “Meeting Minutes” template might include headings for information relevant to a business meeting, such as “Actions” above a table with rows to denote time and columns for actions of the meeting.
Because templates provide the starting-point for so many documents, accessibility is critical. If you are unsure whether a template is accessible, you should check a sample document produced when the template is used (see Technique 11, below).
Word 2010’s default template for new documents is a blank page. The basic installation also includes blank business card, blank label templates, and other blank office-related documents. These are all accessible by virtue of being blank.
It is possible to create your own accessible templates from scratch in Word 2010. As well, you can edit and modify the existing prepackaged templates, ensuring their accessibility as you do so and saving them as a new template.
To create an accessible template
1. Create a new document (from the default blank template or from one of the prepackaged templates)
2. Ensure that you follow the techniques in this document
3. When you are finished you should also check the accessibility of the document (see Technique 11, below)
4. Go to menu item: File > Save As
5. Select Templates
6. In the Save as type list, select Word Template
7. In the File name box, type a name for the template. Using a descriptive File name (e.g., “Accessible Memo Template”) may increase the prominence of the accessibility status. As well, filling in the text box labeled Tags with the term “accessibility” may improve its searchability as an accessible file.
8. Select Save
[pic]
To select an accessible template
1. Go to menu item: File > New
2. Under Available Templates, select My Templates
[pic]
3. In the New document dialog, select your accessible template from the list
4. Select OK
[pic]
5. A new document based on the template will be displayed. If you have chosen an accessible template, the document will be accessible at this point. As you add your content (e.g., text, images, etc.), ensure that you consult the sections that follow to preserve accessibility.
Technique 2. Specify Document Language
In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.
To change the default language
1. Go to menu item: File
2. Select Options from the list in the left window pane
3. Select Language from the list in the left of the Options dialog
4. Under Choose Editing Languages, select the editing language you want to use
Note: to add an editing language, select the language from the drop down list labeled [Add additional editing languages]
5. Select Set as Default
6. Close all Office 2010 programs and open them again for the changes to take effect
[pic]
Word 2010 has an automatic language detection mechanism, which can automatically detect the language of your text. If you type a section of text in a different language than the rest of your document, Word 2010 will programmatically mark the language of that section of text appropriately.
To turn on automatic language detection
1. Go to menu item: Review
2. In the Language section, select the Language button
3. Select Set Proofing Language
4. In the Language dialog, select the Detect language automatically check box
[pic]
To apply a language directly to selected text
1. Select the text
2. Go to menu item: Review
3. In the Language section, select the Language button
4. Select Set Proofing Language
5. In the Mark selected text as box, select the language from the list
6. Select OK
[pic]
Technique 3. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects
When using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to of each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.
Tips for writing alternative text (“Title” in Word 2010)
• Try to answer the question "what information is the image conveying?"
• If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank
• If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated
• Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences
• If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below
• Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text
Tips for writing longer descriptions (“Description” in Word 2010)
• Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question "what information is the image conveying?"
• In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.
• One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone
• Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description
Alternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.
To add alternative text to images and graphical objects
1. Right-click* the object
2. Select Format Picture…
3. Select the Alt Text option from the list
4. Fill in the Title. If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the Title (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the Description.
[pic] At this time, if a Word 2010 document is ever saved to HTML, the Title and Description fields are combined into a single entry within the HTML tag. [Tested: September 30th, 2010]
[pic]
[pic] When inserting a very small image, or resizing a larger image to be much smaller, Word 2007 assumes that the image is intended to be a bullet-point for a bulleted list. Once Word 2007 defines the image as a bullet, the option to add alternative text disappears. Select Undo, to redefine the bullet as an image. When you right-click* the image, select Format Picture… and select the Alt Text tab in the Format Picture dialog. Alternative text can be found, or can be entered, into the Alternative text box.
Technique 4. Avoid “Floating” Elements
When images and objects are inserted into Word 2010 documents they default to being an “inline object”. Inline objects keep their position on the page relative to a portion of the text.
A “floating” object keeps its position relative to the page, while text flows around it. As content moves up or down on the page, the object stays where it was placed. To ensure that images and objects remain with the text that references it, always position it as an inline object.
Similarly, avoid placing drawing objects directly into the document (e.g., as borders, to create a diagram). Instead, create borders with page layout tools and insert complete graphical objects.
To prevent an image or object from “floating”
1. Select the object
2. Go to menu item: Page Layout
3. Select Position from the Arrange section
4. Select In Line with Text
Technique 5. Use Headings
Any documents that are longer than a few paragraphs require structuring to make them more straightforward for readers to understand. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use “True Headings” to create logical divisions between paragraphs. True headings are more than just bolded, enlarged, or centered text; they are structural elements that order and levels provide a meaningful sequence to users of assistive technologies.
Tips for headings
• Use the default headings styles provided (“Heading “, “Heading 2”, etc.)
• Nest headings properly (e.g., the sub-headings of a “Heading 1” are “Heading 2”, etc.)
• Do not skip heading levels
To apply headings to selected text
1. Select text
2. Right-click* and select Styles
3. Select the heading style from the list
To apply headings using the Styles toolbar
1. Select text
2. Go to menu item: Home
3. In the Styles section, select the heading you wish to apply
Note: You can scroll through the multiple heading styles using the arrows on the right side of the Styles section. You can also change the Style design by selecting the Change Styles button on the right.
To modify heading styles
1. Go to menu item: Home
2. In the Styles section, right-click* the style you wish to use from the Styles Gallery
3. Select Modify
4. In the Modify Style dialog, make the appropriate changes to style characteristics
5. Select OK
To return to the default heading styles
1. Go to menu item: Home
2. In the Styles section, select Change Styles
3. Select Style Set
4. Select Word 2010 from the list
Technique 6. Use Named Styles
As with “True Headings” (see Technique 5), you should attempt to make use of the named styles that are included with the office application (e.g., “emphasis”, “caption”, etc.) before creating your own styles or using the character formatting tools directly. Named styles help your readers understand why something was formatted in a given way, which is especially helpful when there are multiple reasons for the same formatting (e.g., it is common to use italics for emphasis, Latin terms and species names).
For more information on formatting using named styles, see Technique 9.
Note: While office application suites support headings in much the same way, the named styles often differ.
To use default named styles
1. Default named styles can be applied the same way as headings (see Technique 5).
Technique 7. Use Built-In Document Structuring Features
7.1 Tables
When using tables, it is important to ensure that they are clear and appropriately structured. This helps all users to better understand the information in the table and allows assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to provide context so that the information within the table can be conveyed in a meaningful way.
Tips for tables
• Only use tables for tabular information, not for formatting, such as to position columns.
• Use “real tables” rather than text formatted to look like tables using the TAB key or space bar. These will not be recognized by assistive technology.
• Keep tables simple by avoiding merged cells and dividing complex data sets into separate smaller tables, where possible.
• If tables split across pages, set the header to show at the top of each page. Also set the table to break between rows instead of in the middle of rows.
• Create a text summary of the essential table contents. Any abbreviations used should be explained in the summary.
• Table captions or descriptions should answer the question "what is the table's purpose and how is it organized?" (e.g., "A sample order form with separate columns for the item name, price and quantity").
• Table cells should be marked as table headers when they serve as labels to help interpret the other cells in the table.
• Table header cell labels should be concise and clear.
• Ensure the table is not “floating” on the page (see Technique 4).
To add a table with headings
1. Go to menu item: Insert
2. In the Tables section, select the Tables icon
3. Select the number of rows and columns you would like your table to have
4. Select the table and a Table Tools menu item should appear
5. Go to menu item: Table Tools > Design
6. In the Table Style Options section, select the Header Row check box
Note: Whenever possible, keep tables simple with just 1 row of headings.
[pic] At this time, Word 2010 does not properly communicate the location of header rows to assistive technologies. The following work-around may be used with some versions of JAWS:
Work-around: To specify for JAWS that a table row is a header row
1. Place the cursor in any cell within the row containing headings
2. Go to menu item: Insert
3. In the Links section, select Bookmark
4. Type “ColumnTitle” and press Enter
Note: Only mark one cell in the row.
7.2. Lists
When you create lists, it is important to format them as “real lists”. Otherwise, assistive technologies will interpret your list as a series of short separate paragraphs instead of a coherent list of related items.
To create an ordered or unordered list
1. Go to menu item: Home
2. In the Paragraph section, select the Bullets icon for unordered lists or select the Numbering icon for ordered lists
3. To choose a different list format, select the arrow beside the icon
4. Select a format from the format Library that appears in the drop-down menu
To modify list styles
1. Go to menu item: Home
2. In the Paragraph section, select the arrow beside the Bullets icon for unordered lists or select the arrow beside the Numbering icon for ordered lists
3. Select Define New Bullet… to create a new unordered list format
4. Select Define New Number Format… to create a new ordered list format
5. In the New Bullet dialog or the New Number Format dialog, select the list characteristics
6. Select OK
7.3 Columns
Use Columns feature for placing text in columns.
Note: Because columns can be a challenge for users of some assistive technologies, consider whether a column layout is really necessary.
7.4 Page Breaks
Start a new page by inserting a page break instead of repeated hard returns.
7.5 Use a Table of Contents
Creating an index or table of contents to outline office document content can provide a means of navigating the meaningful sequence of content.
The best way to generate a table of contents is after applying the predefined heading styles, such as "Heading 1" as described above, to the headings that you want to include in your table of contents. After you apply these styles, you can then create a table of contents.
To insert a Table of Contents
1. Place the cursor in your document where you want to create the table of contents
2. Go to menu item: References
3. In the Table of Contents section, select Table of Contents
4. Select the style that you want to use
To update a Table of Contents
1. Select the table
2. Go to menu item: References
3. In the Table of Contents section, select the Update Table button
7.6 Use Page Numbering
Numbering the pages of your document helps those reading and editing your document effectively navigate and reference its content. For users of assistive technologies, it provides a valuable point of reference within the document.
To Insert Page Numbers
1. Go to menu item: Insert
2. In the Header & Footer section, select Page Number
3. Select where you would like to insert your page numbers
4. Select the style of page number you would like to use
To Format Page Numbers
1. Go to menu item: Insert
2. In the Header & Footer section, select Page Number
3. Select Format Page Numbers…
4. In the Page Number Format dialog, select the page format characteristics you would like to use
Note: These changes are applied to the predefined page format styles. It does not create a new page format style.
7.7 Document Title
In case the document is ever converted into HTML, it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.
To change the title of the current document
1. Go to menu item: File
2. Select Info from the list in the left window pane
3. In the right window pane, select on the Title text box
4. Enter the Title
Note: The Title defined in the properties is different than the file name. It is also unrelated to the template name, discussed above.
Technique 8. Create Accessible Charts
Charts can be used to make data more understandable for some audiences. However, it is important to ensure that your chart is as accessible as possible to all members of your audience. All basic accessibility considerations that are applied to the rest of your document must also be applied to your charts and the elements within your charts. For example, use shape and color, rather than color alone, to convey information. As well, some further steps should be taken to ensure that the contents are your chart are appropriate labeled to give users reference points that will help them to correctly interpret the information.
To create a chart
1. Go to menu item: Insert
2. In the Illustrations section, select Chart
3. Select a Chart Type from the Chart Gallery
4. Select OK
5. Update the datasheet with the data you would like to include in your chart
6. Close the datasheet
Note: This will open the Excel document titled “Chart in Microsoft Office PowerPoint”, where you can input the data you would like to include in the chart. When you have done this, simply close the Excel window and the data will appear on the chart in the PowerPoint presentation.
To add titles and labels
1. In the Chart Tools menu section, go to menu item: Layout
2. In the Labels section, select the type of title or label you would like to define (e.g., Chart Title, Axis Titles, Data Labels)
To apply a predefined Chart Layout
1. In the Chart Tools menu section, go to menu item: Design
2. In the Chart Layouts section, select a Quick Layout from the scrolling Chart Layouts gallery
To change to a different predefined Chart Type
1. In the Chart Tools menu section, go to menu item: Design
2. In the Type section, select the Change Chart Type icon
3. In the Change Chart Type dialog, select a chart type from the left pane
4. Select a Chart Design from the right pane
5. Select OK
Other Chart Considerations
• When creating line charts, use the formatting options to create different types of dotted lines to facilitate legibility for users who are color blind
• When creating bar charts, go to menu item: Chart Tools > Format and in the Shape Styles section select Shape Fill to apply a texture to help distinguish the bars
• Change the default colors to a color safe or gray-scale palette
• Use the formatting options to change predefined colors, ensuring that they align with sufficient contrast requirements (see Technique 9.2, below)
Technique 9. Make Content Easier to See
Here are some other things to keep in mind:
9.1 Format of Text
When formatting text, especially when the text is likely to printed, try to:
• Use font sizes between 12 and 18 points for body text.
• Use fonts of normal weight, rather than bold or light weight fonts. If you do choose to use bold fonts for emphasis, use them sparingly.
• Use standard fonts with clear spacing and easily recognized upper and lower case characters. Sans serif fonts (e.g., Arial, Verdana) may sometimes be easier to read than serif fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond).
• Avoid large amounts of text set all in caps, italic or underlined.
• Use normal or expanded character spacing, rather than condensed spacing.
• Avoid animated or scrolling text.
But can’t users just zoom in? Office applications do typically include accessibility features such as the ability to magnify documents and support for high contrast modes. However, because printing is an important aspect of many workflows and changing font sizes directly will change documents details such the pagination, the layout of tables, etc., it is best practice to always format text for a reasonable degree of accessibility.
To change the text size for a default named style
1. Go to menu item: Home
2. In the Styles section, right-click* the Style you wish to modify
3. Select Modify Style
4. Under Formatting in the Modify dialog box, select the appropriate font size
5. Exit with OK
[pic]
9.2 Use Sufficient Contrast
The visual presentation of text and images of text should have a contrast ration of at least 4.5:1. To help you determine the contrast, here are some examples on a white background:
• Very good contrast (Foreground=black, Background=white, Ratio=21:1)
• Acceptable contrast (Foreground=#767676, Background=white, Ratio=4.54:1)
• Unacceptable contrast (Foreground=#AAAAAA, Background=white, Ratio=2.32:1)
Also, always use a single solid color for a text background rather than a pattern.
In order to determine whether the colors in your document have sufficient contrast, you can consult an online contrast checker, such as:
• Juicy Studio: Luminosity Color Contrast Ratio Analyzer
• Joe Dolson Color Contrast Spectrum Tester
• Joe Dolson Color Contrast Comparison
9.3 Avoid Using Color Alone
Color should not be used as the only visual means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element. In order to spot where color might be the only visual means of conveying information, you can create a screenshot of the document and then view it with online gray-scale converting tools, such as:
• GrayBit v2.0: Grayscale Conversion Contrast Accessibility Tool
9.4 Avoid Relying on Sensory Characteristics
The instructions provided for understanding and operating content should not rely solely on sensory characteristics such as the color or shape of content elements. Here are two examples:
• Do not track changes by simply changing the color of text you have edited and noting the color. Instead use Word 2010’s “Track Changes” feature to track changes.
• Do not distinguish between images by referring to their appearance (e.g. “the bigger one”). Instead, label each image with a figure number and use that for references.
9.5 Avoid Using Images of Text
Before you use an image to control the presentation of text (e.g., to ensure a certain font or color combination), consider whether you can achieve the same result by styling “real text”. If this is not possible, as with logos containing stylized text, make sure to provide alternative text for the image following the techniques noted above.
Technique 10. Make Content Easier to Understand
10.1 Write Clearly
By taking the time to design your content in a consistent way, it will be easier to access, navigate and interpret for all users:
• Whenever possible, write clearly with short sentences.
• Introduce acronyms and spell out abbreviations.
• Avoid making the document too “busy” by using lots of whitespace and by avoiding too many different colors, fonts and images.
• If content is repeated on multiple pages within a document or within a set of documents (e.g., headings, footings, etc.), it should occur consistently each time it is repeated.
10.2 Provide Context for Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks are more effective navigation aids when the user understands the likely result of following the link. Otherwise, users may have to use trial-and-error to find what they need.
To help the user understand the result of selecting a hyperlink, ensure that the link makes sense when read in the context of the text around it. For example, while it would be confusing to use “more information” as a link by itself on a page, it would be fine to use “more information” as a link in the following sentence: “The airport can be reached by taxi or bus (more information).”
To make the address of hyperlink clear when printing, you may wish to include the address in brackets following the descriptive text of the hyperlink.
To add hyperlinks with meaningful text
1. Type (or paste in) a web address and press spacebar or “Enter” to convert into a hyperlink
2. Select the link and right-click*
3. Select Edit Hyperlink (Ctrl + K)
4. Edit the text in the Text to display box
Technique 11. Check Accessibility
If you wish to check the accessibility of your document or template (see Technique 1, above), Word 2010 offers an “Accessibility Checker” to review your document against a set of possible issues that users with disabilities may experience in your file.
The “Accessibility Checker” classifies issues as
• Error – content that makes a file very difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to understand
• Warning – content that in most, but not all, cases makes a file difficult for people with disabilities to understand
• Tip – content that people with disabilities can understand, but that might be better organized or presented in a way that would maximize their experience
To learn more about the Accessibility Checker and the rules it uses to identify and classify accessibility issues in your document, visit the Word 2010 help section (see Accessibility Help, below). Use the search term “accessibility checker rules” in the help search box.
To use the “Accessibility Checker”
1. Go to menu item: File
2. Select Info in the left window pane
3. Under Prepare for Sharing, an alert will appear if a potential accessibility issue has been detected
[pic]
4. To view and repair the issues, select Check for Issues and then Check Accessibility
[pic]
5. An Accessibility Checker task pane will open, showing the inspection results
[pic]
6. Select a specific issue to see Additional Information
7. Follow the steps provided to fix or revise the content
[pic]
In order to get some indication of the accessibility of your document or template (see Technique 1), then you may consider saving the file into HTML or PDF in order to perform an accessibility check in one of those formats, as described below.
To evaluate HTML accessibility
Another option is to save the document into HTML format and use one of the web accessibility checkers available online. Such as:
• AChecker
• WebAIM Wave Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
To evaluate PDF accessibility
If you saved your document in tagged PDF format, you can use the following tools and steps to evaluate the accessibility of the PDF document:
• Adobe Acrobat Professional
• PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) – a free alternative provided by “Access for all”
To evaluate PDF accessibility in Adobe Acrobat Professional
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > Full Check…
2. In the Full Check dialog, select all the checking option
3. Select the Start Checking button
Technique 12. Use Accessibility Features when Saving/Exporting to Other Formats
In some cases, additional steps must be taken in order to ensure accessibility information is preserved when saving/exporting to formats other than the default.
PDF
[pic] PDF documents are not always accessible. Accessible PDF documents are often called “Tagged PDF” because they include “tags” that encode structural information required for accessibility. To evaluate the accessibility of your PDF document, see Technique 11 (above).
1. Go to menu item: File
2. Select Save As
3. In the File name box, type a name for the file
4. In the Save as type list, select PDF or XPS Document
5. Select the Options button
6. Under Include non-printing information in the Options dialog, ensure that the Document structure tags for accessibility check box is selected
7. Select OK and Save
[pic]
HTML
1. Go to menu item: File
2. Select Save As
3. In the File name box, type a name for the file
4. In the Save as type box, select Web Page
5. Select Save
6. Check the HTML file for accessibility (see Technique 11, above)
To clean up your HTML file
1. Remove unnecessary styles, line breaks, etc.
2. Remove unnecessary id, class, and attributes
3. Remove font tags
4. Remove styles in the tag
5. Ensure the tags have a scope attribute
6. Remove tags nested inside and tags
7. Check for accessibility (see Technique 11, above)
Note: you may wish to use HTML editors or utilities to help with this process.
Technique 13. Consider Using Accessibility Support Applications/Plugins
Disclaimer: This list is provided for information purposes only. It is not exhaustive and inclusion of an application or plug-in on the list does not constitute a recommendation or guarantee of results.
• Microsoft Accessibility Page
• Office 2010 Accessibility Tutorials
• Keyboard shortcuts for Word 2010
• Customize keyboard shortcuts for Word 2010
• Accessibility features in Word 2010
Other Application Features
Word 2010’s “Navigation” Feature
After you have populated your document with content and true headings have been applied, you may wish to rearrange the content. In order to maintain the integrity and accessibility of the altered sequence, you will need to ensure that structural information (e.g., heading levels) is adjusted accordingly.
Word 2010 provides a “Navigation” mechanism which displays all parts of the document, such as headings, paragraphs, objects, etc. in sequential order. It helps you navigate, access, and manipulate the content. You can move headings or subordinate text up or down, rearranging their sequence in a way that can be programmatically determined and therefore accessible to assistive technologies.
To use the “Navigation” feature
1. Go to menu item: View
2. In the Show section, select the Navigation Pane check box
3. The Navigation pane will open to the left of your document
To jump to a location in a document
1. Select one of three navigation options:
a. Select the Browse headings icon (Note: select the heading to view hierarchical headings and content below it)
b. Select the Browse pages icon
c. Select the Search text
[pic]
2. Scroll through the sequential list and double-click* on the location you would like to jump to
To move content up or down in a document
1. Select and drag the content to a new location in the list
Accessibility Help
If you are interested in what features are provided to make using Word 2010 more accessible to users, documentation is provided in the Help system:
1. Go to menu item: File
2. Select Help from the list on the left
3. Under the Support section, select the Help icon
4. Enter “Accessibility” as your search term in the Help dialog box
References and Resources
1. Microsoft Word 2010 Help
2. GAWDS Writing Better Alt Text []
3. Microsoft Word 2010 Online Accessibility Center
4. Andrew Godwin,
Acknowledgments
This document was produced as part of the Accessible Digital Office Document (ADOD) Project ().
This project has been developed by the Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University as part of an EnAbling Change Partnership project with the Government of Ontario and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
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Copyright © 2011 Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University
This material may be reproduced and distributed in print or electronic format only as long as: (a) the reproduction is offered at no cost to the recipients; and
(b) the reproduction must preserve the "Version" section; and
(c) the reproduction must preserve the "Acknowledgments" section; and
(d) the reproduction must preserve this copyright notice.
Accessible Digital Office Document Project:
Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents:
Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro
Version
Date of Current Version: 04 Feb 2011
Latest Version (HTML):
Quick Reference
Usage Notes 2
Technique 1. Use Accessible Source Documents 3
Technique 2. Test for Accessibility Compliance 3
Technique 3. Set a Logical Reading Order 6
Technique 4. Edit and Add Navigational Aids 7
Technique 5. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects 10
Technique 6. Set Document Properties 12
Technique 7. Adjust Security Settings 12
Technique 8. Use Other Features for Accessible Document Production 13
Technique 9. Use Accessibility Features when Saving/Exporting to Other Formats 13
Technique 10. Consider Using Accessibility Support Applications/Plugins 14
Accessibility Help 14
References and Resources 14
Acknowledgments 15
Usage Notes
Overview
At the time of testing (January 19, 2011), Acrobat 9 Pro provides a set of accessibility features that is sufficient to enable the production of accessible digital office documents. In addition, Acrobat 9 Pro includes an accessibility checking feature.
What’s an “Office Document”?
You should use these techniques when you are using Acrobat 9 Pro to create documents that are:
• Intended to be used by people (i.e., not computer code),
• Text-based (i.e., not simply images, although they may contain images),
• Fully printable (i.e., where dynamic features are limited to automatic page numbering, table of contents, etc. and do not include audio, video, or embedded interactivity),
• Self-contained (i.e., without hyperlinks to other documents, unlike web content), and
• Typical of office-style workflows (Reports, letters, memos, budgets, presentations, etc.).
[pic] If you are creating forms, web pages, applications, or other dynamic and/or interactive content, these techniques will still be useful to you, but you should also consult the W3C-WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) because these are specifically designed to provide guidance for highly dynamic and/or interactive content.
File Formats
The default file format for Acrobat 9 Pro is Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).
In addition, Acrobat 9 Pro offers many other word processor and web format saving options. Most of these have not been checked for accessibility, but some information and/or instructions are available for the following formats in Technique 9 (below):
• HTML
• Saving as accessible text
Document Conventions
We have tried to formulate these techniques so that they are useful to all authors, regardless of whether they use a mouse. However, for clarity there are several instances where mouse-only language is used. Below are the mouse-only terms and their keyboard alternatives:
*Right-click: To right-click with the keyboard, select the object using the Shift+Arrow keys and then press either (1) the “Right-Click” key (some keyboard have this to the right of the spacebar) or Shift+F10.
Disclaimer and Testing Details:
Following these techniques will increase the accessibility of your documents, but it does not guarantee accessibility to any specific disability groups. In cases where more certainty is required, it is recommended that you test the office documents with end users with disabilities, including screen reader users.
The application-specific steps and screenshots in this document were created using Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro (ver.9.0.0, Windows 7, Jan. 2011) while creating a PDF document. Files are also easily saved as other file formats (see Technique 9, below).
This document is provided for information purposes only and is neither a recommendation nor a guarantee of results. If errors are found, please report them to: adod-comments@idrc.ocad.ca.
Technique 1. Use Accessible Source Documents
In the Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro workflow, all PDF documents start with a source document created in an office document authoring application, such as Microsoft Word or Writer. Because source documents provide the starting-point for the PDF documents, accessibility is critical.
To create an accessible source document
1. Create a new document in the authoring application (from the default blank template or from one of the prepackaged templates)
2. Ensure that you follow the ADOD Authoring Techniques provided for the authoring application (available at: )
3. When you are finished, you should also check the accessibility of the document (see “Accessibility Checking” in the Authoring Techniques for the authoring application)
Technique 2. Test for Accessibility Compliance
The best way to test the accessibility of a document is to attempt to use the document with the tools that your readers will use. However, even if you don’t have a screen reader or other assistive device, you can use any of the following methods provided by Acrobat 9 Pro for checking the accessibility of a PDF.
2.1 Check for Tags
Creating a tagged document directly from an authoring application is the best way to make PDFs accessible. However, if a PDF was created without tags, you can add them, using Add Tags to Document. Often Acrobat tags PDFs when you create them. To learn more about tags, see Technique 3.1 below.
To determine whether a PDF contains tags
1. Go to menu item: File > Properties
2. Select Description tab
3. Look at the Tagged PDF value in the Advanced pane
Note: This can also be determined by running an Accessibility Quick Check (see Technique 2.2, below)
[pic]
2.2 Run Accessibility Checks
For a more thorough review of the accessibility compliance of a document, use one of the accessibility check features available in Acrobat 9 Pro. The Accessibility Quick Check examines the PDF to see if it has searchable text, document structure tags, and appropriate security settings to make it accessible. To check for other types of accessibility problems, it is best to use the Accessibility Full Check.
To Use Accessibility Quick Check
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > Quick Check
To Use Accessibility Full Check
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > Full check
2. Under Report and Comment Options, select how you would like to view the results
3. If you would like to do a full check on individual sections of a document, under Page Range, select a page range
Note: when you have a large document, running a full check on one section at a time can be more efficient.
4. Under Checking Options, select an accessibility standard from the Name drop-down list
5. Under Checking Options, select Select All to run a complete accessibility check
6. Select Start Checking
[pic]
2.3 Test Using Reflow View
Reflowing a document temporarily presents it as a single column that is the width of the document pane. Only readable text appears in the reflow view. In this way, reflow can make the document easier to read in cases where it is difficult to scroll horizontally, such as on a mobile device or magnified on a standard monitor.
To quickly check the reading order of a document, view it in Reflow view. If the tagged PDF does not reflow the way you want, it means that the content order or reading order of the PDF contains inconsistencies. If this is the case, in addition to correcting the reading order (see Technique 4, below), it may also be helpful to check the tagging process (see Technique 2.1, above).
Note: Before reflowing the document, Acrobat Pro 9 temporarily tags an untagged document. You can optimize your PDFs for reflow by tagging them yourself (see Technique 3.1, below).
To reflow a tagged PDF
1. Go to menu item: View > Zoom > Reflow
2. To return to regular view, go to menu item: View > Zoom > Reflow
2.4 Test Using Read Out Loud
[pic] The “Read Out Loud” feature in Adobe Reader 9.4.2 for Windows currently does not read “alt” text for images [Tested: 11 February 2011]. This text can be read from within Adobe Reader by some screen readers.
The Read Out Loud feature reads the text in a PDF aloud in the available voices installed on your system. In tagged PDFs, content is read in the order in which it appears in the document’s logical structure tree. In untagged PDFs, the reading order is inferred. The Read Out Loud feature can indicate problems or errors in the reading order and document structure.
To read a PDF with Read Out Loud
1. Go to menu item: View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud
2. Navigate to the page that you want to read
3. Go to menu item: View > Read Out Loud > Read This Page Only or Read To End Of Document
4. To interrupt reading out loud, go to menu item: View > Read Out Loud > Pause or Resume or Stop
5. When you are finished using the Read Out Loud feature, go to menu item: View > Read Out Loud > Deactivate Read Out Loud
Technique 3. Set a Logical Reading Order
The order in which elements in a document are read by assistive software is determined by the reading order. Each section of page content appears as a separate highlighted region and is numbered according to its placement in the reading order. You can change the reading order of the highlighted regions without changing the actual appearance of the PDF. For example, by reordering highlighted regions on the page, you can make a figure and caption read at the specific point that they are referenced in the text without actually moving the elements on the page.
To check reading order
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order…
2. Select Show Page Content Order
3. Check the reading order of text within each highlighted region in the document pane
4. Check the numbered order of all highlighted regions
5. Select Show Order Panel
[pic]
6. To find numbered regions that you cannot locate in the document pane, select each content entry in the Order tab to highlight that region in the document pane
To correct reading order
There are two ways to correct the reading order:
To correct the reading order with the order tab:
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order…
2. Select Show Order Panel
[pic]
3. In the Order tab, navigate through the list of highlighted regions that appear in the document pane
4. If a highlighted region is misplaced, right-click* and select Cut
5. Navigate to the location where the region should be placed, right-click* the item above the location in the list and select Paste
Note: You can complete steps 4 and 5 by dragging the tag for the region to the location you want. As well, you can select and move multiple adjacent regions at once. After you drag an item to a new location, the highlighted regions are renumbered accordingly.
To correct reading order by dragging on the page
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order…
2. Select Show Page Content Order
[pic]
3. In the document pane, drag the region to where you want it to be read. When you release the highlighted region, the underlying highlighted region is split into two new highlighted regions and the insertion point becomes the dividing line. All highlighted regions are renumbered to show the new reading order.
Technique 4. Edit and Add Navigational Aids
4.1 Document Structure Tags
PDF tags are a mechanism for indicating the organizational structure of documents (e.g., headings, paragraphs, sections, tables, and other page elements) without changing the visual appearance of the PDF. These tags enable use with assistive devices, such as screen readers, indicate the document reading order and also enable mobile devices to reflow and display the document on a small screen.
[pic] An untagged document does not have structural information, and Acrobat must infer a structure. This situation often results in page items being read in the wrong order or not at all. For best results, tag the document when converting it to PDF from the authoring application.
To add tags automatically
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > Add Tags To Document
Note: This command removes any tags that were in the document before the command was run. If any potential problems were encountered, an Add Tags Report appears in the navigation pane.
The automatic tagging feature is usually sufficient for most standard layouts, but it sometimes cannot correctly interpret the structure and reading order of complex page elements (e.g. closely spaced columns, irregular text alignment, and tables without borders.). If your testing (see Technique 2) reveals problems, it is necessary to edit and add tags manually using the following techniques.
To add tags manually
1. Using the TouchUp Reading Order tool, drag within the document pane to select a region of the page that contains one type of content (e.g. a text block)
2. To add more page content to the current selection, Shift + drag
3. To remove page content from the current selection, Ctrl + drag
4. Select the appropriate button in the TouchUp Reading Order dialog to specify the tag type
[pic]
To change the tag for a region
1. Select the TouchUp Reading Order tool
2. In the TouchUp Reading Order dialog, select Show Page Content Order
[pic]
3. In the document pane, drag to select a highlight region or select the number of the highlighted region
4. Select the appropriate button in the TouchUp Reading Order dialog to specify the tag
[pic]
To add or remove content from a tagged region
1. Select the TouchUp Reading Order tool
2. In the TouchUp Reading Order dialog, select Show Page Content Order
[pic]
3. In the document pane, select a highlighted region
4. To add content, Shift + select the content
5. To remove content, Ctrl + select the content
6. Select the button for the tag type that you want for the highlighted region
To apply a heading tag
1. Select the TouchUp Reading Order tool
2. Select the heading text in the PDF
3. In the TouchUp Reading Order dialog, select the button corresponding to the appropriate heading tag
To remove page elements from the tag structure
1. Select the TouchUp Reading Order tool
2. In the TouchUp Reading Order dialog, select Show Page Content Order and Show Tables And Figures
[pic]
3. In the document pane, select the page element and select Background in the TouchUp Reading Order dialog, or select the page element in the Order tab and select Delete
[pic]
4.2 Bookmarks
A bookmark is a type of link with representative text in the Bookmarks panel in the navigation pane. Each bookmark goes to a different view or page in the document. In Acrobat 9 Pro, you can use bookmarks to mark a place in the PDF to which you want to return, or to jump to a destination in the PDF, another document, or a web page.
Bookmarks are generated automatically during PDF creation from the table of contents entries and headings of documents created in most authoring tools. They are often tagged and can be used to make edits in the PDF.
Note: An Acrobat user can add bookmarks to a document only if the security settings allow it.
To create a bookmark using keyboard shortcuts
1. Select Ctrl+B
2. Name the bookmark
3. Click outside the bookmark to deselect it
4. Navigate to the page that you want to link with the bookmark
5. Select the newly created bookmark in the Bookmarks panel
6. In the Options menu, select Set Bookmark Destination
To create a bookmark without keyboard shortcuts
1. Open the page where you want the bookmark to link to
2. To bookmark a single image, click the image and skip to Step 5
3. To bookmark a portion of an image, drag a rectangle around the portion and skip to Step 5
4. To bookmark selected text, select the text
5. Select the Bookmarks button and select the bookmark under which you want to place the new bookmark
6. Choose New Bookmark from the Options menu
7. Type or edit the name of the new bookmark
To edit a bookmark
1. Select the Bookmarks button
2. In the Bookmarks pane, select the bookmark
3. In the Options menu, select Rename Bookmark
4. Type the new bookmark name
To change a Bookmarks destination
1. Select the Bookmarks button
2. In the Bookmarks pane, select the bookmark
3. In the document pane, move to the location you want to specify as the new destination
Note: If necessary, adjust the view magnification.
4. In the Options menu, select Set Bookmark Destination
To delete a bookmark
1. Select the Bookmarks button
2. In the Bookmarks pane, select a bookmark or range of bookmarks
3. Select Delete
To create a bookmark hierarchy
1. Select the Bookmarks button
2. In the Bookmarks pane, select the bookmark or range of bookmarks you want to nest
3. Drag the icon or icons directly underneath the parent bookmark
Note: The bookmarks are nested, but the actual page remains in its original location in the document.
To remove bookmarks from a hierarchy
1. Select the Bookmarks button
2. In the Bookmarks pane, select the bookmark or range of bookmarks
3. Move the selection by dragging the icons or select Cut from the Options menu, select the bookmark and select Paste Under Selected Bookmark from the Options menu
Technique 5. Provide Text Alternatives for Images and Graphical Objects
When using images or other graphical objects, such as charts and graphs, it is important to ensure that the information you intend to convey by the image is also conveyed to people who cannot see the image. This can be accomplished by adding concise alternative text to of each image. If an image is too complicated to concisely describe in the alternative text alone (artwork, flowcharts, etc.), provide a short text alternative and a longer description as well.
Tips for writing alternative text
• Try to answer the question "what information is the image conveying?"
• If the image does not convey any useful information, leave the alternative text blank
• If the image contains meaningful text, ensure all of the text is replicated
• Alternative text should be fairly short, usually a sentence or less and rarely more than two sentences
• If more description is required (e.g., for a chart or graph), provide a short description in the alternative text (e.g., a summary of the trend) and more detail in the long description, see below
• Test by having others review the document with the images replaced by the alternative text
Tips for writing longer descriptions
• Long descriptions should be used when text alternatives (see above) are insufficient to answer the question "what information is the image conveying?"
• In some situations, the information being conveyed will be how an image looks (e.g., an artwork, architectural detail, etc.). In these cases, try to describe the image without making too many of your own assumptions.
• One approach is to imagine you are describing the image to a person over the phone
• Ensure that you still provide concise alternative text to help readers decide if they are interested in the longer description
Alternatively, you can include the same information conveyed by the image within the body of the document, providing the images as an alternate to the text. In that case, you do not have to provide alternate text within the image.
[pic] Only add alternative text to tags that don’t have child tags. Adding alternative text to a parent tag prevents assistive software from reading any of that tag’s child tags.
[pic] The “Read Out Loud” feature in Adobe Reader 9.4.2 for Windows currently does not read “alt” text for images [Tested: 11 February 2011]. This text can be read from within Adobe Reader by some screen readers.
To add alternative text to images or graphical objects
5. Go to menu item: View > Navigation Panels > Tags
6. In the Tags tab, select the element
7. Right-click* the element and select Properties…
8. In the Tag tab, fill in the alternative text in the Alternative Text box
[pic]
9. Select Close
To add alternative text to figures and tables
1. Save the document
Note: Changes using this technique cannot be undone, reverting to a saved document will be the only way to undo a change.
2. Go to menu item: Advanced > Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order…
3. Select the element by drawing a rectangle around the content
4. In the TouchUp Reading Order dialog, select Figure or Table
5. Right-click* the element and select Edit Alternate Text…
6. Enter the alternative text in the Alternate Text box
7. Select OK
To add alternative text to links
1. In the tag tree, select the Link tag for the link
2. Select Options > Properties
3. In the TouchUp Properties dialog, select the Tag tab
4. Type alternative text for the link
5. Select Close
Technique 6. Set Document Properties
6.1 Document Language
In order for assistive technologies (e.g., screen readers) to be able to present your document accurately, it is important to indicate the natural language of the document. If a different natural language is used for a paragraph or selected text, this also needs to be clearly indicated.
To change the default language
7. Go to menu item: File > Properties
8. Select the Advanced tab
9. In the Reading Options section, select the language from the Language drop-down list
10. Select OK
To apply a language directly to selected element
7. Go to menu item: View > Navigation Panels > Tags
8. In the Tags tab, select the element
9. Right-click* the element and select Properties…
10. In the Tag tab, select the language from the Language drop-down list
11. Select Close
6.2 Document Title
In case the document is ever converted into HTML, it should be given a descriptive and meaningful title.
To change the title of the current document
1. Go to menu item: File > Properties
2. Select the Description tab
3. Enter a descriptive title in the Title box. It is also helpful to enter descriptive information in the text boxes that follow (Author, Subject, Keywords or select Additional Metadata)
4. Select OK
Technique 7. Adjust Security Settings
It is possible to specify that no part of an accessible PDF is to be copied, printed, extracted, commented on, or edited. This can be accomplished by encrypting the document with password security. However, this could interfere with a screen reader’s ability to read the document, because screen readers must be able to copy or extract the document’s text in order to convert it to speech. In Acrobat 9 Pro, it is possible to maintain high-encryption-level security while at the same time providing the necessary access to assistive technologies.
To allow assistive technologies access to content
1. Go to menu item: Advanced > Security > Encrypt with Password
2. In the Password Security - Settings dialog, under Permissions, select Restrict editing and printing of the document
3. For low-encryption-level security, select Enable copying of text, images, and other content
4. For high-encryption-level security, select Enable text access for screen reader devices for the visually impaired (this overrides the document’s security settings only for the purpose of giving assistive software, such as screen readers, access to the content)
5. Select OK
[pic]
Technique 8. Use Other Features for Accessible Document Production
8.1 Accessible Forms
A workflow for creating accessible PDF forms can be found in:
• Adobe Help Documentation
• Adobe Acrobat 9 Accessibility Guide: Creating Accessible Forms
8.2 Scanned Pages
If you created a PDF from of a scanned document, then it will be inherently inaccessible to screen readers and other assistive technologies. In addition, the document will be less useful because graphic representations of text cannot be selected, edited or searched. In this case, it is necessary that you convert the scanned images of text to searchable content using optical character recognition (OCR) before addressing the accessibility features of the document. Help can be found in:
• Recognize text in scanned documents
Technique 9. Use Accessibility Features when Saving/Exporting to Other Formats
In some cases, additional steps must be taken in order to ensure accessibility information is preserved when saving/exporting to formats other than the default.
To save as accessible text
1. Go to menu item: File > Save As
2. In the File name box, type a name for the file
3. In the Save as type box, select Text (Accessible) or if you are saving the file for further Braille processing you can also select .doc or .rtf
4. Select Save
HTML
7. Go to menu item: File > Export As > HTML
8. In the File name box, type a name for the file
9. Select Settings…
10. Ensure Generate bookmarks and Generate tags for untagged files are selected
[pic]
11. Select OK
12. Check the HTML file for accessibility (see Technique 2, above)
To clean up your HTML file
8. Remove unnecessary styles, line breaks, etc.
9. Remove unnecessary id, class, and attributes
10. Remove font tags
11. Remove styles in the tag
12. Ensure the tags have a scope attribute
13. Remove tags nested inside and tags
14. Check for accessibility (see Technique 2, above)
Note: you may wish to use HTML editors or utilities to help with this process.
Technique 10. Consider Using Accessibility Support Applications/Plugins
Disclaimer: This list is provided for information purposes only. It is not exhaustive and inclusion of an application or plug-in on the list does not constitute a recommendation or guarantee of results by the IDRC.
The following accessibility-related plug-in are associated with Acrobat 9 Pro:
• Adobe Acrobat Help and Support
• Using Adobe Acrobat 9
• Adobe Accessibility Training Resources
Accessibility Help
If you are interested in what features are provided to make using Acrobat 9 Pro more accessible to users, documentation is provided in the Help system:
5. Go to menu item: Help > Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Help
6. Browse Contents tree for help, or select Search
7. Enter “Accessibility” as your search term in the Search text box
References and Resources
5. Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Help
6. GAWDS Writing Better Alt Text []
Acknowledgments
This document was produced as part of the Accessible Digital Office Document (ADOD) Project ().
This project has been developed by the Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University as part of an EnAbling Change Partnership project with the Government of Ontario and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
[pic]
Copyright © 2011 Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University
This material may be reproduced and distributed in print or electronic format only as long as: (a) the reproduction is offered at no cost to the recipients; and
(b) the reproduction must preserve the "Version" section; and
(c) the reproduction must preserve the "Acknowledgments" section; and
(d) the reproduction must preserve this copyright
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