Overview
Creating accessible documents in Microsoft Office isn’t just about compliance—it’s about ensuring everyone can access, navigate, and understand your content. This course teaches you to create Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations that meet WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 standards from the start.
You’ll learn how to structure documents with proper headings, create accessible tables and charts, write effective alt text, and use Office’s built-in accessibility tools to check and fix issues. Whether you’re creating reports, data visualizations, or presentations for government agencies, educational institutions, or diverse audiences, you’ll build accessibility into your workflow across all three core Office applications.
Format: 2 Days | VILT
Who Should Attend
- Content creators responsible for accessible deliverables
- Government employees and contractors meeting Section 508 requirements
- Corporate communications teams serving diverse audiences
- Educators and trainers creating inclusive materials
- HR professionals developing accessible employee resources
What You’ll Learn
- Understand WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 requirements for Office documents
- Create properly structured Word documents with headings and semantic markup
- Build accessible tables in Word and Excel with proper headers
- Design Excel spreadsheets that work with screen readers
- Create PowerPoint presentations with logical reading order and structure
- Write and apply effective alt text for images, charts, and graphics
- Use Office’s Accessibility Checker to identify and fix issues
Course Outline
Module 1: Accessibility Fundamentals for Office Documents
- Why accessibility matters: legal requirements and inclusive design
- Overview of WCAG 2.1/2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549
- How screen readers interact with Office documents
- Using the Accessibility Checker across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Module 2: Creating Accessible Word Documents
- Using Styles for proper heading hierarchy and structure
- Creating accessible lists, paragraphs, and text formatting
- Building accessible tables with header rows and columns
- Adding alt text to images and setting decorative images
- Using hyperlinks effectively and writing meaningful link text
- Document language settings and reading order
Module 3: Accessible Excel Spreadsheets
- Structuring data for screen reader navigation
- Creating accessible tables with proper headers and scope
- Using named ranges and meaningful sheet names
- Making charts and graphs accessible with titles and alt text
- Avoiding merged cells and complex layouts
- Providing context for formulas and data relationships
Module 4: Accessible PowerPoint Presentations
- Using slide layouts and built-in placeholders correctly
- Setting logical reading order for slide elements
- Creating accessible slide titles and heading structure
- Adding alt text to images, SmartArt, and charts
- Using animations and transitions accessibly (or avoiding them)
- Creating accessible hyperlinks and action buttons
Module 5: Alt Text and Visual Content
- Writing effective, concise alt text across all three applications
- Complex visuals: charts, diagrams, SmartArt, and infographics
- When to mark images as decorative
- Describing data visualizations in Excel and PowerPoint
- Using long descriptions for complex content
Module 6: Testing, Validation, and Remediation
- Running the Accessibility Checker and interpreting results
- Fixing common accessibility issues in each application
- Manual testing techniques beyond automated checks
- Creating accessible templates for consistent compliance
- Exporting accessible PDFs from Office applications
- Building accessible workflows for your organization
Prerequisites & Technical Requirements
- Basic proficiency with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Microsoft Office 365 or Office 2019 or later installed
- Familiarity with common document creation tasks
Customization Options
This course can be tailored to your specific compliance requirements—Section 508 for U.S. federal agencies, WCAG for general accessibility standards, or EN 301 549 for European compliance. We can focus on your most-used applications (Word-heavy, Excel-focused, or PowerPoint-intensive) and work with your actual templates and documents to build accessible workflows specific to your organization’s needs.