In this section, we will give you an overview of how you can use native features in MS Word to organize your content and make finding information easier for your readers. Going beyond the basic good practices we’ve already discussed (like choosing appropriate, readable fonts), we want to start by talking about document structure and using semantic formatting for your text.

A document with good structure is easy to navigate for both sighted users and users with disabilities who may be using assistive technology (like a screen reader) to navigate your document. A poorly, inaccessibly structured document is difficult for people using assistive technology to read and might be impossible for them to skim.

Semantic elements in Word – like headings, the insert table tool, or properly inserted hyperlinks – enable assistive technology to determine the structure of the information you are presenting.

For instance, headings are used to break up your content and make skimming information easier. 

• People using screen readers can listen to all the headings in a document to find out how a document is organized and what key concepts it covers. 
• This allows users with screen readers to get an overview of a document and choose which section they want to read, much in the same way a sighted user might skim a text to preview section names or key concepts written in larger font, bold text, or call-out boxes.

The most important thing to remember is that assistive technology cannot infer meaning from visual formatting alone – if you make your own headings by using bold text and a bigger font size, a screen reader won’t announce it as a heading and a user won’t be able to skip to that section using a screen reader. It’s essential to use the built-in features in Word to style your text so that they are accessible to all your readers. 

Now that you’ve practiced fixing a document in Word, you have the basic skills to be able to design accessible documents in other formats.

Many of basic features in Google Docs are the same; here is how you can find and access these tools.

Headings: these are accessible from toolbar; the default will be set to "normal text."

Document summary / Table of contents feature: from the Insert menu, scroll to the very bottom and choose "Table of contents."

Accessibility checker: unfortunately, Google Docs does not have a native accessibility checker. That said, you can download an extension called Grackle Docs that will check the accessibility of your Google Docs and make it easier for you to export your Google Docs as accessible PDFs!

• To install this extension, navigate to Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons > Search for Grackle Docs.