40 min read
Accessibility
Diagnose and repair an inaccessible handbook — headings, alt text, tables, contrast.
James's inaccessible handbook — find the problems
Before fixing, diagnose:
| Problem | Why it fails | Repair |
|---|---|---|
| Bold chapter titles | No heading structure for screen readers / PDF tags | Apply Heading 1 |
| Photos without alt text | Images unread to blind users | View Alt Text — describe purpose |
| Fake table with spaces | Reading order nonsense | Rebuild Word table |
| Click here links | Link purpose unknown out of context | Descriptive link text |
| Colour-only warnings | Red text without label | Add Warning: prefix text |
Accessibility is structure first, decoration second.
Accessibility Checker workflow
Review → Check Accessibility → fix Errors first, then Warnings, then Tips.
Export accessible PDF: File → Export PDF → Document structure tags enabled. Headings become PDF tags — only if Word headings are real styles.
Repair accessibility on handbook copy
Goal
Run checker and fix headings, alt text, and one table.
James Okonkwo adds this to NorthgateHandbook.docx as part of one polished student handbook, policy pack, and open-day collateral before families arrive.
Run checker
Where
Do this
You should see
- Issue list in pane.
Verification
Check your work
You are correct if all of these are true:
- Accessibility Checker shows no Errors (or you documented accepted warnings).
- Navigation Pane heading list matches visual chapter order.
- Every informative image has alt text — decorative images marked decorative if appropriate.
Practice
More lessons in Microsoft Word · Next: Hyperlinks & Navigation · Previous: Collaboration