Digital Accessibility Basics: Digital Content

Audience

Anyone who creates or maintains documents and digital files used for business, instruction, communication, or public information on behalf of the University of Northern Iowa. This includes materials created using Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, or similar productivity tools.

What to Focus On

When creating or updating digital documents, prioritize:

• Clear structure and logical reading order
• Text alternatives for non-text content
• Navigation and formatting that work with assistive technologies

Not all practices will apply in every situation. Use professional judgment and focus first on content that is actively used or high impact.

Accessibility Checklist

Use the checklist below to guide creation and remediation of digital documents. Not all items will apply in every situation.

Structure and Organization

• Use built-in heading styles (H1, H2, H3) to organize content
• Do not skip heading levels
• Use built-in bulleted or numbered list tools rather than manually typed symbols
• Ensure the document has a logical reading order, including in presentation slides

Images and Visual Elements

• Add alternative text to all meaningful images, charts, and graphics
• Mark purely decorative images as decorative or artifacts
• Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning

Tables and Forms

• Use simple tables with clearly defined header rows and, when appropriate, header columns
• Avoid using tables for layout purposes
• Label all form fields clearly and ensure a logical tab order

Links and Navigation

• Use descriptive link text that clearly indicates the destination or action
• Avoid vague phrases such as “click here” or “read more”

Text and Readability

• Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text)
• Use plain, readable language whenever possible

Document Metadata and Settings

• Set the document language correctly
• Use a clear, descriptive document title
• When exporting to PDF, enable accessibility and tagging options

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Manually formatting headings using bold text or font size instead of styles
• Embedding text inside images without providing alternative text
• Exporting scanned PDFs without text recognition or tagging
• Using color alone to indicate importance or status

Product-Specific Accessibility Resources

Use the links to resources below to find product-specific guidance on making your digital content accessible. 

Accessibility in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, and Slides)

• General best practices for accessibility in Google Workspace
• Provide alt text for all images and visuals
• Use comments instead of embedded notes
• Make proper use of numbered or bulleted lists
• Ensure proper use of heading structure (H1, H2, H3, etc)
• Present slides with captions
• Use proper navigation landmarks in your documents
• Ensure videos have captions

Accessibility in Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft Word

• Best Practices for making Microsoft Word documents accessible
• Organize your document using correct heading styles
• Provide alternate text (alt text) for images
• Ensure tables are accessible
• Make your links apparent and informative
• Run the Microsoft Word accessibility checker
• Prepare your Word document for export to PDF

Microsoft Excel

• Best practices for making your Excel documents accessible
• Start with an accessible template
• Check accessibility while you work in Excel
• Ensure you have appropriate text in cell A1
• Add alt text to images and visuals
• Create accessible tables
• Create accessible hyperlinks and ScreenTips
• Create accessible charts
• Delete blank worksheets
• Use accessible worksheet names
• Name cells and ranges
• Test the accessibility of your worksheets

Microsoft PowerPoint

• Best practices for making your PowerPoint slide decks accessible
• Check your accessibility while you work
• Consider saving your presentation in an alternate format
• Give every slide a title
• Add alt text to images and visuals
• Ensure sufficient color contrast
• Create accessible links and ScreenTips
• Create slides with an accessible reading order