Documents

Before creating and sharing or posting electronic documents: it is essential and required that these materials are designed to be fully accessible to everyone in the Rice University community.

This page provides quick, actionable best practices for the most commonly used software: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Workspace, Adobe Acrobat PDFs, and Canva.

💡 The Golden Rule: Whenever possible, publish your content directly as a webpage rather than a downloadable document. Webpages are naturally more accessible, mobile-friendly, and easier to maintain. If you must use a document, use the guides below to build access in from the start.

Microsoft Word

💡 Pro Tip: Utilize the built-in Microsoft Accessibility Checker as you develop to catch and fix issues in real-time.

Document Structure & Formatting

  • Check templates for accessibility features, even ones marked as accessible-ready.
  • Use heading styles (h1 through h6) rather than just formatting text to appear larger/bolder.
  • Format lists using bullets and/or numbered styles. Avoid pseudo lists.
  • Use standard sans-serif fonts like Verdana, Calibri, and Arial to maximize readability.
  • Use line spacing that is 1.5 times.
  • Add a Title to document properties metadata (different from the file name).

Visuals, Links & Tables

  • Add alt text to all graphics.
  • Ensure there is sufficient color contrast between foreground and background, especially with text.
  • Embed hyperlinks in descriptive, purposeful text. Avoid generic text like “click here.”
  • Use table headers.
  • Avoid layout tables. Ensure that tables show relationships between data.
  • Avoid complex tables with merged and nested cells.

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Excel

💡 Pro Tip: Utilize the built-in Microsoft Accessibility Checker as you develop to catch and fix issues in real-time.

Structure & Layout

  • Name all worksheets descriptively.
  • Use cell A1 as the title of the spreadsheet.
  • Remove blank rows and columns.
  • Avoid hiding rows and columns.
  • Adjust text wrapping and column width to improve the readability of all cell data.
  • Link to other sheets to assist keyboard-only users.
  • Alert users with text where frozen panes are active.

Data Formatting & Visuals

  • Data formatted as tables needs descriptive headers. Name the table.
  • Empty cells should include the text “no data.”
  • Use chart titles and labels.
  • Add alt text for images, charts, and tables.
  • Formatting emphasis like ALL CAPS and strikethrough are not perceivable to some assistive technology users.
  • Use alt text or contextual notes in cells where color is the only way to convey meaning (e.g., conditional formatting).

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PowerPoint

💡 Pro Tip: Utilize the built-in Microsoft Accessibility Checker as you develop to catch and fix issues in real-time.

Slide Structure

  • Choose built-in slide layouts. Text boxes you manually add to layouts will not appear in the Outline View for screen readers.
  • Use the Slide Master to modify slide layouts globally.
  • Give each slide a unique title, even if it’s a continuation of the previous slide.
  • Verify reading order using the Reading Order panel (arrange objects from bottom to top).
  • Use the 7x7 rule: no more than seven bullets or lines of text per slide, and no more than seven words per line.

Visuals & Media

  • Use 24pt-28pt minimum text formatting.
  • Add alt text to all graphics and use captions for complex graphics.
  • Ensure links are descriptive.
  • Include table headers for any data tables.
  • Make sure embedded videos include closed or open captions. Use .VTT format in PowerPoint.

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Google Documents

When creating documents, presentations, sheets, and more using Google Workspace, it is essential to plan for accessibility so your content is readable by everyone.

Formatting & Structure

Images, Links & Media

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Adobe Acrobat PDF

All digital content distributed by Rice University must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Historically, PDFs were created to guarantee a document looked exactly the same when physically printed on paper.

Today, using a different digital format to provide your information will almost always be an easier, faster, and more accessible process than creating or fixing a PDF.

🛑 Stop and Ask: Does this need to be a PDF?

Before you save a document as a PDF, ask yourself: Is the primary goal of this document to be printed on physical paper? If the answer is "No," do not use a PDF. Choose one of the faster alternatives below.

1. Convert to a Web Page (Highly Recommended)

Add your information directly to your department's Drupal website or as a native Canvas page instead of uploading a PDF file. HTML web pages natively adapt to screen readers, mobile phones, and screen magnifiers.

  • Best option for: Syllabi, policies, informational guides, frequently updated content, and content accessed on mobile devices.

2. Share as an Accessible Document (Word or Google Docs)

If users need to download the file, native Microsoft Word or Google Docs are much easier to make accessible compared to PDFs.

  • Best option for: Text-heavy documents, working drafts, and documents users may want to print.

3. Use Web-Based Forms

PDF forms are notoriously difficult for assistive technologies to read and navigate. Never use a fillable PDF to collect information.

  • Best option for: Applications, surveys, and registrations.
  • What to use: Convert your PDF forms to accessible, web-based platforms like Qualtrics, Microsoft Forms or Google Forms.

If You Must Use a PDF (Print-Ready Documents Only)

If your document is specifically designed for physical printing (like a campus flyer) and you must distribute it digitally as a PDF, you are required to make it accessible. Creating an accessible PDF requires intentional work. Please follow these mandatory steps:

  1. Start with an Accessible Source: Always build accessibility into your original Word, Google Doc, or InDesign file first.
  2. Never "Print to PDF": Exporting by choosing "Print > PDF" strips away all structural tags and ruins the document's accessibility. Always use "Save As > PDF" or "Export > Create PDF" to preserve the document's tags.
  3. Run the Accessibility Checker: Open your file in Adobe Acrobat Pro and run the Accessibility Checker tool.
  4. Prepare for Manual Remediation: Automated checkers cannot catch everything. You must manually verify the reading order, check the structural tags, ensure all images have alternative text, and format tables correctly.

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Canva

💡 Pro Tip: Accessibility in Canva is a two-step process! You must assess your design using Canva's built-in checker, and then verify the structural tags after downloading it as a PDF or PowerPoint.

Canva is a popular design tool for creating electronic documents, presentations, and social graphics. While Canva has introduced accessibility tools within their system, designs downloaded as PDFs or PPTs often do not meet accessibility standards automatically.

Canva Accessibility Features

  • Alerts to add alt text to images, graphics, and icons.
  • Color contrast checks on all elements of your project.
  • Simple reading order and heading tagging for PDFs.

Designing for Access in Canva

Canva’s built-in Accessibility Checker is located under File > Accessibility > Check Design Accessibility. It reviews typography size, contrast, and alternative text.

  • Keep designs simple to ensure the export tags correctly.
  • Heading sizes should follow a sequential, logical order.
  • Body copy should be at least 16 points for digital viewing.
  • Use the ‘Position’ tool to arrange layers logically. The content you want screen readers to read first should be the bottom layer in the panel.

Reviewing Downloaded Files

Reference the Essential Practices of Accessible Design when generating Canva content. Expect to use additional software to finish the job.

  • Always double-check your exported color contrast using free tools like WebAIM's Contrast Checker.
  • You will likely need to fix reading order and structural tagging issues manually in Adobe Acrobat Pro or Microsoft PowerPoint before sharing the final documents.
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