Accessibility Check Lists

Word Document Checklist

per the HHS.gov website

  • The document file name should not contain spaces or special characters
  • The document file name should be concise
  • Include the document properties for title, author, subject (description), keywords, language, and copyright status
  • Recommended fonts include Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, and Calibri
  • Do not use animated text or images
  • Images that are being used should have alternative-text descriptions
  • No background images or watermarks
  • Charts and graphs need descriptive text near the image for clarity
  • Use the formatted style elements for the headings (Heading 1, Heading 2)
  • If there is a Table of Contents (TOC), use the TOC Commands in Microsoft Word

Excel Document Checklist

per the HHS.gov website

  • Include the checklist items in the Word document checklist
  • No merged cells, unless converting the document to a PDF as the final format
  • Active worksheets should have clear and concise names to identify the table name and table number
  • Table header should repeat at the top of the table from one page to another
  • All charts should have titles, legends, and axis labels

PowerPoint Document Checklist

per the HHS.gov website

  • Include the checklist items in the Word document checklist
  • Slide text should be available in the outline view
  • Avoid using animated text or flashing images
  • Do not use SmartArt
  • Images and graphics should be crisp and legible
  • If using tables in the document, the tables should have a logical reading order from left to right and top to bottom
  • Data tables should have the first row designated as the ‘Header Row’ in the table properties
  • No merged cells in data tables
  • Tables should be labeled and described
  • In table properties uncheck, “Allow row to break across pages”

Multimedia Checklist

per the HHS.gov website

  • A video or animation must contain synchronized captioning
  • An animation does require a text equivalent
  • For sound-only files, a matching transcript is required

PDF Document Checklist

per the HHS.gov website

  • Include the checklist items from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint document checklists
  • No scanned images of text
  • Documents that are 9 or more pages, should include bookmarks
  • If there is a table of contents (TOC), check that all page numbers are correct and linked
  • No background images or watermarks
  • Charts and graphs need descriptive text
  • All tables are described and labeled appropriately
  • If using Acrobat Adobe Pro, use the accessibility checker, and make corrections where possible

For additional information, you can visit the HHS website.