Section Menu Access For All
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What is Document Accessibility?

It's the process of designing documents that can be read, used and understood by everyone, including those who use assistive technologies.

  • Anyone who creates, edits or shares University documents is responsible for ensuring content is accessible to all users.
     
  • If you're new to document accessibility, training is highly recommended. Start by watching the Introduction to Document Accessibility video.  

 

Get Help With:

Remediation

To make documents compliant, specialized training is recommended.

Learn about Document Remediation

Document Audits

To prepare for Title II, each file listed in department audits must be reviewed for accessibility compliance.

About Document Audits 

Courses & Modules

Free self-paced document accessibility courses and related materials are available. 

View Courses & Modules

Online Forms

Online forms are a more accessible format than using traditional (non-compliant) PDF forms.

Learn about online forms

Video Tutorials

Looking for tutorial videos on specific document types? 

Browse Video Tutorials

ATI Resources

Chancellor's Office Title II Info 
Scope of Title II Regulation
ADA.Gov: Title II Fact Sheet
Federal Register: Title II Extension

 

Does it Need to be a Document? 

Leverage your website—not documents—to share new information.

Before sharing a document file, consider if a document is the best format to share information. By moving more content out of documents and onto webpages, you help keep information more accessible. 

These 3 questions can help determine if a document is the best option. If you can respond “yes” to any of these questions, your content may be better suited for a webpage or online form.

Can this information be added to a webpage?

Placing information directly on a webpage makes it easier for users to find. It also helps boost your visibility in search results.

Can this be converted to an online form?

Online forms are a more accessible format than using traditional (non-compliant) PDF forms. Convert your forms to either Microsoft Forms or Paperless Forms from OIT.

Is this information updated frequently?

Information is easier to update when it's posted online compared to when it lives stored away in a document.

Two students are seen working on an assignment

Making Accessible Documents

Design documents in programs that integrate accessibility features.

Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Acrobat and Google Docs can add accessibility features to make documents compliant. To get started, get training and browse the training resources found on this webpage.

What to avoid:

Do not create documents in web-based, graphic design suites like Adobe Express and Canva. These platforms lack critical features to make compliant, accessible documents.

The following accessibility features help make documents easier to read, navigate and understand for people with and without disabilities.

Accessibility Feature Why It Matters Best Practices
Document Title and File Name Matching document titles and file names help screen reader users confirm that they opened the correct document.
Headings Headings create an outline and allow users to navigate quickly between sections of a document.
  • Use built-in heading styles.
  • Follow a logical heading hierarchy.
  • Do not skip heading levels based only on visual appearance.
Alt Text Alt text communicates the purpose and meaning of an image to people who cannot see it.
  • Provide concise and meaningful descriptions for informative images.
  • Mark images as decorative when they do not add meaningful information.
  • Review the W3C guidance for decorative images.
Color and Contrast Sufficient contrast makes document content easier to read. Information conveyed through color alone may be missed by people with color-vision disabilities.
  • Use dark text on a light background whenever possible.
  • Avoid changing the document background to a color that reduces readability.
  • Do not use color as the only way to communicate meaning or importance.
  • Use words, labels or symbols in addition to color.
Descriptive Hyperlinks Descriptive link text helps users understand where a link leads without needing surrounding context.
  • Avoid generic wording such as “click here,” “read more” or “learn more.”
  • Describe the link’s destination or purpose.
  • Avoid displaying long webpage addresses when descriptive text can be linked instead.
Table Headers First-row headers identify the purpose of each column and help users understand the relationship between table cells.
  • Designate the first row as the table header row.
  • Use clear and descriptive column headings.
  • Keep tables simple and avoid merged or split cells whenever possible.
Legible Fonts Clear and familiar fonts make document content easier to read.
  • Use legible fonts at an appropriate size.
  • Sans-serif options include Arial, Calibri and Aptos.
  • Avoid decorative or highly stylized fonts for body text.
Bulleted and Numbered Lists Built-in list formatting communicates the number of items and the relationship between them.
  • Use a bulleted list when the order of items does not matter.
  • Use a numbered list when the order or sequence matters.
  • Use the program’s built-in list tools instead of manually typing bullets or numbers.
Paragraph Spacing Blank paragraphs may be announced by screen readers and can interrupt the reading experience.
  • Do not repeatedly press the Enter key to create visual space.
  • Use the paragraph spacing settings available in the document program.
  • Use consistent spacing throughout the document.

 

Common Misconceptions

The following are common misconceptions related to documents and document accessibility. 

Text-only PDFs are accessible since text is highlightable.

While having highlightable text is an important feature for documents to be read, it alone is not enough to make a document truly accessible. Accessible documents require many other accessibility features, including headings, reading order and tags.

Accessibility checkers catch everything.

While automated checkers can help review a document's overall accessibility, they do make mistakes and miss things that may only be caught during a manual (human) review.

Bolded text works the same as headings.

Changing the visual appearance of text does not register it as a heading for screen reader users. Always apply true heading styles inside your word processor.

Accessibility can be added after a file is made.

While possible, doing so often adds additional work and difficulties. It can be even more challenging when you don't have access to an original source file. Always design documents accessibly from the start to avoid working backward.

Scanned PDFs are accessible since text is highlightable.

Photocopied PDFs are difficult to work with as they lack all features required for accessible documents. Scanned photocopies are image files converted into PDF format. Fixing these files requires significant time, training and labor and should be avoided if possible.

Accessible documents have to look plain.

Not necessarily. Documents can take many shapes and forms, provided you follow document accessibility best practices, choose accessible colors and strike a balance between visual appearance and accessibility.

Updated: August 06, 2026