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How to Create, Test and Remediate Documents for
Section 508 Conformance Using MS Word
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Table of Contents
Background ..................................................................................................................................... 4
How to Read This Document .......................................................................................................... 4
AED COP Word Document Checklist ............................................................................................ 5
General ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Headings ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Lists ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Columns ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Layout Tables.............................................................................................................................. 5
Language ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Links ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Headers, Footers, and Watermarks ............................................................................................. 6
Data Tables ................................................................................................................................. 6
Images and Other Objects ........................................................................................................... 6
Text Boxes .................................................................................................................................. 6
Colors and Sensory Characteristics ............................................................................................ 6
Color Contrast ............................................................................................................................. 7
Audio, Video, and Synchronized Media ..................................................................................... 7
Forms .......................................................................................................................................... 7
Flashing Objects.......................................................................................................................... 7
Alternative Accessible Version ................................................................................................... 7
Notes ........................................................................................................................................... 7
Formatting for Word Documents .................................................................................................... 8
Document Formatting ................................................................................................................. 8
Text Formatting ........................................................................................................................ 10
Heading Styles ...................................................................................................................... 10
Lists ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Columnar Content ................................................................................................................. 12
Layout Tables........................................................................................................................ 13
Languages ............................................................................................................................. 14
Descriptive Links .................................................................................................................. 15
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Object Formatting ..................................................................................................................... 16
Headers, Footers, and Watermarks ....................................................................................... 16
Data Tables ........................................................................................................................... 17
Alternative Text .................................................................................................................... 19
Inline Objects ........................................................................................................................ 20
Color Formatting ....................................................................................................................... 21
Visual Cues and Color Coding ............................................................................................. 21
Color Contrast ....................................................................................................................... 22
Miscellaneous ........................................................................................................................... 23
Transcripts, Text Descriptions, and Synchronized Captions ................................................ 23
Forms .................................................................................................................................... 23
Flashing Objects.................................................................................................................... 23
Index of Tables ............................................................................................................................. 24
Index of Figures ............................................................................................................................ 24
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Background
The purpose of this document is to assist individuals in creating, testing, and remediating MS
Word Documents, for Section 508 conformance. The guidance provided is based on the Section
508 Baseline Test Guide for Word Documents, and the Section 508 Word Document Checklist
authored by the Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED COP). For more
information on the AED COP, to download the latest AED COP guidance, and to gain access to
a detailed test process, visit the Federal Section 508 website.
How to Read This Document
This document is comprised of two sections:
1. The AED COP Word Document Checklist.
2. Instructions on how to remediate Word documents for Section 508 compliance.
For more information on how to remediate Emails or to request training, please contact your
agency Section 508 Coordinator or email [email protected].
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AED COP Word Document Checklist
When creating an accessible Word Document, the following conditions must be considered.
The response to each criterion should be Yes or Not Applicable to be considered accessible. If
No is selected, the issue must be resolved to be considered accessible.
For ease of use, Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker is located on Microsoft’s main menu under
File > Info > Check for Issues > Check Accessibility.
Note: Due to the human-centric nature of accessibility and Section 508 conformance, content
creators must ensure individuals with disabilities are able to request additional formats and
corrections that may not be detected using automated tools, i.e., improper use of color coding.
General
Yes
No
NA
The file type is Word document (.docx) format.
The filename identifies the document or its purpose.
Headings
Yes
No
NA
Headings in the “Navigation” pane mirror the headings in the
document.
Headings in the “Navigation” pane match the document’s visual
outline.
Lists
Yes
No
NA
The “List” option is visible under “Bullets and Numbering.”
Columns
Yes
No
NA
“COLUMNS:” shows under “Section” in columnar text options.
Layout Tables
Yes
No
NA
Layout tables’ tab order match the visual layout.
“Text Wrapping” is set to “None” in Table Properties.
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Language
Yes
No
NA
Languages are correctly formatted in the document.
Links
Yes
No
NA
Link names describe destination, purpose, or context.
Links have unique names.
Headers, Footers, and Watermarks
Yes
No
NA
Vital information in headers, footers, and watermarks is also shown in
the content.
Data Tables
Yes
No
NA
Tables are not pictures.
Tables are free of merged or split cells.
Tables repeat their header row.
Table Properties > “Text Wrapping” is set to “None.”
Images and Other Objects
Yes
No
NA
Images/objects have Alt Text or are described in context.
Decorative images use spaces between quotes as Alt Text (“ “).
Accessibility Checker does not report “Objects not inline for
meaningful images.”
Text Boxes
Yes
No
NA
Text boxes do not have any “Objects not in-line” warnings.
Colors and Sensory Characteristics
Yes
No
NA
Meaning of color or other sensory characteristics is duplicated in text.
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Color Contrast
Yes
No
NA
Text and Large Text (including images of text) pass the Colour
Contrast Analyzer.
Audio, Video, and Synchronized Media
Yes
No
NA
Audio-only content has an accurate and complete transcript.
Video-only content has an accurate and complete description.
Synchronized media has accurate and complete synchronized captions.
Synchronized media has accurate and complete synchronized audio
descriptions.
Forms
Yes
No
NA
Fillable form fields are excluded from the document.
Flashing Objects
Yes
No
NA
Flashing objects are excluded from the document.
Alternative Accessible Version
Yes
No
NA
Alternate versions are equivalent and up to date.
Notes
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Formatting for Word Documents
This section details best practices to follow in addition to the checklist to ensure accessibility.
Document Formatting
The file must be in .docx format, unprotected, and have a descriptive filename.
Example of non-descriptive filename: Document1.docx
Example of a descriptive filename: USDA Section 508 Reference Manual.docx
If the filename extension is not displayed, open your documents folder in Windows Explorer,
select “View” and enable the checkmark for “File name extensions.”
Figure 1: "Save As" Options Window.
To determine whether the file is protected, select the Review tab > Restrict Editing and check
if the Stop Protection button appears at the bottom of the Restrict Editing pane. If the Restrict
Editing pane shows options 1, 2, and 3, then restricted editing is successfully turned off.
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Figure 2: Restrict Editing pane options and protected enabled views.
Note: Document protections limit the ability to test for accessibility and can make part or all the
document inaccessible.
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Text Formatting
Heading Styles
The MS Word heading styles should be used throughout the document where applicable and in
the correct hierarchy. To determine if heading styles were used, open the Navigation pane (Ctrl
+ F) and select the Headings tab. All heading styles used in the document will be listed in
chronological order.
Figure 3: Matching headings displayed in Navigation Pane and document.
Figure 4: Styles Pane and options window with Heading 1 Style selected
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Lists
Lists used to organize or structure content must be created using the built-in features found in the
Bullets and Numbering pane on the Home tab > Paragraph pane.
Figure 5: Paragraph tab displaying options for bulleted, numbered, and multilevel lists.
To ensure the appropriate hierarchy is used in a list, place your cursor on a list and open the
Reveal Formatting pane.
Figure 6: List option displayed under Bullets and Numbering.
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Columnar Content
Any content that visually appears to be formatted in columns (like newspaper articles), open the
Reveal Formatting pane (Shift + F1), and select the arrow sign to expand “Section.” Under the
Columns option, ensure the correct number of columns is listed.
Figure 7: Number of columns displayed under Section > Columns
Navigate to the Layout tab > Page Setup > Columns when creating columns in your document.
Select the content to be formatted, then Columns, and the number of columns.
Figure 8: Columns menu set to Two Columns option.
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Layout Tables
Layout tables arrange content on the page.
Instruction 1: Place your cursor on the first cell of your layout table. Use the Tab Key to
navigate through the table. If the tab order does not match the visual layout, the document fails
this test.
Instruction 2: “Right Click” (Shift + F10) inside a layout table and select Table Properties >
Text Wrapping. “None” should be selected, else the document fails this test.
Figure 9: Table Properties Table tab displaying Text Wrapping set to "None."
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Languages
Note: Documents that only use one language do not need to be tested.
If the document contains words/phrases in a language other than the predominant language, place
your cursor on the text and open the Reveal Formatting pane (Shift + F1) > Language and
ensure the correct language is applied.
Figure 10: Korean language displayed under Font > Language formatting option.
To set a different language, select Set Proofing Language in the same pane, and select the
appropriate language from the list.
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Descriptive Links
Links must have meaningful names that describe their destination, function, and/or purpose OR
the name must be easily determinable within context.
Example of a uniquely named link: https://www.section508.gov/
Example of a link whose name is determinable within context: Get My Section 508 Questions
Answered
Example of an unclear link name without context: click here
To edit the name of a link, right click the link and select Hyperlink. In the “Text to display”
field, ensure the appropriate name is entered. Additionally, in the “Address” field, ensure the
appropriate URL is displayed. Select OK.
Figure 11: Insert Hyperlink configuration window.
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Object Formatting
Headers, Footers, and Watermarks
Assistive technology does not automatically read information in headers, footers, and
watermarks.
Vital information found in headers, footers, and watermarks must be duplicated within the body
of the document near the beginning (e.g., Respond by X date, Confidential, or Do Not
Distribute).
Figure 12: Example of vital information in a header repeated in the body of the document.
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Data Tables
Data tables must be created using the built-in table feature and cannot be an image. To determine
if a table is an image, select the table and check if the Picture Tools tab appears in the Ribbon. If
the Table Tools tab appears instead, the document passes this test.
Additionally, data tables cannot contain merged/split cells. Select the table and navigate to the
Table Tools tab. Under the Layout tab, select Table Group > View Gridlines button and
search for table cells that are merged or split.
Figure 13: Complex table with merged and split cells.
Next, header rows must be identified and repeated across page breaks. Select any cell in the
header row, open the Reveal Formatting pane (Shift + F1), and look under Table. If the header
row is not set, the option to repeat the header across page breaks will not be available. Identify
the header row and make sure the “Repeat as header row” option is checked.
Figure 14: Table properties with Repeat Header Row setting selected.
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Lastly, under Table Properties > Table tab > Text Wrapping, ensure the “Text Wrapping”
option is set to None.
Figure 15: Table Properties window with Text wrapping set to "None."
Note: Complex data tables that require multiple header rows, a header column, and/or
merged/split cells require the document to be converted into an accessible format (i.e., an PDF
document remediated for accessibility). Complex data tables cannot be made accessible in
MS Word.
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Alternative Text
Meaningful images, objects, and shapes are required to have descriptive text detailing all vital
information. This can be achieved either by using alt text, captions, or by describing the image in
the surrounding text.
To enter/edit alt text for an image/object/shape:
1) Right click (Shift + F10) the image and select Format Picture/Object/Shape.
2) Navigate to the Layout & Properties icon and select “Alt Text”
3) In the Description field, enter the descriptive text.
4) If the image is meant to be decorative, enter at least two blank spaces between quotation
marks in the Description field.
Figure 16: Format Picture -- Alt Text Options
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Inline Objects
Images, objects, and text boxes must be configured to be “inline with text.” To determine if any
images throw an “object not inline” warning, run the Accessibility Checker by following these
steps:
1) On the File tab, under Info, select Check for Issues > Check Accessibility
2) If any “object not inline” warnings appear, continue to the next step.
3) Select the image, object, or text box.
4) Select Picture/Object/Shape Tools > Format > Position > In Line with Text.
Figure 17: Format tab Position menu option with "in line with text" selected.
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Color Formatting
Visual Cues and Color Coding
The use of color cannot be the sole method to convey significance or meaning. To provide
comparable access to people who are blind/colorblind or have low vision, a combination of
visual and non-visual characteristics should be used.
Example: The following layout tables describe the progress for three projects using colors to
symbolize the current project status. The first table fully relies on color, while the second uses a
combination of color and text to convey meaning:
Table 1: Improper Use of Color
Project Status
Project A
Project B
Project C
Table 2: Proper Use of Color
Project Status
Project A On Time
Project B At Risk
Project C Late
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Color Contrast
Note: Documents where the text/background are black/white do not need to perform this test.
This test requires the use of the Colour Contrast Analyzer (an external application).
Execute the Colour Contrast Analyzer and select “Download.” Open the application, drag the
foreground eyedropper icon over a sample of text, and drag the background eyedropper icon over
a sample of the background. The required color contrast ratio for standard text is 4.5:1, and 3:1
for large text. Incidental text, text overlaid on images, and logotypes are excluded from this
requirement.
Figure 18: Example of passing results with the Colour Contrast Analyzer.
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Table 3: Examples of good and insufficient color contrast ratios.
Good Color Contrast Insufficient Color Contrast
White text on black
background
ratio 21:0:1
Dark gray text on black
background
ratio 3.0:1
Dark green text on yellow
background
ratio 7.6:1
Orange text on yellow
background
ratio: 2.1:1
Light blue text on dark blue
background
ratio: 10.5:1
Red text on dark blue
background
ratio: 1.1:1
white text on red background
ratio: 6.5:1
Dark green text on red
background
ratio: 1.3:1
Miscellaneous
Transcripts, Text Descriptions, and Synchronized Captions
Documents that contain audio, video, or multimedia files must have accurate and complete
alternate methods of interpreting the information.
Multimedia files require a text transcript, audio files require text descriptions, and video files
require synchronized captions and/or audio descriptions.
Forms
Interactive form fields created from built-in form features are used to collect data, however they
cannot be made accessible. Ensure that the document is free of all MS Word form fields. This
does not include blank table fields/spaces that users fill in with text.
Flashing Objects
Flashing objects can cause seizures and should never be used. Ensure the document is free of all
flashing objects.
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Index of Tables
Table 1: Improper Use of Color .................................................................................................... 21
Table 2: Proper Use of Color ........................................................................................................ 21
Table 3: Examples of good and insufficient color contrast ratios. ............................................... 23
Index of Figures
Figure 1: "Save As" Options Window. ........................................................................................... 8
Figure 2: Restrict Editing pane options and protected enabled views. ........................................... 9
Figure 3: Matching headings displayed in Navigation Pane and document. ................................ 10
Figure 4: Styles Pane and options window with Heading 1 Style selected .................................. 10
Figure 5: Paragraph tab displaying options for bulleted, numbered, and multilevel lists. ........... 11
Figure 6: List option displayed under Bullets and Numbering. .................................................... 11
Figure 7: Number of columns displayed under Section > Columns ............................................. 12
Figure 8: Columns menu set to Two Columns option. ................................................................. 12
Figure 9: Table Properties Table tab displaying Text Wrapping set to "None." .......................... 13
Figure 10: Korean language displayed under Font > Language formatting option. ..................... 14
Figure 11: Insert Hyperlink configuration window. ..................................................................... 15
Figure 12: Example of vital information in a header repeated in the body of the document. ...... 16
Figure 13: Complex table with merged and split cells. ................................................................ 17
Figure 14: Table properties with Repeat Header Row setting selected. ....................................... 17
Figure 15: Table Properties window with Text wrapping set to "None." ..................................... 18
Figure 16: Format Picture -- Alt Text Options ............................................................................. 19
Figure 17: Format tab Position menu option with "in line with text" selected. ............................ 20
Figure 18: Example of passing results with the Colour Contrast Analyzer. ................................. 22
