Accessible documents, presentations, and PDFs enable all users to read and navigate information easily. Screen reader technologies rely on properly structured documents to correctly relay information to users. Features of accessible documents, presentations, and PDFs include clear headings, readable fonts, and alternative text for images. Accessible content also benefits neurodiverse individuals by providing a well-structured and easy to follow format.

Accessible Documents Best Practices

Microsoft Word Best Practices

• Choose readable sans-serif fonts like Arial or Calibri.  
• Use a minimum font size of 12pt for body text. 
• Use paragraph breaks (Press “Return” or “Enter”) instead of line breaks (Press “Shift” + “Enter”).
• Apply the 7 Pillars
• Use inline, not floating, images and tables.
• Run the accessibility checker in Word regularly to resolve any identified issues. 

Microsoft PowerPoint Best Practices

• Choose readable sans-serif fonts like Arial or Calibri. 
• Use a minimum font size of 24-30 pt for presentation slides (30 for headings). 
• Avoid selecting a blank slide and adding text boxes to it. Instead, select the “New Slide” option from the Home tab and choose an appropriate slide layout from the menu (e.g., Section Header, Two Content slide).
• To confirm that objects (images, text boxes, icons) on your slides will be read in the correct order by a screen reader, use the Accessibility Checker to check "reading order”. Don’t use the auto advancing of slides feature. 
• Apply the 7 Pillars
• Run the accessibility checker in PowerPoint regularly to resolve any identified issues. 

PDF Best Practices

• Do not scan paper documents to PDF, as this produces an inaccessible PDF.
• Do not use "Print to PDF": it erases the tagging, making the PDF inaccessible.
• Follow the How-Tos for Documents and PDFs (below)

How-Tos for Accessible Documents

1. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel:
   1. Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities (Microsoft) (read)
   2. Making Microsoft documents accessible (watch)
   3. Make slides easier to read by using the Reading Order pane (Microsoft) (read) 
   4. Create slides with an accessible reading order (Microsoft) (watch) 

   5. Making Microsoft Excel accessible (read)

2. UVA Canvas Pages/Assignments/Quizzes:  
   1. UVA Canvas, How do I use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor? (Canvas Instructure) 

How-Tos for Accessible PDFs

1. How do I know if a PDF is accessible?
   1. Locate the PDF file in your old Canvas course. Run a UDOIT scan in Canvas to check accessibility.
   2. General quick tests: If you can’t highlight and copy text from the PDF, it isn’t accessible.
   3. If you are an Adobe PRO user, follow Adobe’s Guidance.
2. Does it need to be a PDF? Use an alternate format. PDFs are often inaccessible. Word, Powerpoint, Canvas Pages, and web versions are more accessible.
   1. Use the original non-PDF format instead (e.g. Word or PPTX file).
   2. If you are creating a Form, use Qualtrics or Microsoft Forms instead of PDFs (contact UVA HelpDesk). PollEverywhere might also work (email [email protected]).
   3. Locate an accessible online HTML version of the article/chapter in a Library database. In Canvas simply provide students with the library's permalink to the online article. (Use the Ask a Librarian Chat Box or contact your subject area Library Liaison)
   4. Remember: don’t import the inaccessible PDF file into new Canvas courses.
   5. Try this Decision Tree to determine the best approach for each of your PDFs.
3. If it needs to be a PDF, try fixing/converting/creating the PDF through one of the following:
   1. From Microsoft 365 applications, use 'Save as PDF'. Avoid 'Print to PDF' settings as they will remove your tags and accessibility formatting.
   2. Convert a PDF Document to a Canvas Page in UDOIT, selecting 'Auto-tagged PDF' as the output format. Convert your document from a PDF to an accessible Word document or a tagged PDF using SensusAccess in Canvas. Afterwards, manually add Alt Text to images if needed. 
      1. What is the SensusAccess tool?
      2. How do I convert a document using SensusAccess?
   3. Large batch requests: submit a request to our VHEAP state-contracted vendors (incurs a fee so check with your department):
      1. Continual Engine
      2. Allyant
4. If you’re using UVA Library resources, UVA Library Access Services will provide PDF remediation support for course-related Instructional Scanning requests of materials owned by the UVA Library. Instructional materials outside the UVA Library’s collections are not supported by this service. This service will be available beginning September 15, 2025. 
   1. Deadlines for submission of a "PDF remediation request" match the Textbook Deadlines cycle. (Nov 15 for Spring course materials; May 1 for Summer/Fall course materials). 
   2. For further guidance on how to submit the chapter/article scan/PDF request through Virgo, please review the tutorial to place a “Scan Request for UVA Material”. 
   3. If you have older scans provided from the library’s collection, please submit the “PDF Remediation Request” form through your Virgo account. 
   4. Contact [email protected] with questions.

Specialized How-To's 

• Using PowerPoint templates:  Use an accessible presentation template  
• Using Tables:  
  • Microsoft: Create Accessible Tables in Word (watch) 
  • Canvas: How do I insert a table using the Rich Content Editor? (watch) 
• Math Notation:  
  • LaTeX user caution: LaTeX is primarily used to create print documents but does not easily translate into PDFs that are digitally accessible (LaTeX is not yet fully accessible. Additional guidance). 

Remember: Check the Accessibility of Course Content 

Streamline & Check the Accessibility of Existing Content 

Where can I get support or further training? 

Faculty Learning and Support Opportunities 

For faculty designing or managing website content, please review Web Accessibility Tutorials  

References 

W3C. (2024). How to Meet WCAG-Quick Reference.