Microsoft Word provides many tools that enable and support quick information retrieval, particularly in a well-designed syllabus. These include:

• Heading styles divide content into sections or chunks and create a navigable hierarchy.
• Numbered lists and bulleted lists organize content.
• Accessible tables present data in a predictable format.

If you are copying text from an existing version of your syllabus, make sure that you copy and paste as text only, without previous formatting. Then add the headings, list settings, links, colors, and other features described on this page with accessibility in mind.

Computers are not typewriters, so refrain from using the Return or Enter key to create gaps between headings and content. Instead, use the built-in Paragraph tool to customize the gaps above and below your headings and above and below paragraphs, lists, etc.

Headings are not just isolated lines of text that happen to be larger and bolder. Accessible headings have a style applied to them to merge “look” and “role.” Headings or headers also represent a sequence or hierarchy, with “Heading 1” being the topmost rung, followed by “Heading 2.” These are not just labels; one may not start with a Heading 3 style because they like the “look.”

If you must create lists, please ensure that you are using the correct option for the type of list.

Bulleted lists are for randomly located collections of items. 

• Red
• Green
• Purple

Numbered or ordered lists are for collections where order/sequence or importance is key.

1. Gather ingredients
2. Mix ingredients
3. Pour into baking dish
4. Place in oven to bake
5. Remove from oven
6. Serve and enjoy

Alt text gives a verbal description of an image to those using assistive technologies. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, individuals who are blind. Consider how you might describe an image to a colleague over the phone or when showing the photo was not practical. What might you say about it?

Tips for Writing Alternative Text

• Keep descriptions short and to the point. Include the most important details first, in case the full description is not read.
• If writing is in an image, include that text verbatim in the description.
• There is no need to write, “This is an image of…” or “This picture shows…”
• If an infographic is particularly dense, consider describing or interpreting the image in the body of the document's text.

For example, the UNLV Logo might have alternative text as simple as “UNLV” or “UNLV Logo”.

Note: Sometimes, software offers a checkbox to mark an image as “decorative.” Use this sparingly to “hide” decorative elements from assistive technologies. It is useful for letterhead, background textures, and divider lines that are not part of the narrative.

Links should be titled with a plain-English description of where the address leads. Right-click any link and edit the text to display something like “Purchase your textbook” instead of simply pasting a URL into a document or using a generic phrase like “Click here.”

Color and contrast are often overlooked but affect a substantial portion of the population who may not use assistive technology. Strong contrast between text and its background is important in the document's body and when infographics, highlights, and text boxes are present. Use a Color Contrast Checker to verify that the colors you want to use meet guidelines.

Note: There are often two sets of color contrast tests in accessibility checkers: Level AA and Level AAA. Level AA is sufficient for use at UNLV, but you can refer to Level AAA for even better visibility.

Tables present a major barrier to accessibility, often because they are used incorrectly. A table is an excellent way to present structured data or information but is not suitable for creating borders and text boxes, creating columns, or simply laying out a page.  Other layout tools exist for this type of content. If your desired layout relies on a number of blank cells or entire rows, you may find that a table is not the best method or should be split into multiple tables.

Tips for Creating Accessible Tables

• When a table is required, give your table a title or caption to introduce the contents, and ensure that the first row, which contains a label for each column, is marked as the “header row”.  
• Do not rely on using an image or screenshot of a table. Alt text is not necessarily the space to “explain” a table–it should prompt for the birds-eye view of the table’s content for and by the assistive technology-reliant user.

As you can see, tables are OK. However, the issue is how well your authoring tool, like Microsoft Word, supports features for accessibility. Microsoft Word, unfortunately, cannot do merged cells for accessibility.

• The delivery of your syllabus in PDF or Word document formats is not usually required for teaching a course using WebCampus. However, using its “Syllabus” tool, you can deliver the entire syllabus content in HTML without students needing to download any additional attachments or employ additional apps or software tools with their technology.
• While automated accessibility checkers are available, do not rely on them. They do not catch everything of concern, and the point of making documents accessible is to ensure that the assistive technology for which you are building can process any and all content. Correctly applying these structures is paramount, so human oversight is the last word.