Accessibility Checkers
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Summary
Accessibility Checkers are built-in tools designed to help you create inclusive course documents, presentations, charts and tables. They identify accessibility issues and offer real-time suggestions, ensuring your content aligns with accessibility standards and is accessible to all learners.
Impact
Accessibility checkers are a good front line defense in ensuring that your content is accessible.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do
- Use the built-in Accessibility Checkers in Pilot or in other programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
- Keep Accessibility Checkers running while creating your content.
- Make the changes suggested by the Accessibility Checker.
- Conduct a manual check for anything the Accessibility Checker may have missed.
Don’t
- Don’t use the Accessibility Checker as a replacement for manually checking your documents. Accessibility Checkers are a good starting point, but they have limitations.
- Don’t use underlined text for emphasis. This is something accessibility checkers often don’t catch.
- Don't create inaccurate or poor-quality Alt Text. Accessibility Checkers detect if Alt Text is present, but they do not evaluate whether it is meaningful.
- Consider the image below of a dog lying on the beach. An Accessibility Checker would consider the Alt Text requirement fulfilled if the Alt Text read, “IMG_94587361.jpeg” or “Dog wearing sunglasses relaxing on a sandy beach.”
How-To
Accessibility Checkers can be found in the toolbar in Pilot and under the Review tab in most Microsoft Office products. The links below provide detailed steps for accessing Accessibility Checkers.
Pilot
Excel
Powerpoint
- Accessibility Checkers: Microsoft PowerPoint (Video)
- Accessibility Checkers: Microsoft PowerPoint (PDF)
