Questions and answers about Accessible documents

Here are list of questions and answers from participants of the 'Accessibility - creating accessible content using Microsoft Office 365' course.

Question: How long can an email title be?

Answer: According to Microsoft technical support website, the subject length is 256 characters. The extra characters will be cut off. Best practice would be that the subject be as short and as meaningful as possible.

Question: How can we add a link to bookmark in an email 'out of office' (such as 'English follows French')?

Answer: This feature was tested and is presently not available in Outlook 2016 for out of office.

Question: Where can we find information on how to make accessible Excel document?

Answer:

• Make your Excel documents accessible to people with disabilities from Microsoft
• Best Practices for Excel
• Accessibility Best Practices for PowerPoint
• Accessible practices for Microsoft Excel 2016 document creation

Question: Where can I find information on how to make accessible videos?

Answer:

• Making Audio and Video Media Accessible from Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
• Captions, Transcripts, and Audio Descriptions from WebAIM (Web accessibility in mind)
• Checklist for Creating Accessible Videos from Bureau of Internal Accessibility
• Described Video Guide from Accessible Media Inc.

Question: What colors are acceptable that would ensure we meet the minimal color contrast ratio?

Answer:

• Many combinations are accepted, however, the minimum contrast ratio must be met between the background color and the foreground (text) color.
• Based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) the contrast ratio needs to be at least 4.5 to 1 for regular text and the background; and the contrast ratio needs to be at least 3 to 1 for text bigger than 18 points or 14points bold.
• To validate the contrast use the 'Color Contrast Analyser' (CCA). Get a copy of CCA by placing a ticket with the National ServiceDesk (no approval required)

Question: Can we write the real email address, with the @ sign (for example firstname.lastname@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca ); or can we write a descriptive hyperlink name instead?

Answer: Both methods are accepted. The best practice would be to have the first and last name of the person for the email descriptive hyperlink.

Question: What does the acronym TTY (found in some signature block) means?

Answer: It is the acronym for Teletypewriter which is an old phone system that displays typed messages over a phone line; this is used by individuals that are deaf or hard of hearing.

Question: Can we leave the alternative description (alt-text) empty for a 'decorative' image?

Answer: In Office 365, you must write 'decorative' because if you leave the alt-text empty a blind person (using a screen reader) will hear 'blank'.

Question: Can we change a Table of Contents (ToC) so it shows only heading styles for level 1 and level 2?

Answer: Yes. ToC are automatically generated using the built-in styles that are in used in your document. To modify the appearance of the ToC:

• Select 'References' ribbon
• Select 'Table of Contents'; and
• Select 'Custom Table of Contents…'

Question: What does it mean when the Accessibility checker gives the error 'Unable to run the accessibility checker'?

Answer: It means that your document is in 'Compatibility mode' (an older version) the accessibility checker is unable to run. You must perform a Save as to update to the current version.

Question: Where do we add '(elle - she/her/ hers)' gender pronouns in the signature block of our email?

Answer: the gender pronouns should be in line two of the signature block, as per the Standard on Email Management (extract below).

• Line one: The sender's name, which may include a rank or a designation when the rank or designation is a requirement for the continuation of the performance of the duties of the employee's position.
• Line two (OPTIONAL): The sender's personal gender pronouns in brackets in both official languages. These are the pronouns that the sender wishes to use when being spoken about.
• Line three: No content (empty line).

Question: We work collaboratively on documents using track changes and comments, what considerations do we need to be aware when sharing these documents?

Answer: Always advise the readers ahead of time that your document contains tracking and comments. If a screen user is aware and knows how, , the document becomes usable. Track changes in Word with JAWS (Office365)

Question: Can header and/or footer be made to appear in pure black color instead of grey?

Answer: No since this is a built in feature from Microsoft and it cannot be changed.

Question: How long can an alternative text (alt-text) be?

Answer: There is no characters limit. However, we suggest no longer than 2-3 sentences. When you need longer, it becomes a 'Long Description' and should be included in the document as plain text (usually below the complex image). Note that if your document contains many non-graphics an index of those images may be beneficial.

Question: When do we need to have a Table of contents (TOC) in a Word document?

Answer: As best practice, it is recommended to have a TOC when the document is long (more than six pages) and complex.

Question: When is an image considered complex?

Answer: Complex images contain substantial information - more than can be conveyed in a short phrase or sentence. These are typically:

• graphs and charts, including flow charts and organizational charts;
• diagrams and illustrations where the page text relies on the user being able to understand the image; and
• maps showing locations or other information such as weather systems.

In these cases, a two-part text alternative is required. The first part is the short description (alt-text) to identify the image and, where appropriate, indicate the location of the long description. The second part is the long description - a textual representation of the essential information conveyed by the image, usually located just below the image. Source: Web Accessibility Initiative provides good on Complex Images Tutorials.

Question: Where can we locate the keyboard shortcut for Microsoft Office 365?

Answer: Here are the links to download or view online:

• Word 2016 for Windows keyboard shortcuts
• PowerPoint 2016 for Windows keyboard shortcuts
• Excel 2016 for Windows keyboard shortcuts
• Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook

Question: Can a long description for a complex image be in 'Speaker Notes' in PowerPoint?

Answer: Yes. However, you must add a note at the beginning of the presentation that warns the reader about this information.

Question: Should a header row have a bigger font size than the rest of the text in the table?

Answer: It may be beneficial, however, there is no rule that enforces it.

Question: Are all tables considered non-text and require alternative text?

Answer: Yes, because all tables have lines drawn as a result, Microsoft considers them non-text objects and they always require an alternative text (alt-txt).

Question: What font size is recommended for signature block in email?

Answer: The recommendation is minimal font size 10 points with Sans Serif fonts (such as Arial, Vardana, Calibri). As best practice, we suggest it be the same font and size as the email content.

Question: Can we use Contrast Checker from WebAIM to validate colour ratio?

Answer: Yes, however this tool requires that you know the Hexadecimal value of the colors to validate. Instead, we suggest that you use the Colour Contrast Analyser. Issue a ticket with the National Service Desk to obtain a copy (no approval required).

Question: When sharing documents with someone who does not have a disability, do we have to consider accessibility?

Answer: Yes. Some individuals will never speak about their disabilities because they are afraid it may cause them prejudice. Integrating accessibility in the designing of your documents ensure equal access to all.

Question: What is the recommendation about using clip art purely 'decorative' in documents?

Answer: As a best practice, we recommend limiting the amount of decorative images; you should ensure that any images does not appear behind text (overlap) and that you should avoid images of text has those create accessibility barrier.

Question: Can we add alternative text to images in emails or in the email signature block?

Answer: Yes in the content of the email. No in the signature block. It is not recommended to add images in the signature block, you should follow the Federal Identity Program for details. Steps to add alt-text to an image in your email are:

• Select the image
• Activate the Context menu, or right-click on the image
• Select Format Picture
• Select Layout and Properties (third icon)
• Select Description field or press alt-D
• Type a short description (one or two sentences)
• Note: Avoid the words 'Image of', 'picture of' in the alternative description.

Question: Is there any Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign) training available?

Answer: There is no formal InDesign training available in the department, you will have to check with Private Sector. Our team gives training on Accessibility of PDF. First, you have to access SABA, then search for Course ID: '0000119088'.

Question: How do I get an accessible slide with Title and Content Placeholder instead of adding 'text boxes'?

You have to apply a template layout in PowerPoint to get accessible text on each slides. The steps are:

1. Place your cursor on the slide to 'fix' from the slide Preview (left panel)
2. Right-click on the miniature slide
3. Select Layout
4. Select the 'correct slide type' (title, or, title and content...)
5. Type text in 'Placeholder' to ensure it is accessible.