Microsoft 365
Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook checklists with styles, alt text, tables, and export guidance.
What this page helps you do
- Create documents, slides, emails, and media that work with screen readers, magnifiers, captions, and keyboard navigation.
- Pick the right checklist and pattern for Word, Google, PDFs, newsletters, and video.
- Decide when you can remediate content yourself and when to request guided or full-service help.
Executive summary
- Use semantic structure, alt text, and contrast in authoring tools before exporting.
- Caption or describe every required media asset; accuracy must reach ≥ 99% for instructional content.
- Retain accessible source files for future updates and Title II audits.
- Apply official UA templates and Quickstart color tokens so branding stays accessible.
If you only do one thing: turn on the Accessibility Checker in Word or PowerPoint and fix the top issues before you export or upload.
Quick wins (5–10 minutes)
- Word or PowerPoint: Run the Accessibility Checker, add missing alt text, fix hard-to-read contrast, and mark heading levels before exporting to PDF.
- Google Docs or Slides: Apply headings from the Styles menu, check link text for meaning, and avoid using color alone for emphasis.
- PDFs you must post today: If you only have time for one pass, set a logical reading order and tags for headings and lists using Acrobat.
- Videos: Turn on machine captions in Panopto or Zoom and scan for obvious errors in names, technical terms, and numbers.
Minimum, better, best for documents & media
- Minimum: New documents and media avoid obvious barriers (no image-only PDFs for required content, captions on required videos, headings instead of manual spacing, readable color contrast).
- Better: Teams use the checklists in this hub, remediate high-traffic and student-facing content, and keep accessible source files for anything published as PDF.
- Best: Colleges and units standardize on accessible templates, bake accessibility checks into content workflows and editorial calendars, and log remediation decisions for Title II reviews.
Guides by format
Google Workspace
Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail tips including alt text, heading shortcuts, and accessible exports.
PDF & Adobe
Acrobat tagging workflows, InDesign exports, Premiere captions, Firefly prompts.
Media & Streaming
Captioning decision tree for Panopto, Zoom, YouTube, and social video plus audio description cues.
Email & Newsletters
Use bulletproof buttons, alt text, and descriptive subjects for campus-wide communications.
Shared overview
Applies to every format: structure, alt text, contrast, descriptive links, accessible exports.
Documents overviewUA branding & Quickstart
Keep the Block A logo, typography, and palettes accessible across Word, Slides, and graphics.
External playbooks
Compare UA standards with national references.
- WebAIM resources for documents, media, and evaluation.
- Deque University for remediation labs and code samples.
Quick checklists
Select a checklist to export as markdown or PDF.
Before & after examples
Syllabus
See how heading styles, descriptive links, and accommodation statements improve readability.
View syllabus exampleSlide deck
Compare manual text boxes vs. template-based slides with proper reading order.
View slide deck exampleNewsletter
Accessible HTML email with bulletproof buttons and alt text.
View newsletter exampleDocument remediation services
When timelines are tight or files are especially complex, Arizona offers three levels of support. Use the consultation form to start the process—well help you pick the right option.
Self-service (preferred)
Teams remediate their own files using UA templates, Microsoft Accessibility Checker, and Acrobat tagging tools. Ideal for recurring syllabi, newsletters, and reports.
- Follow the Documents overview and relevant checklists.
- Use PDF remediation steps for tagging, reading order, and form fields.
- Attach checker reports (DOCX/PPTX/PDF) when submitting to Trellis, D2L, or public sites.
Guided remediation
We pair with you through office hours or working sessions to fix issues together. Best for first-time authors or teams transferring ownership of legacy content.
- Book a session via the Accessibility consultation form.
- We review 1–3 representative files, provide annotated feedback, and share reusable snippets.
- Includes optional screen-reader spot checks (JAWS/NVDA for Windows, VoiceOver for macOS).
Full-service remediation
For high-volume legacy PDFs or executive deliverables, we coordinate with UCATT Multimedia and approved vendors. Requires lead time and funding.
- Submit source files plus PDFs, due date, and audience details.
- We estimate effort, route through procurement if vendors are required, and share status updates.
- Final delivery includes tagged PDFs, accessibility checker reports, and remediation summary.
Need to triage fast? Email accessibility@arizona.edu with “Document remediation” in the subject and attach the files along with context (public vs. internal, deadline, contact).
Support & escalation
- Digital Accessibility consultation – review complex templates or high-profile documents.
- UCATT Multimedia – caption procurement, Adobe training.
- Microsoft Disability Answer Desk – product-specific help (chat/phone).
- Google Workspace Support – admin cases for Docs/Slides issues.