Microsoft Office

Word 2016 for Mac Accessibility

Learning Technologies, Training & Audiovisual Outreach

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Microsoft Office: Word 2016 for Mac

Accessibility

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 5

Learning Objectives ................................................................................................................................................. 5

Tools ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6

AutoCorrect ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Comments ............................................................................................................................................................... 7

Spell Check .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Thesaurus ............................................................................................................................................................ 9

Templates ................................................................................................................................................................ 9

Creating Templates ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Opening Templates ........................................................................................................................................... 11

Controlling the Visual Appearance of your Document ......................................................................................... 12

Fonts .................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Font Color .......................................................................................................................................................... 12

Headings ............................................................................................................................................................ 12

Inserting Sound Files ............................................................................................................................................. 13

Using the Keyboard to Navigate the Ribbon ........................................................................................................ 14

Enable Full Keyboard Access ............................................................................................................................. 14

Navigate Using the Keyboard ........................................................................................................................... 15

Using Find & Replace ............................................................................................................................................ 16

Zoom ..................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Zoom Tool via the View Tab .............................................................................................................................. 17

Zoom Tool via the Status Bar ................................................................................................................................ 18

Best Practices ........................................................................................................................................................ 18

Page Layout ....................................................................................................................................................... 18

Alternative Text ................................................................................................................................................. 18

Font Size and Color Schemes ............................................................................................................................ 20

Navigation Pane ................................................................................................................................................ 20

Tables .................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Hyperlinks ............................................................................................................................................................. 21

Additional Help ..................................................................................................................................................... 22

Revised 10/4/2016 Page 5 of 22

Introduction

This document has been developed to provide you with information about accessibility and Microsoft Word

2016. In this document, you will learn about the tools available for accessibility. You will also learn how to

control the visual appearance of your document. Additionally, best practices and document structure are also

covered to help you when developing a document.

Learning Objectives

After completing the instructions in this booklet, you will be able to:

Understand the tools available in Word 2016

Apply keyboard shortcuts

Insert sound files

Enable and use the text-to-speech tool

Understand best practices when creating a document

Effectively structure the document

Use the accessibility checker

How to obtain additional assistance

Note: This document frequently refers to right-click. If your set-up does not include a mouse with two buttons,

Mac users can configure their single-button mouse to do a right-click by accessing the System Preferences >

Mouse settings and setting the right-button to secondary button. Right-click can also be enabled by holding

Control + click.

Figure 1 - Mouse Settings

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Tools

The following explains how various tools can be used effectively for accessibility with Microsoft Office Word 2016.

AutoCorrect

The AutoCorrect feature in Word 2016 is a list of words that are frequently misspelled and mistyped. This feature corrects these words when a person enters them into a document. The words can be added and deleted from the list. This is a great tool for accessibility. This tool can also be used for abbreviation expansion. For example, suppose that you frequently type Atlanta, Georgia, but would like to enter an abbreviation into AutoCorrect so that fewer keystrokes are required for entry. The following explains how to use the AutoCorrect tool for abbreviation expansion:

In the Menu Bar, click the Word tab (See Figure 2).

Click Preferences… (See Figure 2).

Figure 2 - Preferences

The Word Preferences window will open. Click AutoCorrect.

Figure 3 - AutoCorrect

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In the Replace box, enter an abbreviation for Atlanta, Georgia. For example, you could enter

xATL (the x stands for expand) (See Figure 4).

In the With field, enter Atlanta, Georgia (See Figure 4).

Click the Add button (See Figure 4).

Figure 4 - Autocorrect Options

Click Close to close the AutoCorrect window.

When xATL is typed into Word, the words Atlanta, Georgia, will appear on the screen

Comments

Comments are another tool that can be used for accessibility. The following instructions explain how to insert a comment:

1. Place your cursor in the document where the comment will be inserted.

2. Click the Review tab (See Figure 5).

3. Click New Comment (See Figure 5).

Figure 5 - New Comments

4. A comment box will appear. Enter your comment in the box.

Figure 6 - Enter a comment

5. When you have finished entering your comment, click outside the comment box to exit.

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6. To remove a comment, right-click comment box and then select Delete Comment.

Figure 7 - Delete Comment

Spell Check

The Spell Check feature in Word 2016 allows you to double-check the sheet for spelling errors. To start a spell check, follow the steps below:

1. Click the Review tab (See Figure 8).

2. Click Spelling & Grammar (See Figure 8).

Figure 8 - Spelling & Grammar

3. The Spell Check tool will start and provide you the option to accept or reject the suggestions

offered.

Figure 9 - The Spell Check Tool

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Thesaurus

The Thesaurus is a great tool to improve the vocabulary used within the document. To display the

thesaurus, follow the instructions listed below:

1. After selecting the word you wish to find a synonym for, click the Review tab (See Figure 10).

2. Click the Thesaurus button (See Figure 10).

Figure 10 - The Thesaurus Button

3. The Thesaurus panel will appear, showing other potential words that could be used in place of

the selected word.

Figure 11 - Thesaurus Panel

4. To replace the word, right-click the preferred word (See Figure 12).

5. Click Insert. Your synonym will replace the selected word (See Figure 12).

Figure 12 - Insert

Templates

The Template feature allows the user to have a document available that has been customized with items such as name, date, etc. The background color, font style, font color, text size, etc. can be customized for the user as well.

Note: Use Semantic Structure (or Styles) to create structure in Word, Open Office, HTML, etc.

Heading 1 for Section Heading; Heading 2 for all Sub-Section Headings, ect. Also, Strong (structural

equivalent of bold); Emphasis (structural equivalent of italics). Other Style types are available, as

needed. Table of Contents should be provided based on the Heading structure; Table of Figures, if

needed.

Note: Ensure Readability by dividing large blocks of text into smaller more manageable sections,

avoid complex sentences, and use sans-serif font at approximately 12 points.

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Note: Have Sufficient Color Contrast between foreground and background elements. Also, make

sure the background does not overpower text (e.g. PowerPoint, Web page, etc.)

Creating Templates

Open a blank word document.

Enter any necessary text in the document as desired.

Figure 13 - Entering text

Apply your desired settings to the document (e.g. background, text size).

Click the File tab (See Figure 14).

Click Save as Template (See Figure 14).

Figure 14 - Saving a Template

In the Save as field, enter the name for your template (See Figure 15).

Click Save (See Figure 15).

Figure 15 - Saving a Template

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Opening Templates

1. In the Menu Bar, click the File tab (See Figure 16).

2. Click New from Template (See Figure 16).

Figure 16 - New from Template

3. The Backstage View will appear and your created templates will be displayed first along with

premade templates offered from Microsoft Office.

4. Click your desired template (See Figure 17).

5. Click Create (See Figure 17).

Figure 17 - Created Templates

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Controlling the Visual Appearance of your Document

Word 2016 has a number of features available to control the visual appearance of your document.

Fonts

You can determine what font you want included within your document. The active font may be changed in the Font category under the Home tab.

Figure 18 - Font

The following fonts are considered easy to read: Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica. Fonts that are bold make the words appear larger. The Bold button is found on the Home tab in the Font category.

Figure 19 - Bold Button

Font Color

This tool gives you the ability to change the color of your text. You will find this tool on the Home tab in the Font category.

Figure 20 - Font Color

Note: Sufficient Color Contrast between foreground and background elements. Also, background

does not overpower text (e.g. PowerPoint, Web page, etc.).

Headings

When developing the document, be certain to use headings for each section (e.g. this booklet uses

headings for sections and sub-sections). This will help people with screen readers to quickly and easily

understand each section of the document without having to read the details in each section. Headings

can also be used to quickly navigate to sections within the document.

Note: Semantic Structure (or Styles) always use to create structure in Word, Open Office, HTML,

etc. Heading 1 for Document Title; Heading 2 for all Section Titles; Heading 3 for all Sub-section Titles.

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Also, Strong (structural equivalent of bold); Emphasis (structural equivalent of italics). Other Style types

are available, as needed. Table of Contents should be provided based on the Heading structure; Table

of Figures, if needed.

The Styles group on the Home tab is an effective way to structure a document. Consider using the

heading elements (e.g. Heading 1 and Heading 2) and the normal paragraph element.

Figure 21 - Headings

Inserting Sound Files

Inserting sound files can be very helpful for people who have difficulty reading and writing. The

following explains how to insert a pre-existing sound file into your word document:

Note: Multimedia a) Audio-only: provide Text Transcript; b) Video-only provide Video Description

(text description of key visual elements); c) Audio+Video provide Closed Captions, Text Transcript, and

Video Description.

Note: Combine Text Transcript and Video Description into one file.

1. In a finder window, navigate to the location containing the sound file you wish to insert.

2. Resize and adjust the window containing the Word 2016 document so you can see the file

containing the sound on your computer.

Figure 22 - Splitting Windows

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3. Left-click and drag the sound clip into the Word document.

Figure 23 - Drag Sound Clip to Word Document

4. Your audio file will be added to the document.

Using the Keyboard to Navigate the Ribbon

Some users may prefer using the keyboard as they work with Microsoft Word. Access Keys allow you to

control each button on the ribbon with the keyboard. The following instructions explain how to use

Access Keys.

Enable Full Keyboard Access

Before using your keyboard, ensure that Full Keyboard Access has been enabled on your Mac:

1. On the Menu Bar, click the Apple Menu. 2. Click System Preferences.

Figure 24 - System Preferences

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3. The System Preferences window opens. Click Keyboard.

Figure 25 - Keyboard

4. Click the Shortcuts tab (See Figure 26).

5. Under Full Keyboard Access, make sure All Controls is marked (See Figure 26).

Figure 26 - Full Keyboard Access

Navigate Using the Keyboard

The following instructions explain how to navigate the ribbon in Word 2016 using the keyboard:

1. Press the F6 key on your keyboard until you see a blue box appear around the Home tab.

Figure 27 - Home Tab

2. Use the arrow keys to select tabs across the ribbon. Press the Spacebar to select a tab.

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3. Once the tab has been selected, press the Tab key to move throughout the tools under the

selected tab.

Figure 28 - Tab through the Ribbon

Note: When first pressing the Tab key, the blue square will first appear to the right of the ribbon,

highlighting Share. Press the Tab key twice for it to appear on the tools.

4. You can continue to use the Tab Key to maneuver around the Ribbon, or press Shift + Tab to

move backwards.

5. When you reach a tool you wish to use, press the Spacebar.

Using Find & Replace

Once a document is typed, you may need to replace certain words and phrases. The following explains

how to utilize the Find & Replace feature in Word 2016.

1. In the upper-right corner of Word, click the Search box

Figure 29 - Click Search

2. Type the word or phrase that you wish to find and click the magnifying glass

Figure 30 - Click Magnifying Glass

3. In the window that appears, click Replace

Figure 31 - Click Replace

4. The Find and Replace panel appears. Enter the word or phrase that you wish to replace your

text with (See Figure 32).

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5. Click Replace All (See Figure 32).

Figure 32 - Home Tab

Zoom

The zoom tool magnifies the document on the screen, making text larger (or smaller). Note that using

the zoom tool will not change the appearance of the document when it is printed. The Zoom tool can

be found on the View tab in the Zoom grouping or on the right-side of the Status Bar at the bottom of

the document.

Zoom Tool via the View Tab

1. Click the View tab (See Figure 33).

2. In the Zoom grouping, click Zoom (See Figure 33).

Figure 33 - Zoom Tool via View Tab

3. The Zoom window will appear. In the Percent field, adjust the number relative to how much

you want to zoom in/out (See Figure 34).

4. Click the OK button (See Figure 34).

Figure 34 - Zoom Window

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Zoom Tool via the Status Bar

1. On the right-side of the Status Bar at the bottom of the document, click the minus button to

zoom your document out (See Figure 35).

2. You can also drag the slider to the left or right to zoom in or out (See Figure 35).

3. You may also zoom in on the document using the plus button (See Figure 35).

Figure 35 - Zoom Tool via Status Bar

Best Practices

The following should be considered when developing a document to make it accessible to everyone.

Page Layout

When developing a template, make certain that the document is not cluttered. To avoid a cluttered

document, allow for an adequate amount of white space between paragraphs, graphics, tables, etc.

Also, use bullets and numbers whenever possible to improve readability.

Note: Semantic Structure (or Styles) always use to create structure in Word, Open Office, HTML,

etc. Heading 1 for Document Title; Heading 2 for all Section Titles; Heading 3 for all Sub-section Titles.

Also, Strong (structural equivalent of bold); Emphasis (structural equivalent of italics). Other Style types

are available, as needed. Table of Contents should be provided based on the Heading structure; Table

of Figures, if needed.

Note: True Bulleted or Numbered Lists, True Columns, True Tables always created instead of

using spacebar or tab to create faux structure.

Note: Ensure Readability by dividing large blocks of text into smaller more manageable sections,

avoid complex sentences, use sans-serif font at approximately 12 points.

Alternative Text

Alternative Text helps people with screen readers understand the content of the pictures. Be certain to

use alternative text for your graphics so that those with visual impairments will be able to understand

the purpose of the graphic in the document.

Note: Text Equivalents (ALT Text) for every non-text element such as image, chart or graph. A

clear, concise description 100 characters or less that is provided via Format Picture. If ALT text alone is

insufficient, provide Long Description in surrounding text or as separate document. The following

explains how to add alternate text to a graphic in Word:

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1. Right-click the graphic in your document.

2. A context-sensitive menu will appear. Click Format Picture.

Figure 36 - Format Picture

3. The Format Picture pane will appear to the right side of the document window.

4. Click the Layout & Properties icon (See Figure 37).

5. Click Alt Text (See Figure 37).

6. A drop-down will appear. Complete the Title and Description fields (See Figure 37).

7. Close the Format Picture pane when done adding your Alternate Text (See Figure 37).

Figure 37 - Alt Text

Note: Use concise wording (e.g. about 100 characters), capitalize only the first letter, and avoid

punctuation, sentences, or special formatting (e.g. bold, italics) when adding Alternative Text.

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Font Size and Color Schemes

Remember the following when developing documents so that they will be easy to read:

Make all font sizes at least ten points.

Avoid using light or pale font colors with light backgrounds.

Limit the use of the following font variations: bold, italics, and capital letters.

Note: Ensure Readability by dividing large blocks of text into smaller more manageable sections,

avoid complex sentences, use sans-serif font at approximately 12 points.

Note: Avoid Color Coding color alone is not sole means of conveying important information.

Note: Sufficient Color Contrast between foreground and background elements. Also, background

does not overpower text (e.g. PowerPoint, Web page, etc.)

Navigation Pane

The following instructions explain how to display the Navigation Pane, which is a list of the headings

within the document.

1. Click the View tab (See Figure 38).

2. Click the checkbox next to Navigation Pane (See Figure 38).

3. The Navigation Pane will appear to the left side of your document (See Figure 38).

4. Click a heading under the Headings tab to jump to that section (See Figure 38).

Figure 38 - Navigation Pane

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Tables

The use of tables in documents help to make large amounts of data easy to understand for everyone.

The reader can make sense of the data when the tables include effective headings. If the table

stretches over several pages, it is important to include headings on each page.

Figure 39 - Table with Headings on Each Page

Hyperlinks

When inserting a hyperlink in a document, the hyperlink will be more effective if the user sees a

descriptive title for the URL.

For example, if you have a link to Kennesaw State University in your document, it would be more

effective to use Kennesaw State University instead of non-descriptive text such as, Click Here.

Note: Descriptive Hyperlinks must make sense out of context; avoid vague descriptions like Click

Here or Email Me. Avoid using the URL. Instead, hyperlink text should describe the destination: website

name, document name, or other resource.

To insert a Hyperlink into your document:

1. Select the text that you wish to add a hyperlink to.

2. Click the Insert tab (See Figure 40).

3. Click Links (See Figure 40).

Figure 40 - Hyperlink

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4. In the dropdown that appears, click Hyperlink.

Figure 41 - Click Hyperlink

5. In the Address field, type the URL for the webpage (See Figure 42).

6. Click the OK button (See Figure 42).

Figure 42 - Insert Hyperlink

Additional Help

For additional support, please contact the KSU Service Desk:

KSU Service Desk for Faculty & Staff

Phone: 470-578-6999

Email: service@kennesaw.edu

Website: http://uits.kennesaw.edu

KSU Student Helpdesk

Phone: 470-578-3555

Email: studenthelpdesk@kennesaw.edu

Website: http://uits.kennesaw.edu