Google Docs Accessibility

Adapted from MTU.edu

Creating Accessible Google Documents

Google Docs currently lacks accessibility features in some areas and might not be suitable for some content. Tables, links, and the export features within Google Docs at this time cannot be made accessible to WCAG standards. Determine if you can create canvas pages with the content instead.

Document Headings

Headings are generally created using Styles. In Google Docs, heading styles are accessed from the menu of tools.

Sighted users often create headings by using bold or large fonts, which creates the visual appearance of headings, but it does not structure the document with heading tags. Users with no vision or low vision use assistive technologies, like screen readers, that rely on those heading tabs in the background and have no way of understanding these visual cues.

Headings should follow the correct hierarchy without skipping any heading levels. The main title or description of the document should be Heading 1; documents should have only one Heading 1 at the start of the document. Major headings after the title should be Heading 2 level. It should indicate main sections of the document - similar to chapter titles in a book. Heading 3 elements can be used for sub-sections contained within a Heading 2 section. Continue with this hierarchical heading structure, nesting each heading in order (Heading 2,3,4,5, etc.). Never skip heading levels. A Heading 3 element should be the only heading that follows a Heading 2 element. Heading levels are typically limited by the styles offered in the document.

To add Headings in Google Docs:

Select the text that you want to assign as a heading.
Choose the appropriate Heading style from the Styles menu located to the left of the font styles menu.

Headings menu on the main Google Docs ribbon. The menu is selected and additional heading style options are visible below.

Descriptive Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks should consist of links placed on top of a readable and unique description of where the link will go. When full hyperlink addresses are used instead of descriptive text, users who rely on screen readers or text-to-speech software must listen as the hyperlink is read out one character at a time. It is very confusing to follow. Also, screen readers can view a list of links separately from their placement in the text, so clear language choices help identify where the link will go without the surrounding context.

As an example, instead of using the hyperlink https://www.mtu.edu/admissions, use more descriptive display text like Michigan Tech Undergraduate Admissions page. Both hyperlinks will take the reader to the same web page, but the more descriptive link provides better context for all users.

To add a descriptive hyperlink in Google Docs:

Enter the natural language link text into your Google (Doc)ument (i.e., Michigan Tech Undergraduate Admissions).
Select the link text, right-click and chooseLink.
Confirm the descriptive text in theText field(i.e., Michigan Tech homepage).
Enter the full hyperlink in theLink field(i.e., https://www.mtu.edu/).

Link tool dialog in Google Docs, where users can enter the descriptive text for a hyperlink.

Avoid Generic Link Display Text

Screen reader users often rely on links to browse all content in a document. To avoid confusion, don’t use generic link display text such as "click here" or "more info." When multiple links use the same link display text, a screen reader user has no way of differentiating between them or their place on the page. By describing the link destination in the display text, the user will know where the link will take them if they select it.

Alternative Text (Alt text) on Images

Users with no vision or low vision obtain information provided from images by listening to text-based descriptions called alternative text or alt-text. All images that contain important information should include alt-text. The alt-text should be as concise as possible (up to 150 characters) and describe the content and function of the image. Guidance on what makes effective alt-text varies, but one helpful approach is to imagine describing the image to someone on the phone.

To add alternative text in Google Docs:

Select the image, right-click and select the Alt-text option.
Enter descriptive text in the Description box, not the Title box.

The alt-text box, where users can enter image information in the description box.

Tables

Tables should be used to present information and not as a method of controlling the layout and alignment of information in your document. Column and/or row headers are required to provide the table structure necessary for screen reader users to properly access the table information. Google Docs does not currently provide options to make tables accessible without the use of an external tool. We will use Grackle Docs for this later. A properly structured table allows users to navigate through using only the tab button on the keyboard. Avoid the use of split cells and merged cells in tables. These can create accessibility problems for screen reader users.

To create a table in Google Docs:

From theInserttab in the Google Docs ribbon, select the Table feature.
Select the desired row and column configuration for your table.

Insert tab showing table configuration tool placing a custom tables in Google Docs.

Lists

Lists must have the proper structure to be interpreted correctly by assistive technologies. Visually styled lists with indented rows with dashes and numbers are not accessible. Create lists with the tools available in the main ribbon of Google Docs. Use the numbered list tool when order or sequence is important or the bulleted list tool for unordered lists.

To create a list:

Click the bulleted or numbered list button from the main ribbon tab in Google Docs.
Enter your list items.
Click the list button at the end to close the list tool.

Multiple Columns

Using the tab key or the spacebar to create the visual appearance of multiple text columns can create problems for screen readers accessing the text in the proper reading order. They may jump across columns reading text left-to-right instead of reading down an entire column before moving to the next column. To avoid this problem make sure to use the Columns formatting tool in Google Docs.

To create multiple columns:

Select all the text that needs multiple column formatting.
Click the Format menu.
Select the Columns option and choose the desired column configuration.
Additional column and alignment options are available from More Options.

Columns settings in the Format tab, where users can select multiple column styles to display their text.

Google Doc Resources

Making your Google docs accessible
Using Grackle Docs (Links to an external site.) (browser extension accessibility checker for google docs)

Because Google Docs require students to leave the Canvas learning environment, it's recommended that you embed the content directly on a Canvas page when feasible.