Welcome to the Accessibility Resources Space! We're glad you're here. This space is designed to support faculty and staff in creating more inclusive and accessible material and environments. Here you'll find a wide range of resources, tools, and guidance to help you make your content more usable for all. Whether you're just beginning your accessibility journey or looking to deepen your practice, this space is here to empower you with practical strategies and support.
When creating a PDF from a Word document or PowerPoint file, you should always Save As and choose PDF as the type, rather than Printing to PDF. Printing to PDF removes all accessibility features, whereas Saving As a PDF will retain all of the tagging, heading structure, and other elements needed for an accessible PDF!
Accessibility Checklists
The resources in this section are meant to help you as you use the software and programs that are part of your everyday work at Penn State.
Tables are for data — not decoration. And when you format them correctly, everyone wins (including screen reader users!). Here’s how to keep your tables accessibility–friendly:
1. Give Tables a Clear Purpose Use tables for actual data — not for layout. If it’s not showing relationships between rows and columns, it’s not table material.
2. Add Proper Header Cells Mark column (and row, when needed) headers properly by using the built-in “Header Row” option in Word and Google docs. Screen readers rely on this to announce context like: “Final Exam Score, 92” Instead of just: “92.”
3. Keep It Simple Avoid:
Merged or split cells
Blank cells (blanks can be indicated with “N/A” or “--"
Nested tables
Complex layouts can confuse assistive technology and make navigation harder.
4. Provide a Table Summary (When Needed) If the table is complex, include a short sentence before it explaining what it shows. This helps all users understand what they’re about to explore.
5. Don’t Rely on Color Alone If you’re highlighting trends or categories, use text labels — not just color — to communicate meaning.
Quick Rule of Thumb: If someone listening (not looking) can understand your table clearly, you’re on the right track.
Did you know that screen readers rely on your document’s language setting to pronounce words correctly? If the language isn’t set (or is set incorrectly), assistive technology may mispronounce content or struggle to interpret it accurately.
Why it matters:
Setting the correct language ensures:
Accurate screen reader pronunciation
Better comprehension for multilingual users
Improved accessibility compliance
How to do it (quick steps):
Microsoft Word: Review → Language → Choose your language → OK
Google Docs: File → Language → Select your language
Image courtesy of Firefly and ChatGPT, then cleaned up in Photoshop
Before saving a Word or PowerPoint file, take a moment to fill in the Title field under File → Info → Enter Title in Right Column (PC) or File → Properties → Summary (Mac).
Why? Screen readers announce the document title first — not the file name.
Without a title, users may hear something like: “Final_v3_revised2.docx.”
With a proper title, they’ll hear something meaningful, like: “2026 Employee Benefits Overview.”
It only takes a few seconds, but it makes a big difference. A small step like this helps ensure your documents are clear, welcoming, and accessible to everyone!
Before sharing a PDF, ask: does this really need to be a PDF? Word documents, PowerPoint slides, and Canvas pages are usually more accessible and easier to update. Even better, when you share files in these formats, students can use Canvas tools to choose the format that works best for them—like responsive views for mobile or tablet, or audio versions to listen on the go!
When a PDF is required, make sure it’s accessible: searchable text, proper tagging, and no scanned images of text. The more flexible the format, the more students can focus on learning—not fighting the file.
Staring at an image and not sure how to describe it for someone who can’t see it? AI can be a great starting point. Tools like Copilot and ChatGPT can quickly generate draft alt text if you paste in the image or describe what it shows. This can be especially helpful for charts, diagrams, or complex visuals—AI is good at turning visual details into plain language so you’re not starting from a blank box.
That said, AI doesn’t know your teaching goals—or what context the image is situated in. Always review and revise AI-generated alt text before posting it. Ask yourself: Does this description support what I want students to learn? Does it avoid unnecessary detail and focus on what’s instructionally important? Think of AI as a co-author: it can draft, but you’re the editor. A quick human check ensures your alt text is accurate, meaningful, and genuinely accessible.
One-sentence check: If I read this aloud to a student who can’t see the image, would it give them the same understanding I expect from everyone else?
