Accessible Word (implementation guide)

It is advisable to choose a sans serif font that is neither too thick nor too thin to ensure optimum legibility. The main focus here is on recognising and distinguishing individual letters and words.

Serifs are small decorations or lines that are attached to the ends of the letters. Sans serif fonts have clear and smooth lines and appear more modern and simple than fonts with serifs.

It is important that the stroke width of fonts is between 10% and 20% of the centre length to ensure sufficient contrast. Fonts without serifs, where the difference between the thickness of the lines of the letters is small, are best suited and correspond to the "Normal" or "Regular" weights. Fine and bold font weights and fonts with high line weight contrast should be avoided, especially when formatting the entire text.

Sans serif fonts are easier to decipher, especially for people who have difficulty following the reading flow or recognising and reading the text. This is because fonts with serifs (e.g. New Times Roman) can cause letters to blur into one another or be more difficult to read for some people, as the serifs vary the letter shapes more. In addition, fonts that are too thin or too thick can affect legibility, especially for staff, people with impaired vision.

In order to select fonts that are suitable for recipients with visual impairments, the recognisability, distinctiveness and openness of the characters as well as a low line width contrast should be taken into account. Different font classifications and design principles can influence these factors. The following fonts are therefore recommended: Arial, Calibri Regular, Helvetica, Lucida Sans Regular, Verdana Regular, Noto Sans Regular, Open Sans Regular, Source Sans Pro Regular and Fira Sans Regular.