Accessible Word (implementation guide)

Only content that is actually a list/enumeration is output as a list/enumeration. These are created with list or enumeration formats.

What is meant by this?

List or enumeration formats in Word are special formatting options that can be used to create a list of items or points. There are two types of list formats in Word: unordered lists and ordered lists.

Unordered lists are lists in which the elements or items are marked with a symbol or a dot and the order plays a subordinate role. Ordered lists, on the other hand, are lists in which the elements or items are ordered numerically or alphabetically and the order is important.

In order to improve readability and comprehensibility, lists should be divided up sensibly. For example, advantages could be presented in one list and disadvantages in another. This structuring helps recipients to grasp and process the information more easily.

Overall, when using lists and enumerations, you should always ask yourself whether it is really necessary and sensible to use this formatting and whether it helps the recipient to understand the content.

Why is it important?

The use of manually generated bullets can lead to the list not being recognised as a coherent list and therefore being inaccessible. If a list is not read out correctly by voice output and screen readers, recipients may have difficulty recognising the number of items in the list or may not understand it completely or in context. As a result, important information may not be correctly recognised. With the support of list and enumeration formats for lists, screen reader users can perceive them as a list and interpret them coherently.

Structuring documents correctly is important for the General approval of the document. The use of lists or enumerations, if such a structure exists, facilitates navigation and improves the perception of the document. However, labelling text passages as lists or bulleted lists for visual distinction can lead to confusion and difficulties for screen reader and speech output users.

An example of a correct use of lists or enumerations would be a list of tasks that must be carried out in a specific order. An incorrect use of lists or enumerations, on the other hand, would be if a text passage is labelled as a list or enumeration for visual emphasis, although it is not a sequence or enumeration.

How can I implement/check it?

To ensure that enumerations in Word are accessible to screen reader and speech output users, Word's integrated list function should be used. Lists can be formatted via the "Home" tab and the "Numbering" item. It is also important to ensure that the formatting of the list is consistent and that the elements of the list are organised logically.

There are different procedures for checking list and enumeration formats on Mac and Windows operating systems:

For Mac:

1. Search the document for lists or enumerations that may already exist. These can be identified by numbering or bullet points.
2. Click on any list entry to ensure that you can edit the list.
3. Click on the "Start" tab at the top of the menu bar.
4. Look for the "Bullets" and "Numbering" buttons and click on them.
5. If one of the buttons has a dark background, this means that the list has already been created with the corresponding format.
6. Make sure that one of the two buttons is activated so that the accessibility criterion is met. If no option is activated, you can simply select the area in the document that you want to make into a list or enumeration.
7. Click on either the "Numbering" or "Bullets" button to format the list or enumeration.
8. Make sure that the order of the elements in the list is logical and easy to understand.
9. Check the list or enumeration to make sure it is complete and formatted correctly.
10. Repeat these steps for all other lists or enumerations in the document.

For Windows:

1. Search the document for areas that contain lists or enumerations. These can be identified by numbering or bullet points.
2. Select the area of a list or enumeration by selecting it with the mouse.
3. Click on the "Start" tab in the menu bar.
4. Check whether one of the "Numbering" or "Bullets" buttons is selected in the "Paragraph" area. If this is the case for one of the options, then the list or enumeration has been created with the correct format.
5. If none of the options are activated, select the area in the document from which you want to make a list or enumeration.
6. Then click on the "Numbering" or "Bullets" button to create the list or enumeration with the corresponding format.

To check the sensible use of lists, you can search for content in the document that is output as a list or enumeration. Check whether each of these areas actually represents a list or enumeration. Lists and bulleted lists should be used to present a group of similar or related items. If you think that the content is incorrectly displayed as a bulleted or numbered list, you can fix this by simply removing the bullets using the "Del" or "Backspace" key. Alternatively, it is also possible to click on the list function again.