Accessible Word (implementation guide)

Headings are created using style sheets.

What is meant by this?

When creating headings, style sheets should be used instead of manually emphasising them with bold print or underlining. This creates a clear structure in the document that enables screen readers and speech output devices, for example, to interpret the document better and reproduce the content correctly.

Styles are predefined formatting that can be applied to text or paragraphs. These templates contain preset formatting properties. By using style sheets, headings can be easily and quickly formatted in a standardised way, which ensures a clear appearance of the document. In addition, the use of style sheets makes it easier to navigate through the document, as headings can be automatically listed in the table of contents.

Why is it important?

If headings are formatted manually in Word, assistive programs such as screen readers or speech output cannot recognise them as such, which can affect the approval of the document for blind and visually impaired recipients. In addition, manual formatting can lead to inconsistency in the document, which interrupts the flow of reading and makes orientation within the document more difficult.

When creating documents, it is therefore important to ensure that headings are marked with style sheets to ensure uniform presentation and improved accessibility.

How can I implement/check it?

To create headings with style sheets, you should proceed accordingly:

1. Select the text that you want to format as a heading.
2. Go to the "Start" tab.
3. Search for the "Styles" section.
4. Select a suitable style, e.g. "Heading 1", "Heading 2", "Title", etc.
5. Click on the selected style sheet to format the text accordingly.
6. If none of the existing style sheets meet your requirements, you can create your own style sheet.
7. To do this, click on the down arrow next to "Styles" on your Windows computer and, if you are using a Mac, on the "New style" field under "Style area".
8. Select "New style sheet".
9. Enter a name for the new style and specify the desired formatting options.

There are different procedures for checking headings on Mac and Windows operating systems:

For Mac:

1. Open the Word document you want to check.
2. Find the heading in the document that you want to check and click on it.
3. Click on the "Styles" area. In a new window, under "Current style", you can see which style has been selected for the heading as it is outlined in blue. The "Standard" style should not be selected for headings.

For Windows:

1. Open the document in which the heading to be checked is located.
2. Click on the heading that you want to check. This selects the text of the heading.
3. Go to the menu bar and click on the "Start" tab.
4. Click on the "Format templates" button or on the arrow pointing downwards.
5. A menu opens with various format templates, e.g. "Title", "Heading 1", "Heading 2" etc.
6. Check which style sheet was used for your heading. This is displayed by a grey frame around the text.
7. Make sure that a suitable style sheet is selected for your heading and that the default style sheet is not used.
8. If necessary, you can change the style sheet for the heading by clicking on another style sheet.
9. Then check whether the formatting of the heading meets your requirements.