Tricky Non-Text Problems

MS Word Tricky Content

MS Word features several ways to create content that is problematic to describe.

Text Boxes are to be avoided as much as possible. Text boxes are notorious for acting as "black holes" of information, and even when they do share their contents with assistive technologies, it is often out of sequence.

 

You can provide alternate text for some of the shapes available in MS Word, but you can't count on that alternate text actually being available.

Also, notice that Shapes are not available in MS Word Online, so you will need to have a locally installed version of MS Word to create shapes.

Most of the time the text you enter will show up as your alternate description, along with a brief label for the type of shape you're using.

 

SmartArt can be a problem for accessibility, as there is a chance that not all of the text you enter will be reliably communicated to assistive technologies. 

Text you create in SmartArt also might not be visible to assistive technologies, and if it is visible, it might be presented out of sequence.

As if that wasn't challenging enough, each SmartArt object has its own potential for inaccessibility, depending on how complicated it is. This is compounded when you save out to other formats like PDF.

The only constant with SmartArt is that you should present a textual description in the primary narrative that effectively presents the same information being communicated by the SmartArt.

 

WordArt does have better alternate text support than some of the other tricky types of content, but WordArt also creates problems for people with other types of disabilities such as low vision and color blindness.

 

Unfortunately, support for Symbols and Emojis is inconsistent and it is recommended you do not use these elements in your MS Word Documents without ensuring the information is also conveyed through the primary text.

☺♥😢🤡👀

 

Finally, it is important to know that you can also get into trouble with sequencing or reading order when you deal with these elements. For best results make sure you are inserting them inline within your text. This might make life a little tricky, so bring some patience with you.