{"id":140,"date":"2026-01-28T12:58:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T17:58:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/?page_id=140"},"modified":"2026-02-26T11:34:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T16:34:58","slug":"files","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Accessible Document Files"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><style>\r\nli.checklist {\r\n  list-style: none;\r\n  padding: 0px 25px 25px 40px; \/* Adjust padding for spacing *\/\r\n  background-image: url(/digital-accessibility/wp-json/wp/v2/pages/140/"http:////www.ramapo.edu/digital-accessibility/wp-content/uploads/sites/404/2026/02/square-check-box-40x40-1.png/");\r\n  background-repeat: no-repeat;\r\n  background-position: left top;\r\n  background-size: 25px 25px; \/* Adjust size as needed *\/\r\n  font-size: 1.3em!important;\r\n}\r\n\r\n<\/style><\/p>\n<p>Browse common document types listed below and select the one you need help with to view resources, including quick start guides, courses, and tutorials.<\/p>\n<h2>Documents<\/h2>\n<div id=\"pdf\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>PDFs<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<p>Many accessibility experts recommend avoiding PDFs unless absolutely necessary. Unlike web pages, PDFs are often designed for print and do not &#8220;reflow&#8221; or adapt to different screen sizes.<\/p>\n<h3>Better Alternatives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>HTML\/Web Pages.<\/strong> Highly accessible, responsive across devices, and preferred by most organizations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accessible Word\/Google Docs.<\/strong> Easier to create and navigate with assistive technology than a flat PDF.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Web-Based Forms.<\/strong> Using Microsoft Forms or Google Forms provides a much smoother experience than fillable PDF forms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>EPUB.<\/strong> The best format for long-form reading, as it allows users to customize fonts and sizing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>PDF Quick Start Guide (If You Must Use a PDF)<\/h3>\n<p>To be accessible, PDFs require a hidden &#8220;tag&#8221; layer that tells assistive technologies (like screen readers) how to navigate the content logically.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Start with Source.<\/strong> Use accessible styles in Word or InDesign before exporting.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Export, Don\u2019t Print.<\/strong> Use &#8220;Save As PDF&#8221; or &#8220;Export&#8221; to preserve tags. &#8220;Print to PDF&#8221; strips them away.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Add Metadata.<\/strong> Set a clear document title and primary language in the file properties.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Alt Text.<\/strong>\u00a0Provide descriptive alternative text for all informative images.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Test It.<\/strong> Use the Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker or a screen reader to verify the reading order.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>PDF Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Adobe Acrobat<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/experienceleague.adobe.com\/en\/docs\/document-cloud-learn\/acrobat-learning\/accessibility-tutorials\/accessibility-overview\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Accessibility Series Overview<\/a><br \/>\nLearn all about how to make accessible PDF files. Tutorials in the series range from the basics of tagging to working with forms.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/experienceleague.adobe.com\/en\/courses\/acr-pdf-accessibility-essentials?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PDF Accessibility Essentials<\/a><br \/>\nThis is the Accessibility series in course format on Experience League. In this course, learn how to create, check, and remediate PDFs for accessibility using Acrobat Pro, Premium, and Studio.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helpx.adobe.com\/acrobat\/using\/create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Create and verify PDF accessibility in Acrobat Pro<\/a><br \/>\nCheck and fix accessibility issues.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helpx.adobe.com\/indesign\/using\/creating-accessible-pdfs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Workflow from Adobe InDesign to Acrobat<\/a><br \/>\nInDesign offers a direct and simple workflow that dramatically reduces the time and effort required to produce accessible PDF documents from an InDesign layout. Most of the tasks are executed within InDesign, with only a few final steps required in Adobe Acrobat. This allows hierarchical and structural information to reside in the InDesign file, making updates faster and easier when you need to generate a revised accessible PDF document.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.section508.gov\/create\/pdfs\/training-videos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Test and Remediate PDFs for Accessibility Using Adobe Acrobat DC<\/a> (GSA)<br \/>\nU.S. General Services Administration. Section508.gov website. The Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED CoP) created this series of videos to explain and demonstrate the minimum steps needed to ensure your PDF is Section 508 conformant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div id=\"MSWord\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Microsoft Word<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<h3>Microsoft Word Quick Start Guide<\/h3>\n<p>Build accessibility into the document from the start rather than correcting issues later.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use built-in heading styles (Heading 1, 2, 3).<\/strong> Do not manually format text to look like headings. Follow proper heading order.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Add alt text to images.<\/strong> Provide brief, meaningful descriptions. Mark decorative images as decorative.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use built-in list tools.<\/strong> Do not manually type bullets or numbers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ensure sufficient color contrast.<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/brand\/web-digital\/\">Use approved, high-contrast colors<\/a> and never rely on color alone to convey meaning. For example, if a field is required, use an asterisk instead of signaling the requirement by color alone (such as red): <span style=\"color: #800000;\">Required*<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Create accessible tables.<\/strong> Use tables for data only, include a header row, and avoid merged cells when possible.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use descriptive link text.<\/strong> Avoid \u201cclick here\u201d or pasting full URLs. Use text that clearly explains the destination or action, such as \u201cApply for Scholarships.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Set the correct document language<\/strong> (Review \u2192 Language).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Run the Accessibility Checker<\/strong> (Review \u2192 Check Accessibility) before sharing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>Microsoft Word Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-word-documents-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-d9bf3683-87ac-47ea-b91a-78dcacb3c66d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities<\/a> (Microsoft)<br \/>\nThis topic gives you step-by-step instructions and best practices on how to make your Word documents accessible and unlock your content to everyone, including people with disabilities. Includes how to work with the Accessibility Checker to tackle accessibility issues, how to add alt texts to images, how to use fonts, colors, and styles to maximize the inclusiveness of your Word documents before sharing them with others.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/training\/modules\/create-accessible-content\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Create accessible content<\/a> (Microsoft)<br \/>\nThis module explores benefits and principles of creating accessible content for diverse audiences and situations. Learn best practices to create accessible content in Microsoft 365. And learn how to check for accessibility issues and address them using the Accessibility Checker.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.section508.gov\/create\/documents\/training-videos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Make an Accessible Document in Microsoft Word<\/a> (GSA)<br \/>\nU.S. General Services Administration. Section508.gov website. The Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED CoP) created this series of videos to explain and demonstrate the minimum steps needed to ensure your Microsoft Word document is Section 508 conformant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div id=\"googledoc\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Google Docs<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<h3>Google Docs Quick Start Guide<\/h3>\n<p>Use built-in formatting tools rather than manual styling to ensure compatibility with assistive technology.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use built-in heading styles.<\/strong> (Format \u2192 Paragraph styles \u2192 Heading 1, 2, 3).<br \/>\nDo not manually bold or resize text to create headings. Follow proper heading order.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Add alt text to images. <\/strong>Right-click the image \u2192 Alt text \u2192 Provide a brief, meaningful description. Mark decorative images appropriately.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use built-in list tools. <\/strong>Use the bullet or numbered list buttons. Do not manually type dashes or numbers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ensure sufficient color contrast. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/brand\/web-digital\/\">Use our approved high-contrast text and background colors<\/a>. Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning. For example, if a field is required, use an asterisk instead of signaling the requirement by color alone (such as red): <span style=\"color: #800000;\">Required*<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Create accessible tables. <\/strong>Use tables for data only. Keep structure simple and avoid merged cells when possible.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use descriptive link text. <\/strong>Avoid \u201cclick here\u201d or pasting full URLs. Use text that clearly explains the destination or action, such as \u201cApply for Scholarships.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Write clearly and use short paragraphs. <\/strong>Use plain language and formatting tools to improve readability.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check accessibility before sharing. <\/strong>Use Extensions \u2192 Accessibility tools (if enabled) and review document structure manually. Alternative: Download the document as a .docx file (File &gt; Download &gt; Microsoft Word (.docx)) and use the Microsoft Office accessibility checker.<\/li>\n<li><strong>When exporting to PDF,<\/strong> ensure headings and structure are preserved.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>Google Docs Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/accessibility\/answer\/6199477?hl=en&amp;ref_topic=15146050\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make your document, presentation, sheets &amp; videos more accessible<\/a> (Google)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Presentation Slides<\/h2>\n<div id=\"PowerPoint\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>PowerPoint<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<h3>PowerPoint Quick Start Guide<\/h3>\n<p>Design slides with accessibility in mind from the start, using built-in tools rather than manual formatting.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use built-in slide layouts. <\/strong>Always choose a standard slide layout (Home \u2192 Layout). Do not manually add text boxes to create structure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use proper reading order. <\/strong>Ensure slide content follows a logical reading order (Review \u2192 Check Accessibility \u2192 Reading Order Pane).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Add alt text to images, charts, and graphics. <\/strong>Right-click object \u2192 Edit Alt Text \u2192 Provide a concise description. Mark decorative images as decorative.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use sufficient color contrast. <\/strong>Ensure strong contrast between text and background. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/brand\/web-digital\/\">Use our approved high-contrast text and background colors<\/a>. Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning. For example, in a &#8220;Project Status&#8221; slide, don&#8217;t just use a red circle for &#8220;Delayed&#8221; and a green circle for &#8220;On Track.&#8221; Add icons (like an &#8220;X&#8221; or a &#8220;Checkmark&#8221;) or text labels inside the shapes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Limit text and write clearly. <\/strong>Use plain language and short bullet points. Avoid dense paragraphs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use built-in list tools. <\/strong>Do not manually type dashes or symbols for bullets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make hyperlinks descriptive. <\/strong>Avoid \u201cclick here\u201d or pasting full URLs. Use text that clearly explains the destination or action, such as \u201cApply for Scholarships.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ensure videos include captions. <\/strong>All <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/videos\/\">spoken content must have accurate captions<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid flashing or rapid animations. <\/strong>Minimize motion and avoid content that flashes more than three times per second.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Run the Accessibility Checker. <\/strong>Review \u2192 Check Accessibility before sharing or presenting.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>PowerPoint Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-powerpoint-presentations-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-6f7772b2-2f33-4bd2-8ca7-dae3b2b3ef25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities<\/a> (Microsoft)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/learn.microsoft.com\/en-us\/training\/modules\/create-accessible-content\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Create accessible content<\/a> (Microsoft)<br \/>\nThis module explores benefits and principles of creating accessible content for diverse audiences and situations. Learn best practices to create accessible content in Microsoft 365. And learn how to check for accessibility issues and address them using the Accessibility Checker.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.section508.gov\/create\/documents\/training-videos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Author and Test Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations for Accessibility<\/a> (GSA)<br \/>\nU.S. General Services Administration. Section508.gov website. The Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED CoP) created this series of videos to explain and demonstrate the minimum steps needed to ensure your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is Section 508 conformant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div id=\"GoogleSlides\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Google Slides<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<h3>Google Slides Quick Start Guide<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use built-in slide layouts. <\/strong>Avoid manually adding text boxes for structure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Maintain logical reading order. <\/strong>Arrange content in the correct visual order (top-to-bottom, left-to-right).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Add alt text to images and graphics. <\/strong>Right-click \u2192 Alt text \u2192 Provide a brief, meaningful description.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use sufficient color contrast. <\/strong>Ensure strong contrast between text and background. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/brand\/web-digital\/\">Use our approved high-contrast text and background colors<\/a>. Do not rely on color alone to convey meaning. For example, in a &#8220;Project Status&#8221; slide, don&#8217;t just use a red circle for &#8220;Delayed&#8221; and a green circle for &#8220;On Track.&#8221; Add icons (like an &#8220;X&#8221; or a &#8220;Checkmark&#8221;) or text labels inside the shapes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep slides simple and readable. <\/strong>Use plain language and short bullet points.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use descriptive link text.<\/strong> Avoid \u201cclick here\u201d or pasting full URLs. Use text that clearly explains the destination or action, such as \u201cApply for Scholarships.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Provide <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/videos\/?recordedvideo=open\">captions<\/a> for embedded videos.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Test with keyboard navigation. <\/strong>Ensure users can move through slides and content without a mouse.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>Google Slides Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/accessibility\/answer\/9109474?hl=en&amp;ref_topic=15146050\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Present slides with captions<\/a> (Google)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/accessibility\/answer\/6199477?hl=en&amp;ref_topic=15146050\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make your document, presentation, sheets &amp; videos more accessible<\/a> (Google)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Spreadsheets<\/h2>\n<div id=\"Excel\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Microsoft Excel<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<h3>Microsoft Excel Quick Start Guide<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use clear column and row headers. <\/strong>Structure data in a simple grid with one header row.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Convert data ranges into Tables.<\/strong> (Insert \u2192 Table). This improves navigation and structure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Avoid merged cells when possible.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Add alt text to charts and images.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Use sufficient color contrast. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/brand\/web-digital\/\">Use our approved high-contrast text and background colors<\/a>. Do not rely only on color to communicate status. For example, a column where the status is clearly written out, or a symbol is used in combination with the color. <span style=\"color: #008000;\">Done \u2713<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Label sheet tabs clearly.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Run the Accessibility Checker.<\/strong> (Review \u2192 Check Accessibility).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>Microsoft Excel Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/accessibility-best-practices-with-excel-spreadsheets-6cc05fc5-1314-48b5-8eb3-683e49b3e593#picktab=windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Accessibility best practices with Excel spreadsheets<\/a> (Microsoft)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.section508.gov\/create\/spreadsheets\/training-videos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Make an Accessible Spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel<\/a>\u00a0(GSA)<br \/>\nU.S. General Services Administration. Section508.gov website. The Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice (AED CoP) created this series of videos to explain and demonstrate the minimum steps needed to ensure your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet is Section 508 conformant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div id=\"Sheets\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>Google Sheets<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<h3>Google Sheets Quick Start Guide<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use a clear header row. <\/strong>Freeze the header row (View \u2192 Freeze) for easier navigation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep table structure simple. <\/strong>Avoid merged cells and blank rows within data.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Add alt text to charts and images.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Use high-contrast colors. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/brand\/web-digital\/\">Use our approved high-contrast text and background colors<\/a>. Do not rely only on color to communicate status. For example, a column where the status is clearly written out, or a symbol is used in combination with the color. <span style=\"color: #008000;\">Done \u2713<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Name sheets clearly and logically.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Ensure logical reading order.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>Google Sheets Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/accessibility\/answer\/6199477\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make your document, presentation, sheets &amp; videos more accessible<\/a> (Google)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Charts<\/h2>\n<div id=\"Visio\" class=\"collapsableContent\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"collapsableTitle\"><span class=\"fa-stack\"><i class=\"fa fa-circle fa-stack-2x\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-down fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><i class=\"fa fa-chevron-up fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i><\/span>MS Visio<\/div><div class=\"c_content\">\n<h3>Microsoft Visio Quick Start Guide<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Use built-in templates and shapes.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Add alt text to shapes and diagrams. <\/strong>Right-click shape \u2192 Format Shape \u2192 Alt Text.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Provide clear, descriptive titles.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Group related objects logically.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Ensure sufficient color contrast.<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/brand\/web-digital\/\">Use our approved high-contrast text and background colors<\/a>.\u00a0 Do not rely solely on color to convey meaning\u2014use labels or patterns. For example, differentiate elements by shape (e.g., diamonds vs. rectangles) rather than just by color.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Simplify complex diagrams where possible.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Run the Accessibility Checker before exporting.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Export as a tagged PDF if sharing externally.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h3>Microsoft Visio Courses &amp; Tutorials<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-visio-diagram-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-e2c847a9-f010-4fef-af65-16e252829d44\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make your Visio diagram accessible to people with disabilities<\/a> (Microsoft)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/office\/make-your-visio-diagram-accessible-to-people-with-disabilities-e2c847a9-f010-4fef-af65-16e252829d44\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make a diagram accessible in Visio for the web<\/a> (Microsoft)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><em>Note: Some training materials reference federal Section 508 standards (mandating WCAG 2.0 AA) as a best-practice reference for digital accessibility.  However, state and local agencies have a separate legal mandate to satisfy WCAG 2.1 AA requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"divider\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/rcnjrd\/images\/icons\/ramapo-arch-icom_rule.png\" alt=\"Ramapo\" \/><\/div>\n<h2>Courses &amp; Workshops<\/h2>\n<div class=\"row colSet\">\n\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-6\">\n\n<div class=\"infoBox col-sm-12 col-lg-12  whiteBox\"><div class=\"boxTitle\" style=\"padding: 5%;\">Self-Paced Training<\/div><div class=\"boxContent\" style=\"padding: 5%;\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/self-paced-training\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-385\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/404\/2026\/02\/icon-self-paced-training-300x287.png\" alt=\"icon self paced training\" width=\"83\" height=\"80\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/404\/2026\/02\/icon-self-paced-training-300x287.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/404\/2026\/02\/icon-self-paced-training.png 622w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 83px) 100vw, 83px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"sColumn col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-6\">\n\n<div class=\"infoBox col-sm-12 col-lg-12  whiteBox\"><div class=\"boxTitle\" style=\"padding: 5%;\">Live Training<\/div><div class=\"boxContent\" style=\"padding: 5%;\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/live-training\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-384\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/404\/2026\/02\/icon-live-training-300x240.png\" alt=\"icon live training\" width=\"100\" height=\"80\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/404\/2026\/02\/icon-live-training-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/404\/2026\/02\/icon-live-training.png 751w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Browse common document types listed below and select the one you need help with to view resources, including quick start guides, courses, and tutorials. Documents &nbsp; Presentation Slides &nbsp; Spreadsheets [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1011,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-140","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.5 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Creating Accessible Document Files - Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Creating Accessible Document Files\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Browse common document types listed below and select the one you need help with to view resources, including quick start guides, courses, and tutorials. Documents &nbsp; Presentation Slides &nbsp; Spreadsheets [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-26T16:34:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/\",\"name\":\"Creating Accessible Document Files - Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-28T17:58:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-26T16:34:58+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Ramapo College of New Jersey Home Page \u00bb Digital Accessibility\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Creating Accessible Document Files\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/\",\"name\":\"Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Creating Accessible Document Files - Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Creating Accessible Document Files","og_description":"Browse common document types listed below and select the one you need help with to view resources, including quick start guides, courses, and tutorials. Documents &nbsp; Presentation Slides &nbsp; Spreadsheets [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/","og_site_name":"Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College","article_modified_time":"2026-02-26T16:34:58+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/","name":"Creating Accessible Document Files - Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-01-28T17:58:15+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-26T16:34:58+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/files\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Ramapo College of New Jersey Home Page \u00bb Digital Accessibility","item":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Creating Accessible Document Files"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/","name":"Digital Accessibility at Ramapo College","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1011"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140"}],"version-history":[{"count":58,"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":900,"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions\/900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ramapo.edu\/digital-accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}