{"id":2491,"date":"2023-02-09T19:51:28","date_gmt":"2023-02-10T00:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/?post_type=chapter&p=2491"},"modified":"2025-07-08T15:48:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T19:48:07","slug":"word-accessibility-checker","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/accessibilityhandbook\/chapter\/word-accessibility-checker\/","title":{"raw":"Accessibility Assistant","rendered":"Accessibility Assistant"},"content":{"raw":"Use Word's Accessibility Assistant, a built-in [pb_glossary id=\"1890\"]accessibility checker[\/pb_glossary] to check for common issues. Note, these tools may not catch all possible accessibility issues.\r\n\r\nNavigate to the Review<\/strong> tab and click\u00a0Check Accessibility.\r\n\"\"<\/strong>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Select Review<\/strong> tab<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Choose Check Accessibility <\/strong>button<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. \u00a0The Accessibility Assistant <\/strong>panel will open and show issues\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Select each issue to see it highlighted in the document<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. Select the arrow next to each warning to see further information<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nTo see real time accessibility status:\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. At the bottom of the Accessibility Assistant panel select the Settings <\/strong>button.<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. In the Settings window, check the Show accessibility status for the Accessibility Assistant in the Status Bar<\/strong>\u00a0checkbox.<\/li>\r\n \t
      3. Click Accessibility: Investigate <\/strong>in the status bar at the bottom of the window to open the Accessibility Assistant pane.\u00a0Accessibility: Good to go<\/strong> indicates no violations of the automated checker's rules.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nhttps:\/\/mediaspace.langara.ca\/media\/t\/0_2s3vbmcw\r\n\r\n\"\"In the Accessibility settings window, check Show accessibility status inline with the document<\/strong> to toggle on a real-time, inline accessibility checker. When content is added to Word that violates accessibility checker rules, a small human form icon will appear on the line of the offending content.\r\n

        Checker Results<\/h2>\r\nLike any automated tool, Word's Accessibility Assistant will not catch all accessibility issues. Here is a summary of what it does look for and how well it catches those issues:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
        Element checked<\/th>\r\nEffectiveness of check<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
        Hard-to-read text contrast<\/td>\r\nStrong<\/strong>\r\nEvaluates the contrast ratio between font and background and offers suggestions to ensure sufficient contrast.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
        Missing alt text<\/td>\r\nModerate<\/strong>\r\nFlags images that do not have alt text or where the alt text is the image file name.\r\nCannot identify if alt text is appropriate or meaningful.\r\nThe built-in image description generator is poor and should not be used.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
        Image or object not inline<\/td>\r\nStrong<\/strong>\r\nFlags images that are not inline. Offers shortcut to place object in line or mark image as decorative.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
        No headings in document<\/td>\r\nWeak<\/strong>\r\nFlags documents over 10 pages that have no headings, however almost all documents regardless of length benefit from headings. Tool does not consider proper heading hierarchy.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
        Missing table header<\/td>\r\nStrong\r\n<\/strong>Flags tables that do not have properly marked up table header cells.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
        Use of merged or split cells<\/td>\r\n Strong<\/strong>\r\nFlags tables that include merged or split cells.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

        Additional elements not automatically checked:<\/h2>\r\nThe Word Accessibility Assistant does not assess links<\/a>, font size and style<\/a>, proper use of lists<\/a>, or if media has captions or transcripts<\/a>.\r\n\r\nRead more about checking for accessibility issues with the Office Accessibility Checker<\/a> and learn about Office Accessibility Checker rules and messages.<\/a>","rendered":"

        Use Word’s Accessibility Assistant, a built-in accessibility checker<\/a> to check for common issues. Note, these tools may not catch all possible accessibility issues.<\/p>\n

        Navigate to the Review<\/strong> tab and click\u00a0Check Accessibility.
        \n\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Select Review<\/strong> tab<\/li>\n
        2. Choose Check Accessibility <\/strong>button<\/li>\n
        3. \u00a0The Accessibility Assistant <\/strong>panel will open and show issues\n
            \n
          1. Select each issue to see it highlighted in the document<\/li>\n
          2. Select the arrow next to each warning to see further information<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            To see real time accessibility status:<\/p>\n

              \n
            1. At the bottom of the Accessibility Assistant panel select the Settings <\/strong>button.<\/li>\n
            2. In the Settings window, check the Show accessibility status for the Accessibility Assistant in the Status Bar<\/strong>\u00a0checkbox.<\/li>\n
            3. Click Accessibility: Investigate <\/strong>in the status bar at the bottom of the window to open the Accessibility Assistant pane.\u00a0Accessibility: Good to go<\/strong> indicates no violations of the automated checker’s rules.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n