Excel
Creating Universal Excel Content
- Avoid use of blank cells, rows, and/or columns for white space or formatting purposes
- Place charts and graphs on separate worksheets
- Give all sheets unique names
- Use descriptive text to explain what is in the spreadsheet or workbook; create a region called “information” or “instructions” that is easily accessed and read, where describe row headers and column headers for a particular region
- Name regions for use of the Go-To command CTRL+G (or F5) to make it easier to move from place to place within spreadsheets
- Keep header information in Column A and Row 1
- Use clear and self-explanatory row and column headers extensively to provide context and assist with navigation
Graphics and Images
- Include closed captions, transcripts for audio and/or video
- Add alternative (alt) text and provide descriptive text for images pictures, clip art, charts, tables, shapes, SmartArt, groups, embedded objects, ink, video and audio files
Links
- Use meaningful hyperlink text, text that provides a clear description of the link destination rather than the URL
- Add display text and ScreenTips to hyperlinks
Complexity
- Avoid abbreviations
See also:
Additional Resources
How to Guides
Adapted from Best Practices in Online Content Accessibility: Microsoft Excel by Xavier University's Instructional Design and Digital Media Department. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. 