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Documentation checklist

Checkpoint 1: Provide documentation in an accessible format

This page provides specific examples to implement the documentation techniques for accessible documents documents in Microsoft® Excel.

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Rationale

Required development techniques

 

Rationale

Some users may not be able to access documentation if it is not in an accessible format. The following techniques provide information to create accessible Microsoft® Excel documents

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Required development techniques

The following techniques are the minimum required to meet Checkpoint 1 from the IBM Documentation Accessibility Checklist for documents created with Microsoft® Excel:

1.1 Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.

  1. Provide alternative text for all images.

    Excel objects that require alternate text include Clip Art, Objects, Drawings and Auto Shapes. To add alternative text for a non-text object or image
    • Select the image and enter Format-Object or Format-Picture.
    • When the dialog is displayed, select the Web tab.
    • In the Alternative Text field, enter a text description of the image. The alternative text should effectively replace the image so a sighted user and a blind user would get the same information from the image.
    If the image is provided purely for visual effect and does not add to the meaning of the document, do not add alternative text – leave the field blank.

  2. Provide a text description in addition to alternative text for complex charts and graphs.

    For images or charts provide alternative text for the image. If the image cannot be adequately described using alternate text, provide a more detailed description in the surrounding text.

1.2 Information and Relationships: Define information, structure, and relationships.

  1. Define document structure.

    Do not use blank cells for formatting purposes. It's better to densely pack the data in the workbook and then use Excel's native formatting techniques. Avoid the use of white space with lots of blank cells or blank rows and columns.

  2. Do not use text formatting as the only way to convey meaning.

    There are no unique examples for this technique in Excel. Please follow the general examples for text formatting to meet this checkpoint.

  3. Identify the purpose of each link in the link text.

    There are no unique examples for this technique in Excel. Please follow the general examples for accessible link texts to meet this checkpoint.


1.3 Color & contrast: Any information that is conveyed by color is also visually evident without color.

  1. Do not use color as the only way to convey meaning.

    When formatting a cell using color, select an option that provides a redundant cue so that it can be otherwise differentiated by color blind, low vision, or screen reader users. For example, when selecting how to represent negative numbers select an option that offers a cue like parentheses, (1234.0), in addition to the red colored text, 1234.0.

  2. Provide sufficient contrast between text and the page background.

    There are no unique examples for this technique in Excel. Please follow the general examples for text contrast to meet this checkpoint.

1.4 Meaningful sequence: Define document reading order.

  1. Define document reading order.

    There are no unique examples to implement links in Excel. Please follow the general examples for document reading order to meet this checkpoint.

1.5 Forms: Define form element labels.

  1. Provide an accessible label for form fields.

    Forms created with the Control tool bar are accessible. The Control toolbar works with Active X controls and allows the user to use the keyboard to navigate through form components.

    It is important to use Input messages to provide instructions for screen reader users. For example, inform the user how to access the dropdown items in your message by providing the text "Press Alt + Down Arrow to open the dropdown list and press Enter to choose one of the items."

1.6 Tables: Identify table cells and relationships between cells.

  1. Identify row and column headers for data tables.

    Use row and column headers extensively. Make headers clear and self-explanatory by avoiding ambiguity within row and column headers. To set the Row or Column title:
    • Select the titles you want to define
    • Select Insert- Name - Label. The Label Ranges dialog box will appear.
    • In the first editable field confirm the range for the titles you want to label.
    • Make sure that proper radio button is selected: Row labels or Column labels.
    • Click OK or press Enter.

1.7 Threshold violations: Do not include text or images that flash more than 2 times in a one second period.

  1. Do not include text or images that flash more than 2 times in a one second period.

    There are no unique examples for this technique in Excel. Please follow the general examples images that flash to meet this checkpoint.

1.8 Navigation: Provide an accessible method to navigate long documents.

  1. Provide an accessible method to navigate long documents.

    Organize the spreadsheet by providing basic information on how to navigate the workbook and key highlights. Use descriptive text to explain what is in the spreadsheet or workbook. This can be embedded into the worksheet by creating a region called "information" or "instructions" that users can navigate to easily and read. Place the basic instructions on how to navigate the form in cell A1. Sighted users will see the instructions as soon as the worksheet opens, and the instructions will be read by the screen reader.

    Region names provide navigation by informing the user that there are two or three regions in the worksheet and the region names make it easier for a user to navigate to each region. The user is able to the list the regions with the GoTo command (Ctrl+G). To add a region name:
    • Select the region on the spreadsheet.
    • Click Insert > Name > Define. The Define Name dialog box will appear.
    • In the first editable field provide a meaningful name for the selected region.
    • Click OK or press Enter.

1.9 Language of Page: Define the default language.

  1. Define the language of the document.

    There are no unique examples to implement links in Excel. Please follow the general examples for defining the language to meet this checkpoint.

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Required test techniques

Test the documentation to ensure that it complies with accessibility requirements. The techniques listed here are specific for Microsoft Excel documents.

Required test software

  • screen reader

Techniques

The following techniques are required to verify this checkpoint:
  Action Result
1. Verify all meaningful images have meaningful alternative text, and decorative or redundant images have null alt text.
  1. In Excel, display the context menu for each image (right click on image or use SHIFT +F10) and select the Format Picture option. Select the "Web" tab in the format picture dialog to see the alternative text for the image

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
2. Complex images:
  1. Verify that a full text description is provided containing meaningful information about all complex images.
  2. Verify that the alternative text for the image provides information on where to find the full text description of the complex image.

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
3. Navigation:
  1. Verify the spreadsheet provides region names for easier navigation to basic information and key highlights in the spreadsheet by listing the regions with the Excel GoTo command (Ctrl + G).

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
4. Column and row titles:
  1. Verify row and column titles are identified by using the Label Ranges dialog box by selecting Insert-Name-Label to view the row and column labels.

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
5. Verify that link text is meaningful for all links and unique for each different link.

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
6. Verify keyboard navigation for embedded elements that are not controlled by the document application. (For example, if you embed a video object in a document, the editor does not control the video element.)
  1. Verify that you can navigate to the embedded element from the document body, and then back to the document body using the keyboard, with no mouse interaction required.
  2. Verify that all user controls provided for the embedded element can be controlled using the keyboard, with no mouse interaction required.

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
7. Verify the following text formatting and color requirements.
  1. Verify that color is never used as the only way to convey meaning
  2. Verify that text formatting is never used as the only method to convey information
  3. Verify that sufficient contrast is provided by default between the text and the page background. The background color should provide sufficient contrast, and no patterned backgrounds should be used.

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
8. Verify that no content flashes or blinks at a rate faster than two times per second. Here is how to test this:
  1. Count the number of blinks that occur in one second (or count the number of blinks in 10 seconds and divide by 10).
  2. Verify that no more than two blinks per second occur.
  3. If an element is blinking or flashing, but at a rate too fast to count, it is a violation of this requirement.

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.
9.
  1. Use the screen reader's basic reading keys to verify the following:
    1. The document has a logical reading order.
    2. When text links are used, the purpose of each link is clear from the link text.
    3. For all meaningful images, the screen reader announces a short text alternative with equivalent meaning.
    4. For decorative images, or images used only for visual formatting, screen reader ignores the image.
    5. The screen reader announces text equivalents for any other important non-text elements.
  2. If forms fields are included, verify the following:
    1. Tab to each form field and verify the screen reader announces labels associated with form fields and control elements.
    2. If sufficient information is not announced when tabbing to a form field, verify the user can "unprotect" the document in order to read the surrounding static text. Verify the form field is usable and understandable in that mode.
  3. If data tables are included, verify the following using the screen reader's table navigation keys:
    1. The row and column headers that apply to a cell are announced when moving to the cell.

Pass:

  • All applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left are verified to be true.

Fail:

  • Any failure from applicable compliance criteria in the action column to the left.

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©2009 IBM Corporation

Last updated September 1, 2009

Documentation checklist

Checkpoint 2