In Module: 2 of the Make an Accessible Document in Microsoft Word video series, learn how to add headings and formatting to a document so assistive technology can infer meaning from the document structure and formatted characters using built-in styles.
[bright musical tones with gentle swoosh]
Voice Over (VO): Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice, AED-COP.
[gentle swoosh]
VO: You are watching how to make an accessible document in Microsoft Word.
VO: This is module two, use styles to create headings. This video is one in a series showing how to make a Word document, Section 508 Conformant.
VO: Introduction. Headings are names or labels that are used to break up content and make finding information easier.
VO: Assistive technology cannot infer meaning from formatting characteristics alone, such as bolded or underlined text.
VO: Using Microsoft Word's built-in styles will create a structure that assistive technology can quickly access and interpret.
VO: How to author accessibly. To author accessibly, click on the Home tab in the navigation ribbon.
VO: Go to the Styles section and choose one of the available styles from the gallery.
VO: Use styles such as Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, etc. when creating headings in your document.
VO: One way to use a style is to select one of the available styles from the gallery, and then start typing a title or heading in your document.
VO: Another way to apply a style to text is to type your heading first and then select a style from the gallery that you would like to use.
VO: If your document contains multiple heading levels, such as Major, Section, Subheading, etc.
VO: and each level is visually different, then you must use a separate style for each heading level.
VO: You can modify the visual characteristics of any style in order to create the desired look and feel of your document.
VO: How to check your work. To check your work, first open the navigation pane.
VO: This can be done by going to the View tab in the navigation ribbon and checking the box for navigation pane, or by using the Control-F keyboard shortcut.
VO: Once the navigation pane is open, ensure the tab for "Headings" is selected.
VO: Now verify that all of your headings appear in the navigation pane and that they match the visual outline of your document.
VO: Inaccessible example. Let's look at an inaccessible example.
VO: Notice that there is text in the document that is formatted to look like headings, but none of the headings show up in the navigation pane.
VO: This means that the structural information necessary for assistive technology is not present.
VO: Accessible example. Now let's look at an inaccessible example.
VO: The document looks the same as the previous example, but now the major heading, section heading, and minor heading are displayed in the navigation pane.
VO: The heading structure also matches the visual outline of the document. Thank you for watching Module 2.
VO: You are encouraged to watch the other modules in this video series and can find additional information at section 508.gov.
VO: This video is a product of the accessible electronic document "Community of Practice" and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Related Documents Video Series Modules
- Module 0: Introduction & Background
- Module 1: Save as a Word Document (.docx) with a Descriptive Filename
- Module 2: Use Styles to Create Headings
- Module 3: Use Built-in Features to Create Lists
- Module 4: Use Built-in Features to Organize Content
- Module 5: Use Built-in Features to Create Layout and Data Tables
- Module 6: Identify Distinct Languages
- Module 7: Create Unambiguous Names for Links
- Module 8: Duplicate Vital Information in Headers, Footers and Watermarks
- Module 9: Create Accessible Images and Other Objects
- Module 10: Create Accessible Textboxes
- Module 11: Use Color and Other Sensory Characteristics Plus Text to Convey Meaning
- Module 12: Create the Required Color Contrast
- Module 13: Create Accessible Embedded Files
Reviewed/Updated: March 2026
