Module 11: Use Color and Other Sensory Characteristics Plus Text to Convey Meaning

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Voice Over (VO): Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice, AED-COP.

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VO: You are watching how to make an accessible document in Microsoft Word.

VO: This is Module 11. Use color and other sensory characteristics plus text to convey meaning.

VO: This video is one in a series showing how to make a Word document, Section 508 Conformant. Introduction In order to use color and other sensory characteristics excessively, ensure that they are not used as the only way to convey meaning.

VO: Sensory characteristics include things like size, shape, and position. If these are used as the only way to convey information, then individuals with disabilities who are blind, have low vision, or are colorblind, will not have access to comparable information.

VO: How to author accessibly To author accessibly, use color and other sensory characteristics such as size, shape, and location to convey meaning.

VO: Then include text in your document that duplicates the meaning of that color or other sensory characteristic.

VO: How to check your work To check your work, find where you have used color or other characteristics.

VO: Now include text that duplicates the meaning of the color or other sensory characteristics. For example, if you use a layout table to convey status on a project, you should use text and color together to convey meaning.

VO: Inaccessible example Let's look at an inaccessible example.

VO: Here we have a table with project status information in it. Next to project A, there is an empty green box.

VO: Next to project B, there is an empty yellow box. And next to project C, there is an empty red box.

VO: Individuals who cannot see the colored boxes would not be able to determine the status of the projects.

VO: Accessible example Let's look at an accessible example.

VO: This example is the same as the previous, however, there is text in the colored boxes. The green box next to project A says "Completed."

VO: The yellow box for project B says "At risk." And the red box for project C states "Incomplete."

VO: By adding this text, the information is conveyed with both color and text. The information is now available to individuals who may be blind, color blind, or have another type of disability.

VO: Thank you for watching Module 11. You are encouraged to watch the other modules in this video series, and you 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.