Module 3: Ensuring Color and Other Visual Characteristics are Also Described in Text

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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 Excel.

VO: This is module three, ensuring colors and other visual characteristics that convey information are also described in text.

VO: This video is one in a series showing how to make an Excel Worksheet section 508 conformant.

VO: When using color in your Excel Worksheets, you must not only think about having a strong color contrast between the foreground and background, but you must also consider how color and other visual characteristics such as size, shape, and location are used to convey meaning.

VO: Without taking these things into consideration, individuals who are blind, have low vision, or are color blind, will not have equal access to information.

VO: The following layout tables describe the progress for three projects using colors to symbolize the current project status.

VO: Adding text in addition to color provides comparable information to users of assistive technology and people who are color blind.

VO: To ensure that information is conveyed excessively, always use text to duplicate the meaning of color or visual characteristics such as size, shape, and location.

VO: You will find where you have used color and/or visual characteristics to convey meaning such as green, yellow, red, etc.

VO: Is there text that conveys the meaning of the color or other visual characteristics? If not, the document fails this test.

VO: This example is not accessible because the status of Project A has been described with color alone and has not been duplicated in text.

VO: This example is considered accessible because information conveyed with color has also been described in text.

VO: Thank you for watching Module 3. You are encouraged to watch the other modules in this video series and revisit modules to gain a mastery of the information provided.

VO: To learn more about Section 508, visit www.section508.gov. This video is a product of the Accessible Electronic Document Community of Practice, Chief Information Officers Council, and the Federal Aviation Administration.