Accessibility in Action: Improving Word Documents for Every Learner
Accessibility in Action: Improving Word Documents for Every Learner
Make your Word documents better for a wide range of learners. In this interactive session for School of Medicine educators, participants will learn practical techniques for creating more accessible documents in Microsoft Word. Participants will practice identifying and fixing common accessibility issues, including document structure and headings, meaningful links, images and alt text, lists, tables, and other formatting choices. You’ll also explore Word’s built-in accessibility tools and leave with strategies you can put into practice right away.
About the Training
The Department of Justice requires digital content to be accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act by April 2027. To support UW educators in meeting this requirement—and creating more inclusive learning environments—CLIME and SOMALT have partnered to offer a practical, interactive training series focused on PowerPoint, Word, and Pressbooks.
Each session will cover why accessibility matters and simple steps you can use right away to improve your course materials. Optional office hours will follow each session, giving you time to practice with a sample document or your own materials.
Presenters
- Ceradwen Tokheim (she/her), Instructional Designer, School of Medicine Analytics and Learning Technology (SOMALT)
- Mary-Colleen Jenkins (she/her), Instruction Accessibility Specialist, Accessible Technology Services (ATS) | UW Information Technology
Additional Sessions
- November 2, 2026: Accessibility in Action: Making PowerPoints More Effective and Accessible
- March 4, 2027: Accessibility in Action: Designing Pressbooks for Access and Understanding
Each session stands on its own, so you’re welcome to join one or the whole series.
Session descriptions written with assistance from ChatGPT