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Google Workspace Accessibility

Creating accessible documents in Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Forms.

📝 Covers Docs, Slides, Sheets & Forms

Google Workspace at UA

Google Workspace (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms) is widely used at UA for collaboration. While Google has improved accessibility features, some limitations remain compared to Microsoft 365. This guide covers best practices for each application.

Key limitation

Google Workspace does not have a built-in accessibility checker like Microsoft Office. Use the Grackle add-on (free for basic checking) or manually verify accessibility.

Google Docs

Use heading styles

  1. Select your heading text
  2. Click the Styles dropdown (shows "Normal text")
  3. Choose Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.
  4. Maintain hierarchy (don't skip from H1 to H3)

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+1 through Ctrl+Alt+6 for headings

Add alt text to images

  1. Right-click the image
  2. Select Alt text
  3. Enter a Description (the Title field is optional)
  4. Click OK

Create accessible tables

  • Use Insert → Table to create tables
  • Put header information in the first row
  • Keep tables simple (avoid merged cells)
  • Limitation: Google Docs doesn't support marking header rows for screen readers

Use meaningful link text

  1. Select the text you want to link
  2. Press Ctrl+K or click the link icon
  3. Enter the URL
  4. Ensure the selected text describes the link destination

Use built-in lists

  • Use the bulleted or numbered list buttons
  • Don't manually type dashes or numbers

Google Slides

Use slide layouts

  • Choose layouts from Slide → Apply layout
  • Use the title placeholder on every slide
  • Built-in layouts have better structure than freeform text boxes

Unique slide titles

  • Every slide must have a unique, descriptive title
  • Screen reader users navigate by slide titles

Add alt text to images

  1. Click the image
  2. Right-click → Alt text
  3. Enter description

Check reading order

Limitation: Google Slides doesn't have a reading order tool. Elements are read in the order they were added. To fix:

  1. Cut all elements (Ctrl+X)
  2. Paste them back in the order they should be read
  3. Or use Arrange → Order to adjust layering

Sufficient font size

  • Title text: 36pt minimum
  • Body text: 24pt minimum
  • Avoid dense text slides

Video captions

If embedding videos, ensure they have captions. Google Slides can display captions from YouTube videos if available.

Google Sheets

Structure your data

  • Start data in cell A1
  • One data table per sheet
  • Use descriptive sheet names (not "Sheet1")
  • Avoid blank rows/columns within data

Freeze header rows

  1. Click on the row below your headers
  2. View → Freeze → 1 row

Avoid merged cells

Merged cells break screen reader navigation. Use "Center across selection" formatting instead.

Add alt text to charts

  1. Click the chart
  2. Click the three-dot menu → Alt text
  3. Describe the key data or trend

Color usage

  • Don't convey meaning through color alone
  • Add a status column with text labels
  • Use high contrast colors

Google Forms

Form accessibility

Google Forms has improved accessibility, but has limitations:

  • ✓ Forms are keyboard navigable
  • ✓ Questions are labeled for screen readers
  • ⚠️ Complex question types may be challenging
  • ⚠️ Image-based questions need descriptions

Best practices

  • Write clear, concise questions
  • Provide instructions in the form description
  • Add descriptions to questions that need clarification
  • Avoid required questions unless truly necessary
  • Add alt text to any images in questions
  • Test the form with keyboard navigation

Adding descriptions

  1. Click the question
  2. Click the three-dot menu → Description
  3. Add helpful context or instructions

Using Grackle for accessibility checking

Grackle is a free add-on that checks Google Docs and Slides accessibility:

Installing Grackle

  1. Open a Google Doc or Slides
  2. Extensions → Add-ons → Get add-ons
  3. Search for "Grackle"
  4. Install Grackle Docs or Grackle Slides

Running a check

  1. Extensions → Grackle Docs → Launch
  2. Click Check Accessibility
  3. Review issues in the sidebar
  4. Click issues to navigate to them

What Grackle checks

  • Heading structure
  • Alt text on images
  • Table structure
  • Link text
  • Document language
  • Reading order (Slides)

Exporting accessible documents

Sharing as Google files (preferred)

Native Google format preserves the most structure. Share via link when possible.

Exporting to Microsoft format

File → Download → Microsoft Word/PowerPoint/Excel

  • Most structure transfers well
  • Review in Microsoft app and run Accessibility Checker

Exporting to PDF

File → Download → PDF

  • ⚠️ PDF export has accessibility limitations
  • Headings may not transfer as tagged structure
  • Better option: Download as Word first, then export accessible PDF from Word

Quick checklists

Google Docs

  • check_box_outline_blank Heading styles used (not just bold)
  • check_box_outline_blank Images have alt text
  • check_box_outline_blank Links have meaningful text
  • check_box_outline_blank Lists use built-in formatting
  • check_box_outline_blank Tables are simple (no merged cells)

Google Slides

  • check_box_outline_blank Built-in layouts used
  • check_box_outline_blank Every slide has unique title
  • check_box_outline_blank Images have alt text
  • check_box_outline_blank Font size 24pt+ for body
  • check_box_outline_blank Videos have captions

Google Sheets

  • check_box_outline_blank Data starts in A1
  • check_box_outline_blank Header row frozen
  • check_box_outline_blank No merged cells
  • check_box_outline_blank Charts have alt text
  • check_box_outline_blank Descriptive sheet names

Google Forms

  • check_box_outline_blank Questions are clear and concise
  • check_box_outline_blank Descriptions added where needed
  • check_box_outline_blank Images have alt text
  • check_box_outline_blank Tested with keyboard

Resources