Print-friendly cheat sheets for your desk or wall.
About these cards
Keep these quick reference cards at your desk for easy access to accessibility best practices. Each card covers a specific topic and fits on one printed page.
π¨οΈ Print options
Print individual cards or the entire collection.
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π Microsoft Word Accessibility Checklist
Run Accessibility Checker: Review β Check Accessibility
- Headings: Use built-in Heading styles (Home β Styles), not bold text
- Alt text: Right-click images β Edit Alt Text β Write description
- Links: Use descriptive text, not "click here" (Ctrl+K to edit)
- Lists: Use built-in bullet/number lists, not manual dashes
- Tables: Use Insert β Table; check "Header row" in Table Design
- Color: Don't use color alone to convey meaning; check contrast
- Language: Review β Language β Set Proofing Language
- Reading order: Selection Pane shows order (Home β Select β Selection Pane)
Export to PDF: File β Export β Create PDF/XPS β Options β β Document structure tags for accessibility
π PowerPoint Accessibility Checklist
Run Accessibility Checker: Review β Check Accessibility
- Slide titles: Every slide needs a unique title (use Layout with title placeholder)
- Reading order: Home β Arrange β Selection Pane β Drag to reorder
- Alt text: Right-click images/charts β Edit Alt Text
- Links: Insert β Link β Display text (make it descriptive)
- Tables: Simple tables only; use "Header Row" in Table Design
- Color contrast: 4.5:1 for text; avoid red/green combinations
- Animations: Keep simple; avoid auto-advance; no flashing
- Videos: Add captions (Insert β Video β right-click β Insert Captions)
Share as PDF: File β Export β Create PDF/XPS β Options β β Document structure tags
β¨οΈ Essential Keyboard Navigation
Test every interactive element with these keys:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Move to next interactive element |
| Shift + Tab | Move to previous interactive element |
| Enter | Activate link or button |
| Space | Activate button, toggle checkbox, scroll page |
| Escape | Close modal/dialog, cancel action |
| β β | Navigate within menus, radio groups, select boxes |
| β β | Navigate tabs, sliders, tree items |
| Home / End | Jump to first/last item in list |
β Pass: Focus visible, logical order, no traps, all features accessible
β Fail: Can't reach element, can't escape, focus invisible, wrong order
πΌοΈ Alt Text Quick Guide
| Image type | Alt text approach |
|---|---|
| Informative | Describe the content and purpose. "Student studying in library with laptop" |
| Decorative | Mark as decorative or use alt="" (empty). Don't describe. |
| Functional (button/link) | Describe the action. "Search", "Submit form", "Go to homepage" |
| Chart/Graph | Summarize the data and trend. Provide data table nearby. |
| Complex (diagram) | Brief alt + link to full description or long description nearby. |
| Text in image | Include all visible text. Better: use real text instead. |
| Logo | "University of Arizona logo" or just "University of Arizona" |
Tips:
- Be concise (usually under 125 characters)
- Don't start with "Image of..." or "Picture of..."
- Context mattersβsame image may need different alt text in different places
π¨ Color Contrast Requirements
| Content type | Minimum ratio | WCAG criterion |
|---|---|---|
| Normal text (<18pt or <14pt bold) | 4.5:1 | 1.4.3 AA |
| Large text (β₯18pt or β₯14pt bold) | 3:1 | 1.4.3 AA |
| UI components, graphics | 3:1 | 1.4.11 AA |
| Focus indicators | 3:1 | 1.4.11 AA |
| Enhanced (AAA) normal text | 7:1 | 1.4.6 AAA |
Quick test tools:
- WebAIM Contrast Checker
- TPGi Colour Contrast Analyser (desktop app)
- axe DevTools, WAVE browser extensions
Remember: Never use color alone to convey information!
π WCAG 2.2 POUR Principles
| Principle | Key questions |
|---|---|
| Perceivable | Can users see or hear the content? β’ Alt text for images? β’ Captions for video? β’ Sufficient contrast? |
| Operable | Can users interact with everything? β’ Keyboard accessible? β’ No time limits? β’ Clear navigation? |
| Understandable | Can users comprehend content and UI? β’ Clear language? β’ Consistent navigation? β’ Helpful error messages? |
| Robust | Does it work with assistive technology? β’ Valid HTML? β’ Proper ARIA usage? β’ Tested with screen readers? |
Target: WCAG 2.2 Level AA | Deadline: April 24, 2026
π 5-Minute Accessibility Audit
- Tab through the page β Can you reach everything? Is focus visible?
- Zoom to 200% β Does content reflow without horizontal scrolling?
- Check headings β Run WAVE or axe; is there a logical H1βH2βH3 structure?
- View without images β Are alt texts meaningful? Is info still clear?
- Test one form β Are labels connected? Do errors identify the problem?
- Play any video β Are captions available and accurate?
- Check links β Do link texts make sense out of context? (No "click here")
- Try high contrast β Does the page still work in Windows High Contrast mode?
Found issues? Log them and prioritize by user impact.
Need help? accessibility@arizona.edu
βοΈ Accessible Email Checklist (Outlook)
- Subject line: Clear and descriptive (not "Newsletter" alone)
- Headings: Use Format Text β Styles (not just bold text)
- Images: Right-click β Edit Alt Text (or mark decorative)
- Links: Descriptive text, not bare URLs or "click here"
- Lists: Use built-in bullet/numbered lists
- Tables: Simple structure only; use for data, not layout
- Color: Don't rely on color alone; maintain contrast
- Attachments: Include accessible versions; mention format in email
- Plain text: Provide plain text alternative for complex HTML emails
- Test: Send yourself a test; check in different email clients
Run check: Options β Check Accessibility (before sending)
π¬ Video & Media Accessibility
| Content type | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Pre-recorded video | Captions (synchronized text for dialogue + sounds) |
| Pre-recorded audio | Transcript (text version of all audio content) |
| Live video/audio | Live captions (CART) for real-time events |
| Visual-only content | Audio description or text description |
Caption quality targets:
- 99%+ accuracy for educational content
- Speaker identification for multiple speakers
- Sound effects noted: [applause], [music playing]
- Synchronized within 2-3 seconds of audio
Tools: Panopto (auto-caption + edit), YouTube Studio, Rev.com
π Screen Reader Quick Start
| Platform | Screen reader | Start/Stop |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (free) | NVDA | Ctrl+Alt+N / Insert+Q |
| Windows (built-in) | Narrator | Win+Ctrl+Enter |
| Mac | VoiceOver | Cmd+F5 |
| iPhone/iPad | VoiceOver | Settings β Accessibility β VoiceOver (or triple-click home/side) |
| Android | TalkBack | Settings β Accessibility β TalkBack |
Basic NVDA commands:
βNext itemHNext headingKNext linkFNext form fieldTNext tableDNext landmark
More resources
- Testing Tools β Full guide to accessibility testing tools
- Documents & Media β Detailed document accessibility guides
- Keyboard Accessibility β Complete keyboard guidance
- Glossary β Definitions of accessibility terms