Table accessibility ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can effectively navigate and understand tabular data. By using proper markup and design practices, tables can be made accessible to screen readers and other assistive technologies, enhancing the overall user experience.
Creating accessible tables in Canvas
To ensure any tables added to Canvas are accessible, follow the steps in the article, Creating accessible tables in Canvas.
Creating accessible tables in Microsoft Word
Creating accessible tables in Microsoft Word involves using the built-in table tools to define header rows and ensure a logical reading order. Additionally, adding alternative text to describe the table's content helps screen readers convey the information to users with visual impairments. When creating accessible tables in Microsoft Word, the main limitations lie in handling complex table structures, including nested tables, merged cells, or split cells, which can confuse screen readers and make navigating the table difficult; complex tables may need to be broken down into multiple simpler tables for optimal screen reader interpretation. Additional information about creating accessible tables in Microsoft Word is available in the Microsoft Support video, Create accessible table in Word.
Creating accessible tables in Microsoft Excel
Creating accessible tables in Excel includes formatting using the Format as Table feature, ensuring clear headers, consistent formatting, and sufficient contrast for readability; adding alt text for screen reader users should also be considered. To learn more about creating an accessible table in Excel, follow the steps in the Microsoft Excel support article, Accessibility best practices with Excel spreadsheets, in the section titled Create accessible tables.
Creating accessible tables in Microsoft PowerPoint
In PowerPoint, accessible tables have a clear structure with header rows and columns, avoiding merged or split cells, and are designed for easy navigation by screen readers. Additional guidance is available in the Microsoft PowerPoint support article Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities, in the section about tables.
Creating accessible tables in a PDF
Optimally, document accessibility should begin in the native document format. For example, many documents are created in a word processing or desktop publishing application, and then exported as PDF documents.
For optimal results when creating an accessible table in a PDF, use the native document the PDF was created from, to add headers and then save the document as an accessible PDF. If the source document isn't available, or to review and improve the tables in the PDF, Adobe Acrobat Pro can be used to edit the table tags. Additional information on creating accessible PFSs is available in the article, PDF (Portable Document Format) Accessibility.
Creating accessible tables in Google Docs
Google does not currently have an option to designate column row or headers in a table. Due to this limitation, the use of tables in Google Docs should be avoided.