In this video, we're going to demonstrate

how to use the accessibility checker 

that Microsoft office has added to their MS Word 
Application.

This is a very helpful tool

because it lets us see

what accessibility features we might have 
overlooked

when we were setting up a document or creating 
a document.

So the first thing you need to do is to open your 
word document,

and go up here to 'file'.

Then you'll see 'info',

and then select the middle icon that says 'check 
for issues'.

And then here it says, 'check accessibility'.

So we'll click there and then a report is run for us

accessibility report.

This will be over on the right hand side of your 
Screen.

It has errors and in this case we have pictures 
and images

that is missing alt text.

And we also have two warnings,

one about unclear hyperlinks,

and then one about repeated blank characters.

And if you go all the way down at the bottom,
you'll see there's another box.

It says 'additional information'.

So if we click on this first

picture underneath missing alt text,

you'll see that the picture is highlighted for us 
here.

And then if we look down here at the additional 
Information.

Now there's information telling us

why this needs to be fixed.

That alternate text helps readers understand 
information presented in pictures and other 
objects.

And then it also gives us the steps of how to fix 
the error.

So this is the image that we need to add alt text 
To.

You can see that it�s selected.

So we will right click on that,

go all the way at the bottom where it says 
'format picture'.

Go all the way at the bottom to this menu and 
click on 'alt text'.

And then you'll see where it says 'title' and 
'description'.

You don't need to write anything in the title 
because the screen reader

does not read the title.

It only reads the description.

So with this picture we were illustrating

about the minus and plus signs

that is in front of the name of a semester.

So I write them down,

minus and plus sign,

before term or semester name.

And then we'll close that.

And then you'll notice that the picture has fallen 
off the list.

Next let's go down and look at our warnings

talk you about unclear hypertext.

Let�s click on one and that will take us

to this where you can see this is highlighted in 
blue.

And then here at the additional information,

it tells us why we should fix it.

It says, �hyperlink text should provide a clear 
description of the link

destination instead of providing only the URL�.

And then it gives you the instructions on how to 
go about fixing that.

For this particular document, having the actual

URL information there is important,

because these are websites that we want 
students will be able to go to.

And this document is available electronically.

But it�s also printed out and used as a handout

so if I had only put

the word JAVA to where you click on it.

It will take you to the website

that would be fine as long as you're looking at it 
online or electronically.

But having this document as a handout,

having that link on there wouldn't help you.

So that was the reason I am not going to change 
That,

I�m going to leave that as a complete URL.

Now let's go to our next warning talking about

repeated blank characters.

And this tells you why we need to fix it.

Spaces, tabs and empty paragraphs may be perceived

as blanks by people using screen readers

after hearing several 'blanks', people might think they have

reached the end of the information

What actually they have.

And then it tells us how to

how we can fix that.

And the way to eliminate a space

is just to use the backspace key or the delete key.

I�m not going to delete these spaces

since its only one blank line.

Because I want this red button to show and be

be evident and font not to look too crowded.

So I�m not going to make those changes.

So this because something has pointed out in the accessibility report.

You may have a reason for not changing it.

The things with that would really let you couldn't overlook  

would be things like the alt text that images and pictures.

Even if it�s just for decoration, you still need to put in the alt text

this is just for decoration.

But alt text is one of the errors that should not be overlooked.

I hope this has proven helpful.

And I hope you'll be using accessibility checker on all of your word documents.

Thank you.