An accessible file is a file whose content can be accessed with assistive technologies, such as a screen reader. A suitable structure for the file, such as the use of heading styles, the structure of tables and the text equivalents of images are part of accessibility. If you have used Word, LibreOffice or the like to write your work, as well as the heading styles, table and image tools in these programs, you can create an accessible pdf file.
The file to be saved to Theseus must be accessible.
Use the ready-made styles in the thesis template in your text, Normal as body text and different heading levels. In the image below, the cursor is on the heading and Heading 2 is selected in the quick styles.
Use tables only when needed to present the information. Avoid tables that are only for layout purposes.
You can check the reading order of the table by moving from one cell to another with the tab key. The header row of the table is the top row, and it must be repeated (Repeat Header Row).
Add an alternative text to patterns and images, i.e., alt text. The alternative text tells the reader the essential content of the image. It is not the same as the caption, and the information in the text does not need to be repeated but can be referenced.
Colors can be used, but they must not be the only way to convey information.
Tip! Try the grayscale print preview. Can you still see the information in the image?
In the photo below, colors with sufficient contrast on a white background are circled from the default colors of Word.
Please note that you will have to check the contrast if, for example, in the table or figure, other colors have been used.
File properties are important for accessibility. Check that the title of the work is correct in the Info section of the File menu. The title of the finished template can be the name of the template. Enter the main title of the work as the title. Also check that you are the author. You can also add keywords in the language of the paper.
In the latest versions of Word, the accessibility checker can be found directly in the 'Check for problems' menu. However, the automatic check does not tell you the quality of the alternative text, for example, and cannot distinguish between simple bold text and headings.
It is easy to create an accessible PDF from an accessible Word file.
