Accessible Charts and Graphs: Word Document Guide

Today we’re diving into the crucial topic of making Microsoft Word documents compliant with Section 508 of The Rehabilitation Act: making charts and graphs accessible. This element is not only fascinating but also essential for MS Word accessibility and inclusivity.

Video Guide

Charts and graphs are effective tools for data visualization, but they pose a challenge for users with visual impairments. The solution? Descriptive text or captions that convey the same information.

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Practical Guide to Creating Accessible Charts and Graphs

Let’s look at a practical example. In the video, we created a pie chart titled “The Greatest Wrestler of All Time” based on fictitious data. The chart breaks down votes for various wrestlers: Shawn Michaels (15%), The Undertaker (20%), Macho Man (25%), and Stone Cold Steve Austin (45%).

When writing a description for a chart like this, it’s vital to include all data points. For our pie chart, a suitable description would be: “The pie chart titled ‘The Greatest Wrestler of All Time’ shows the following distribution of votes: Shawn Michaels with 15%, The Undertaker with 20%, Macho Man with 25%, and Stone Cold Steve Austin leading with 45%.”

A screenshot showing a practical example of a descriptive caption for a pie chart. This satisfies Section 508 for Word.

Alternatively, you can insert a caption. Here’s how: Right-click the chart, select ‘Insert Caption,’ and choose whether the caption should appear above or below the chart. For this example, we placed it below.

Alt Text and Decorative Images

For images and charts, you have two options. You can mark the image as decorative or provide brief alt text. For instance, the alt text for our pie chart could be: “Stone Cold Steve Austin is rated as the greatest wrestler with 45%.”

Ensuring Information is Accessible

The key to creating accessible charts and graphs is to ensure all relevant information is placed near the graphic. This practice allows users with assistive technologies to easily understand the data in the graph.

Download the Free Section 508 Checklist for Microsoft Word:

Let me be your champion for inclusion. I offer tailored solutions (and self-paced courses!) to ensure your documents meet and exceed compliance expectations. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!