When it comes to accessibility, Google products provide a clear case of 'you get what you pay for.'  Google is free and that is obvious in the quality and quantity of tools provided and their ease of use. 

Google products, especially Google Docs, are widely used for collaborative writing and sharing information across campus. Bear in mind that Google does not have a built-in accessibility checker or tools.  You can still create accessible, inclusive documents by using some complex workarounds.  A best practice, even for documents you will be collaborating on, is to do most of the initial work in a Microsoft product, then drop it into the shared drive for others. Google will not strip away any accessibility features already present.

The steps below will help ensure that individuals can navigate, read, and understand your content using assistive technologies like screen readers and screen magnifiers.

Table of Contents

• Headings & Structure 
• Lists 
• Descriptive Links 
• Alt Text 
• Tables 
• Color Contrast
  • Best Practices
  • Tools for Testing
• Google Sheets specifics
  • Use built-in slide layouts
  • Use descriptive slide titles
  • Use speaker notes for context
• Accessibility Add-ons & Tools 
  • Helpful Tools
  • Enabling Accessibility Support
• Exporting to Other Formats 
• Quick Checklist for Accessible Google Docs 

Use Proper Headings to Structure Content

Headings help organize your content and allow screen reader users to jump between sections efficiently. Visual formatting alone (e.g., bolded or enlarged text) does not create a proper heading structure.

Steps

1. Place your cursor on the section title.
2. Go to the Styles drop-down menu (usually set to “Normal text”).
3. Choose a heading level (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3).
4. Use Heading 1 for the main title, Heading 2 for major sections, and Heading 3 or 4 for sub-sections.

Tip

Do not skip levels (e.g., from Heading 1 directly to Heading 4). Follow a logical, nested structure.

Use Lists for Grouped Information

Use Google Docs’ list tools when presenting information in a sequence or group. Screen readers can announce the number of items in a list and their order if lists are formatted correctly.

Steps

1. Highlight the list content.
2. Go to the toolbar and choose either:
   • Bulleted list for unordered items
   • Numbered list for steps or processes

Use Descriptive Link Text

Screen readers read all characters in a link so that pasting full URLs can be disruptive. Instead, hyperlink meaningful text that clearly describes the link’s destination.

Steps

1. Highlight the text (e.g., “William & Mary Digital Accessibility Resources”).
2. Press Ctrl + K (or Cmd + K on Mac), or go to Insert > Link.
3. Paste the URL and click Apply.

Examples

• Accessible Example: William & Mary Libraries
• Inaccessible Example:  https://libraries.wm.edu

Provide Alternative Text for Images

Alt text helps users with vision disabilities understand the purpose of images. Screen readers can read this description aloud. Decorative images should be marked accordingly.

Steps

1. Click on the image.
2. Select the three vertical dots (⋮) in the image toolbar or right-click.
3. Choose Alt text.
4. In the description field, type a concise, meaningful description.
5. Leave the title field blank (not required for accessibility).

Tips

• Describe what the image communicates, not what it looks like.
• Keep it under 120 characters.
• Avoid “image of…” or file extensions like .jpg/.png.

Examples

• Accessible Example:  Bar chart showing enrollment increase from 2019 to 2023.
• Inaccessible Example:  Image of bar chart or chart.png

Use Tables Only for Data (Not Layout)

Tables should be used to display tabular data, not to arrange content on the page. When tables are used properly, assistive technologies can interpret header rows and the relationship between data cells.

Steps

1. Insert a table via Insert > Table.
2. Use the first row as a header, avoid merged cells.
3. Add a brief explanation above the table if needed, since Google Docs doesn’t support tagging header rows or alt text for tables directly.

Tips

• Keep tables simple (no nested tables).
• Avoid using tables to create columns or layout elements.

Ensure Sufficient Color Contrast

Good color contrast ensures text is readable for users with low vision or color blindness. Never rely on color alone to convey meaning.

Best Practices

• Use dark text on a light background (or vice versa).
• Avoid light gray, yellow, or pastel colors for text.
• Don’t use red vs. green to differentiate without labels or symbols.

Tools for Testing

• WebAIM Contrast Checker
• TPG Color Contrast Analyzer

Google Slides Specific Tips

Use Slide Layouts (Not Text Boxes)

Google Slides’ built-in layouts come with preset reading orders that screen readers can follow. Custom text boxes can disrupt this order, making content confusing for users with disabilities.

Steps

1. Go to the Slide menu → Apply Layout (or right-click a slide and choose Apply layout)
2. Select a layout that matches your content (e.g., Title and Body, Title Only, Two Columns)
3. Avoid dragging in new text boxes; use the placeholders provided in the layout

Tip

If you need to add more content, duplicate the slide and continue across multiple slides rather than overcrowding a single one.

Use Descriptive Slide Titles

Slide titles help screen reader users orient themselves and navigate between slides.

• Always fill out the Title placeholder in each slide layout
• Make the title specific to that slide's content (e.g., 'Survey Results: Fall 2023' instead of just 'Results')

Tip

If your slide has no visible title but needs one for accessibility, use the Title placeholder and format it to blend in visually (e.g., white text on white background). Screen readers will still detect it.

Add Speaker Notes for Additional Context

Speaker notes provide screen reader users with added explanations, data, or contextual cues that may not be conveyed visually.

• Scroll to the Speaker Notes area below each slide
• Add any relevant commentary, such as detailed image descriptions or step-by-step instructions

Tip

Use speaker notes to supplement visuals or complex graphs when alt text isn’t sufficient.

Use the Accessibility Add-ons & Tools

Google Docs includes some built-in accessibility features, and you can install helpful add-ons for testing and improving accessibility.

Helpful Tools

• Accessibility Checker by Grackle Docs (available through Google Workspace Marketplace)
• Screen reader support (enabled in Tools > Accessibility settings)

Enabling Accessibility Support

1. Go to Tools > Accessibility settings.
2. Check boxes for “Turn on screen reader support” and “Turn on collaborator announcements” if needed.
3. Install Grackle Docs to scan the document for common accessibility issues.
   • Grackle Docs can help identify:
     • Missing headings
     • Missing alt text
     • Poor link text
     • Low contrast

Exporting to Other Formats

If you plan to share your Google Doc as a PDF, be sure to download it using the correct export method to retain accessibility.

Steps

1. Go to File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf).
2. Be aware that PDF exports from Google Docs may not preserve all tags (especially for tables and reading order).
3. For highly structured documents, consider converting to a tagged PDF using Word or Adobe Acrobat instead.

Quick Checklist for Accessible Google Docs 

• Use heading styles in logical order
• Use bulleted or numbered lists 
• Add descriptive alt text to images 
• Use meaningful hyperlink text 
• Use simple data tables only
• Ensure good color contrast 
• Enable screen reader support 
• Use the correct method for exporting it to PDF