Who is this accessible documents course for?
This course is relevant to anyone responsible for creating or managing documents that other people need to understand and use. It may be particularly useful for:
- administration and business support teams
- human resources and people and culture professionals
- learning and development teams, trainers and educators
- communications, marketing and content teams
- government, community and not-for-profit organisations
- managers who approve policies, procedures, reports or customer information
- employees who regularly create documents in Microsoft Word
- organisations onboarding an employee with disability or responding to an accessibility request
What will you learn?
The course focuses on the practical choices that influence whether a workplace document can be understood and navigated by different readers and assistive technologies. Learners explore how to:
- • use Word styles and a logical heading hierarchy to create meaningful structure
- • understand why visual formatting alone does not communicate document structure
- • write meaningful link text that makes sense out of context
- • add appropriate alternative text to informative images and mark purely decorative images correctly
- • use readable alignment, spacing, fonts and colour contrast
- • decide when a table is appropriate and reduce unnecessary table complexity
- • use plain language, explain technical terms and expand abbreviations
- • consider the experience of people using screen readers, braille devices and screen magnification
- • use Microsoft Word's Accessibility Checker as one part of a broader review process
- • recognise when automated checking is not enough and further testing or specialist advice may be needed
What organisational value can this training support?
When more employees understand how to create accessible documents, accessibility becomes part of the workflow rather than an afterthought. This can support:
- clearer and more consistent workplace communication
- greater independence for employees and customers who use assistive technology
- fewer avoidable barriers in reports, policies, procedures, forms and learning materials
- more efficient templates and document creation practices
- stronger inclusion and customer experience
- a more informed approach to accessibility risk and organisational responsibility
Accessibility by Design: Creating Inclusive Workplace Documents
Create workplace documents that work for more people
A document can look polished on screen and still be difficult—or impossible—for someone else to use. A person using a screen reader, braille display or screen magnifier does not experience a document in the same way as a sighted reader. Poor heading structure, unclear links, missing image descriptions, weak colour contrast and complex tables can all interrupt access to important information.
Accessibility by Design: Creating Inclusive Workplace Documents is practical digital accessibility training for professionals who create, edit, approve or publish workplace information. It explains why document structure matters and shows learners how to make better decisions while working in Microsoft Word.
The course moves beyond awareness. Learners build practical skills they can apply to reports, policies, procedures, forms, instructions, proposals, learning materials and other everyday workplace documents.
Why accessible workplace documents matter
Workplace documents often contain information people need to make a decision, complete a task, access a service or carry out their role. When that information is poorly structured, some readers may need to ask for help, request another format or miss important details altogether.
Accessible document practices can support people with disability and also improve usability for older readers, people reading in a second language, people working on smaller screens and anyone trying to find information quickly. Clear structure, meaningful links, readable layouts and plain language are not only accessibility practices—they are good communication practices.
For Australian organisations, digital accessibility can also form part of a broader approach to equal access, inclusion and managing obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The Australian Human Rights Commission advises organisations to provide equal access to digital goods and services. The precise obligations and suitable controls will depend on the organisation, its services and the circumstances.
Capability outcomes
By the end of this course, learners should be better able to:
- • Create more accessible Microsoft Word documents using clear structure and built-in styles.
- • Identify and correct common document accessibility barriers before information is distributed.
- • Design workplace documents for a more diverse audience, including people who use assistive technology.
When might an organisation look for this course?
An organisation may seek accessible document training after receiving a request for information in an accessible format, identifying inaccessible files during a review, employing a person who uses assistive technology or recognising that document templates and publishing processes are inconsistent.
The course can also be used proactively when an organisation is updating templates, strengthening disability inclusion, improving digital communication, preparing staff to create public information or building accessibility into normal business processes.
About your course facilitator: Narelle Wright
Narelle Wright is a Digital Accessibility and Inclusive Technology specialist who combines more than 30 years of experience in technology, project management and digital systems with lived experience of vision impairment. Her work helps organisations move from accessibility awareness to practical implementation across documents, websites and digital systems.
Narelle brings a practical understanding of how people use screen readers, screen magnification and other assistive technologies. Her approach helps learners connect document design choices with the real experience of the person trying to access the information.
No. Microsoft Word's Accessibility Checker can identify a range of technical issues, but it cannot determine whether every part of a document is understandable, useful or appropriate for the intended audience. Human review—and in some circumstances testing by people who use assistive technology or a qualified accessibility auditor—is still important.
Build accessibility into the document from the beginning
Retrofitting an inaccessible document can take more time and may not fully repair the reader's experience. Building accessibility into headings, links, images, tables, language and layout from the start creates a stronger foundation for usable workplace communication.
Develop the practical skills to create workplace documents that are clearer, more inclusive and easier for more people to use.
Related support
If your organisation needs accessibility auditing, specialist testing or implementation support beyond this course, Digital Access Solutions and Assistive Technology (DASAT) provides related accessibility services.
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