CKCS 852 - Designing Accessible Word Documents
Course Description
Are you creating accessible digital documents? Do they meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)* standards that need to be fully implemented by 2025?
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growing public demand for digital inclusion and many companies and organizations have yet to catch up. Digital accessibility remediation is costly and time-intensive, especially when working with external vendors. Companies need workers that can contribute towards a sustainable, digitally-accessible future.
This microcredential provides the opportunity to assess your ability to design accessible Microsoft Word documents. Individuals that successfully complete the course will receive formal recognition with a Toronto Metropolitan University digital credential. You will be evaluated by an expert assessor to confirm you can do the following:
- Evaluate Microsoft Word documents for missing or improperly implemented accessibility elements
- Use relevant features in Microsoft Office to apply accessibility fixes
- Effectively remediate document accessibility issues related to structure and layout, colour and contrast, images, hyperlinks, tables and charts, and reading level and legibility
- Follow a logical order of operations to ensure accessibility
This microcredential includes non-facilitated, preparatory material and an assessment. Individual work will be evaluated by an expert assessor to determine competency.
*Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S.O. 2005, c. 11
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I ready? Microcredential Self-Screening
You should have foundational knowledge and skills in designing and remediating Word documents for accessibility before enrolling. If you can answer ‘yes’ to all of the following questions, then you may be ready to enroll:
- Do you understand the relationship between WCAG principles and accessibility in Microsoft Word documents?
- Do you understand how images are made accessible in Microsoft Word documents?
- Do you understand how to structure Microsoft Word documents to be accessible (e.g. headings, lists, and tables)?
- Are you familiar with strategies for Microsoft Word document readability and legibility, including reading level, contrast levels, and font use?
- Have you used the Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker?
- Have you used the results provided to you in the Microsoft Word Accessibility Checker to remediate Word documents?
What do I need to do for the assessment?
For the assessment, you will be finding and remediating accessibility issues in a Microsoft Word document. Once you complete the assessment, you will receive personalized feedback and a mastery score from the expert assessor.
What are the technological requirements for the assessment?
You will need a:
- Desktop version of Office 365, Office 2021, or Office 2019
- Stable Internet connection (no minimum connection speed required)
- Computer with an Internet browser (e.g. Edge, Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.)
- Mobile phone* capable of receiving an SMS text message
*Why do I need a mobile phone? To log in to the my.torontomu.ca portal and access the microcredential environment (D2L Brightspace), you will need a mobile device for two-factor authentication.
How much time do I have to complete the assessment after enrolling?
You will have one week to gain access to the microcredential environment (D2L Brightspace) and explore the supporting resources and expectations for the assessment. This preparatory content is self-paced and can take approximately four to five hours to complete.
Wednesday, February 8, 2023 will be your assessment day. Once you have access to the microcredential environment (D2L Brightspace), you will choose a two hour time slot on that day that works best for you to complete the assessment.
What are my support options?
Upon enrolling, you will have access to supporting resources that will help you access the required software for the assessment. If you have any questions or experience any technical issues, you may contact Toronto Metropolitan University’s Computing and Communications Services (CCS) by email or phone.
What happens once I complete the assessment?
Once you complete the assessment, you will receive personalized feedback and a mastery score from the expert assessor.
The successful completion of the assessment will result in a shareable Toronto Metropolitan University digital credential. This credential can be shared on your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or anywhere you want to display your achievements.
If you are not able to demonstrate mastery, you can re-enrol and try again when the next offering of this microcredential is available. Be sure to review your personalized feedback and ensure that you have filled any gaps in knowledge or skill before a second attempt. The Chang School website, Understanding Document Accessibility, includes free resources on document accessibility that may also be of interest.