Google Docs and Meeting Agendas
Google Docs and Meeting Agendas
Accessible Google Docs are easier for everyone to read, navigate, and understand. By following these steps, you’ll create documents that work better for all users, including those using assistive technologies.
An automated accessibility checker can help you spot and fix accessibility issues as you work.
Recommended tool: Grackle Accessibility Checker. Grackle scans Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets for accessibility issues and provides guided suggestions for improvement.
Tip: Automated tools don’t catch everything but they’re an excellent way to start building awareness and maintaining accessible practices as you edit.
Metadata helps users and assistive technologies understand what your file is about.
Give your document a clear title and file name.
Set the document language to help screen readers pronounce text correctly.
How to Add Metadata
Rename the file at the top of your document and select File → Language to set the correct language.
Headings provide a logical outline for your document and make it easier to navigate with screen readers.
Use Heading 1 for the document title (only once).
Use Heading 2, Heading 3, etc. for subsections.
Keep the structure hierarchical—don’t skip heading levels (e.g., avoid jumping from Heading 1 to Heading 4).
How to Add Headings
Select text → go to the Styles dropdown → choose a heading level.
Readable text benefits everyone, especially users with vision or processing differences.
Use a sans-serif font like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Verdana.
Keep font size at least 11pt for documents (and 18pt for slides).
Use 1.5 line spacing for readability.
Left-align text—avoid justified or centered alignment for body text.
Lists help organize information and make it easier to scan and understand.
Convert long paragraphs into bulleted or numbered lists when possible.
Lists help screen reader users identify and navigate items efficiently.
How to Add Lists
Select text → choose Format → Bullets & numbering → select your preferred style.
Descriptive links tell users exactly where a link will take them—especially important for screen readers.
Avoid “click here” or “read more.”
Use meaningful text, like “View the Accessibility Guidelines.”
If printing, include both the descriptive link and full URL. (Use short URLs when possible: s.esu10.org)
How to Edit Link Text
Highlight text → right-click → Insert link or Edit link → add descriptive text.
Alt text ensures that visual information is accessible to users who can’t see images.
Keep alt text concise and descriptive—like a short sentence.
Don’t include phrases like “image of” or “photo of.”
If the image is decorative, mark it as such.
How to Add Alt Text
Right-click on the image → Alt text → enter a short description.
Tables can present challenges for screen readers if not structured properly.
Only use tables for data, not for layout.
Include header rows and column headers for context.
Keep the table simple and logical—avoid merged or blank cells.
Add a table title or caption to describe the content or purpose.
Tip: Screen readers navigate tables cell by cell. A clearly structured table helps users understand relationships between rows and columns.
How to Add Table Headers
Click anywhere in the table → Format → Table → Table properties → select Row header or Column header.
Ensure text and background colors have enough contrast for readability.
Maintain a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text.
Avoid light text on light backgrounds or dark text on dark backgrounds.
Use an accessibility checker or tools like TPGi’s Color Contrast Analyzer to test contrast.
Color can highlight information, but it shouldn’t be the only way you communicate meaning.
Combine color with another visual cue—like text labels, patterns, or icons—so the message is clear for users who can’t perceive color differences.