Google Docs

1. Locate the current title: This is typically displayed at the very top of the Google Docs interface, usually centered or slightly to the left, above the main menu bar (File, Edit, View, etc.).
2. Click to edit: Simply click on the current title (which might be the generic “Untitled document,” or a previous name).
3. Type the new title: Type in the unique, meaningful name (like Annual Report 2024 Summary).
4. Save: The title is automatically saved as you type and click away, or by simply pressing Enter.

By default, your Google Doc language may be set to English. If you need to adjust this at all follow these steps:

1. Go to File
2. Select Language
3. Verify current language is correct or change language by selecting the appropriate one from the list

1. Go to File
2. Select Page Setup
3. Adjust the orientation, paper size, color, and margins as needed
4. Select whether you are viewing as pages, or pageless
5. When you are done, select OK

• Only use a single Heading 1 (typically the main document title)
• Maintain strict hierarchy: always follow H1 with H2, H2 with H3, and so on. Do not skip levels (e.g., jump from H2 straight to H4).
• To apply a heading style, select the text, navigate to the Styles dropdown menu (usually set to ‘Normal Text’), and select the appropriate heading level (e.g., Heading 2) from the list.
• Use the built-in styles palette exclusively for creating your document structure. Never use manual formatting (bold, increased font size) to make content look like headings.
• If you make adjustments to a heading’s visual style, highlight the text and from the Styles dropdown menu select “Update [ heading #] to match.” This will apply your new visual style to every instance of the document
• Bonus! If you use headings consistently through the document, you can quickly add table of contents to your document.

• Never use asterisks, hyphens, or manual numbers. Screen readers will correctly announce the number of items and the type of list, providing valuable context.
• Nested lists are accessible only if created using the Tab key or the Increase Indent button to move sub-items to the next level.
• Caution! Limit nested lists to two or three levels maximum, as excessive depth can significantly increase cognitive load and navigational difficulty.
• A list is two or more items. Never create a list for a single item.

• Alignment: Keep the default alignment (Left Alignment). Avoid Justified Alignment as it creates inconsistent white space (“rivers”) that is difficult for users with dyslexia or cognitive disabilities to track.
• Avoid Manual Spacing: Never use the spacebar, multiple tabs, or the Enter key multiple times to force white space, indentation, or page breaks. This creates structural chaos for screen readers. Instead, use the Increase Indent tool or Tab Stops for precise indentation, and Insert > Break > Page break to move content to the next page.
• Line and Paragraph Spacing: Use adequate line spacing (1.5 lines minimum is recommended) and space after paragraphs to visually separate blocks of text, improving readability for many users. Need more precise control? Use the Line and Paragraph Spacing tool!
• Chunk lengthy paragraphs: Break large blocks of text into smaller, digestible paragraphs (“chunking”) to improve reading flow.

Using native Google Docs Tools:

1. Select the Image: Click once on the image you want to provide Alt Text for.
2. Access Image Options: Right click the image to access the image options and select Alt Text or select Format, Image, Image Options.
3. From image options, locate the Alt Text dropdown menu
4. Enter Text: A dedicated field will open, allowing you to enter the descriptive Alt Text.

Using the Grackle Docs Add-on

1. Go to Extensions, Grackle Docs, Launch.
2. Navigate to Images: In the Grackle report sidebar, click on the Images section.
3. Locate & Tag: The report lists images needing review. For each image, you can click: Locate to jump to the image in the sheet. +Tag to open the tagging window.
4. Provide Alt Text: In the tagging window, you can enter the Alternative Text description

1. Go to Extensions, Grackle Docs, Launch.
2. Navigate to Images: Click on the Images section in the Grackle report sidebar.
3. Tag the Image: Locate the decorative image in the list and click the +Tag button.
4. Mark as Artifact: In the tagging window, select the Mark as artifact option to tell screen readers to skip this image.

Note: If an image is marked as an artifact, it is completely hidden from assistive technology. Only do this if the image is indeed purely decorative.

To add a drawing to the document:

1. Select Insert then Drawing
2. Select +New or From Drive
3. Once the drawing is added to the document, select the drawing then go to Format, Image, Image Options
4. From image options, locate the Alt Text dropdown menu
5. Enter Text: A dedicated field will open, allowing you to enter the descriptive Alt Text.
6. Caution! Ensure all colors in your drawing have good contrast and are easy to read. If your drawing contains text, add the text to the alt text field as well.

Charts can be linked from another source like Grackle Sheets. Follow all guidelines for making the chart accessible in the original linked source. Visit Google Sheets: Describe Visual Elements for more tips.

To add charts to the document:

1. Select Insert then Chart
2. Select the Chart Type or From Sheets
3. If you select a chart type, you will have to edit the chart in Sheets by selecting the chart, chart options, then open source. If you select From Sheets, you will select a sheet that already exists.
4. Select the Chart: Click once on the chart you want to provide Alt Text for.
5. Access Image Options: Right click the chart to access the image options and select Alt Text or select Format, Image, Image Options.
6. From image options, locate the Alt Text dropdown menu
7. Enter Text: A dedicated field will open, allowing you to enter the descriptive Alt Text.

Insert mathematical equations using the built-in Equation tool (Insert > Equation). For complex equations, ensure the resulting image/object has accurate Alternative Text that describes the equation’s purpose or reads the equation aloud, as screen readers may not interpret the formulaic output correctly without it.

1. Select Insert, Symbols, then Equations
2. Use the New Equation tools that appear after the toolbar (menu, undo, redo, print, etc.) to write your equation. Options include Greek letters, miscellaneous operations, relations, math operations, and arrows
3. By default, the equation may be added to the alt text of the equation editor. To view or adjust this description, you must run Grackle Docs
4. Select Extensions, Launch, Grackle Docs
5. In the Images section of the report, locate the check Equations should be described
6. Select +TAG to review the current alternative text description
7. Edit as necessary and select Update
8. Repeat for every equation in the document

Use the Grackle Docs extension to identify and fix any instances of low contrast.

To check for contrast:

1. Select Extensions, Grackle Docs, Launch,
2. Open the Contents section
3. Review the check High Color Contrast Colors should be used.
4. Select Locate to identify the area of concern
5. Adjust colors as needed

Since Grackle Docs only flags color in text, use a color contrast tool like the one available from TPGi to verify the accessibility of the colors in your images, graphics, and charts. Adjust colors as needed.

To add hyperlinks to the document use one of the following methods:

1. Place your cursor where you want to add a hyperlink the select Insert, Link. Add the descriptive link text and the hyperlink.
2. Type the descriptive link in the document, highlight the text and right-click, select Insert Link from the list of options and add the hyperlink.

To add columns to a section of text:

1. Highlight the text you want in columns
2. Select Format, Columns
3. Select the number of columns you want or select More Options and select the number of columns, spacing, line between columns, and column order
4. To add a column break, place your cursor where you want to add a break, select Insert, Break, Column

Table options are a powerful tool to format the visual style of your table. To access these options use one of the following methods:

1. Right-click the table and select Table Options from the list
2. Select the table then select Format, Table, Table Options
3. Select the table then select the the More button on the toolbar (three dots on the right-hand side of the toolbar) and select Table Options
4. Within table options you have access to quick layouts, table settings, column, row, and cell settings, and color options

Pinning a header row does not make a table accessible, but it can make the content easier to follow visually it the data breaks across pages. To pin the header row:

1. Open the Table Options
2. Select the Row dropdown
3. Select Pin header row and if applicable, the number of rows

If you have data or content in the table that may span across pages, you can select to keep the content within the same page. This is helpful visually for keeping content together.

1. Select the data you want to stay together and not break across a page (this can be a single row or the entire table)
2. Open Table Options
3. Select the Row drop down
4. Unselect Allow row to overflow across pages

The formatting tools in Google Docs can help with the visual presentation of the table, but to add programmatic headers to assist screen reader users, you MUST use Grackle Docs.

1. Launch Grackle Docs
2. Select Tables must be tagged or marked as layout tables
3. Select the Locate button to locate the table
4. Select the +Tag button to open the Tag Table options
5. Update the options to define the purpose and structure of the table in your document.
6. Select Table is used for layout only if the table is purely decorative. When checked, it tells assistive technologies to ignore the table’s structure.
7. Select Mark first row as header for tables that contain data and use the top row to label the content of each column.
8. Select Mark first column as header for tables that use the first column to label the content of each row.
9. Select Associate with column headers and Associate with row headers to further define the table settings and help assistive technologies, like screen readers, understand the relationship between a data cell and its corresponding header cell in a table.
10. Use Mark as header cell for Column, Row, or Both to further define complex data tables.
11. Update and repeat as needed

To insert a table of contents to the document:

1. Place the cursor where you want the Table of Contents to go
2. Select Insert, Page Elements, Table of Contents
3. Select the style you want for your Table of Contents (plain text, dotted, or links)
4. As you edit your document, select the Update button to refresh the table
5. Select the More Table of Contents Options button to access additional formatting and heading level options

1. Place the cursor in the document where the footnote needs to go
2. Select Insert
3. Select Page Elements
4. Select Footnote
5. Add the footnote reference information in the footer
6. Repeat as needed

The page header typically includes the document title, author and / or date information. May also include page numbers, confidentiality, or version information, but this is more common in the footer.

To add headers to your document:

1. Select Insert
2. Select Page Elements
3. Select Header
4. Add content as needed, for example type the document title, author name, or date information
5. Select Options to access the Format Header menu to adjust margins or layout

The page footer typically includes page numbers, confidentiality or version information. May also include title, author or date information but this is more common in the header.

To add footers to your document:

1. Select Insert
2. Select Page Elements
3. Select Footer
4. Add content as needed, for example confidentiality or version information
5. To add page numbers, select Options, Page Numbers
6. To add page count, select Insert, Page Elements, Page Numbers, Page Count
7. Select Options to access the Format Footer menu to adjust margins or layout

1. Select Insert
2. Select Page Elements
3. Select Page Numbers
4. Select the configuration you want or select More Options