Checking for Document Accessibility
Grackle Workspace
The Grackle Suite is the only set of Google Add-Ons designed specifically to review and enhance the accessibility of outputs from Google Workspace™.
You can launch Grackle Docs, Sheets, or Slides and perform further inspection and remediate any problems (requires installation of Grackle Docs and/or Grackle Sheets).
Grackle Go
Grackle GO makes it easy to ensure your PDFs are fully accessible and compliant with a browser-based platform that provides comprehensive PDF accessibility testing. This program identifies issues within documents but will not fix them for you.
Creating an account Instructions
This program requires an account, please use the link below to sign up. You will receive an email with a button to verify your account. After clicking on the button, you will be taken to the registration page. Enter your information, and you can start checking your documents!
Required Fixes for PDFs
- Scanned Documents
- Do NOT scan documents using the printer/scanners. Scanned documents are pictures and, as such, any text in them cannot be read by a screen reader.
- Do NOT scan documents using the printer/scanners. Scanned documents are pictures and, as such, any text in them cannot be read by a screen reader.
- Alternative Text (Alt Text).
- Alternative (Alt) Text is meant to convey the “why” of the image as it relates to the content of a document. It is read aloud to users by screen reader software. Do not use generic descriptions such as "Club Picture"; try "Yearbook Club Photo of members on the main staircase"
- If your image has words, you will need to type out that information unless it is also stated in another part of the document. Text boxes are considered images; they must have alternative text
- If your image is purely decorative or doesn't add anything to your document, it should be tagged as "decorative" or "Artifact" so they are not read by Assistive Technology devices.
- Alternative (Alt) Text is meant to convey the “why” of the image as it relates to the content of a document. It is read aloud to users by screen reader software. Do not use generic descriptions such as "Club Picture"; try "Yearbook Club Photo of members on the main staircase"
- Color Contrast
- The color contrast ratio between text and background must be 4.5:1 or higher
- Color Contrast Checker: https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
- Color descriptors should not be used as the sole identifying factor of an object
- EX: "Click the red button to go back, click the green button to continue" - Those using screen readers may have trouble finding the correct button due to a lack of description. Those with color blindness may have a difficult time distinguishing the two colors.
- EX: "Click the red button to go back, click the green button to continue" - Those using screen readers may have trouble finding the correct button due to a lack of description. Those with color blindness may have a difficult time distinguishing the two colors.
- The color contrast ratio between text and background must be 4.5:1 or higher
- Content should be tagged
- Documents without tags do not provide information describing the logical structure for Assistive Technology users.
- Links should be informative and have correct URL/location targets. Do not use 'Click Here.'
- Example: Click here to view the Altoona Area School District website should be:
- Documents without tags do not provide information describing the logical structure for Assistive Technology users.
View the Altoona Area School District website.
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- Tab Order
- When tabbing through items, the movement of the cursor should be in the same order as the visual layout of the page
- When tabbing through items, the movement of the cursor should be in the same order as the visual layout of the page
- Formatting Text
- The built-in style features should be used for Text, Titles, Subtitles, Alignment, Line Spacing, and Bullets and Numbering
- The built-in style features should be used for Text, Titles, Subtitles, Alignment, Line Spacing, and Bullets and Numbering
- Tables
- Tables should be tagged or marked as layout tables (data vs layout)
- Tab Order
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