A guide to providing accessible information
Print documents
Printed documents come in many forms and formats but all share the common aim of using the printed word to convey information. Often printed publications, leaflets, brochures, reports and similar materials use layout, design, colour and imagery to carry their message or make the publication attractive.
Some of these strategies could lessen accessibility for disabled people. We don’t suggest that you abandon this approach as it works for most people. We suggest you think about how to present information in an alternative form for people who may find such an approach to be difficult to read or understand.
Creating alternative formats need not be a complex task if you think about the accessibility of a document at the time of writing. Before you start you might want to think about how you produce information. Somebody somewhere is likely to be writing materials which form the starting point for your promotional leaflets, web site, newsletter, job application pack or other business document.
When this first creative work starts it may be helpful to think about producing an unformatted text version. By unformatted text we mean a version of the document which does not have all the graphics and layout of the finished product but simply contains the core information.
The unformatted text document, ideally a word processing file such as Microsoft Word, provides the “raw material” from which it becomes easy to produce other formats. You can use an unformatted file to copy the basic text into desktop publishing applications and web sites.
When you start working on creating of unformatted text there are some useful guidelines:
· Use single-spacing between lines
· Keep punctuation to a minimum
· Avoid abbreviations and symbols
· Avoid using tabs and indents
· Describe diagrams and charts
· Organise the tables to read in a logical way
· Identify sections of the document by name
Prepare to make written materials available in alternative formats. This does not necessarily mean you produce them but you should be ready to provide them at short notice. It is important to minimise any unnecessary delay in producing alternative formats. In some circumstances you will want to prepare alternative formats for immediate distribution. The most commonly sought formats include:
· Large print (at least 16 point)
· Braille
· Audiotape or CD
· Electronic format
Accessible formats for printed materials
To produce accessible printed documents you need to adapt your existing document to make it into an accessible format; unless the document has already been designed with accessibility in mind.
Source: "Information Alternatives - A guide to providing accessible information
