Training: Accessible Google Docs

OIT Technology Accessibility Program (TAP)

Updated: August 6, 2025

Learning objectives

• Learn about Google Docs and accessibility features
• Understand if Google Docs are accessible
• Discover how to create accessible content

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Google Docs

Agenda:

• Google docs and accessibility
• Is Google Docs accessible?
• Creating accessible content
• Final thoughts
• Resources
• Questions

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Google Documents and Accessibility

Google Docs is ubiquitous in our remote working world, but it can pose accessibility barriers to some users if care is not taken to make the document accessible.

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Creating Accessible Content in Google Docs

When creating accessible content in any editing platform, it is important to understand the basics of content accessibility first.

If there is a common document format often used in your own work or your agency’s work, creating an accessible template in Google Docs is a great way to ensure that your content is created accessible every time.

So, let’s dive into creating accessible content in Google Docs!

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Headings

Broadly speaking, headings and title structure help make your site accessible and your documents readable. They have other functions too, but these are their prime purpose.

To add Headings in Google Docs:

1. Select the text that you want to assign as a heading.
2. Choose the appropriate Heading style from the Styles menu located to the left of the font styles menu.

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Descriptive Links

If URLs are used as display text, a user who relies on a screen reader or text to speech software can easily become confused as the hyperlink is read out one character at a time. A better option is to use descriptive text instead of the full URL.

To add a descriptive link in Google Docs:

1. Enter the natural language link text into your Google (Doc)ument.
2. Select the link text, right-click and choose Link.
3. Confirm the descriptive text in the Text field.
4. Enter the full hyperlink in the Link field

Descriptive link: OIT Plaza

Not descriptive: https://sites.google.com/state.co.us/stg-oit-plaza/home

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Color Contrast

To support people with low vision or color blindness, pay attention to the contrast ratio between text and the document background. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.

Example of good and poor contrast:

Two good (and free) utilities for checking the color contrast in your documents are:

• Colour Contrast Analyser
• WebAIM Color Contrast Checker

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Grackle Docs Accessibility Checker

Grackle Docs is an extension that helps find and fix accessibility issues. It's an automated checker, so a manual review is still needed to catch everything.

Grackle is available for state employees only and can be requested via the Tools page of the IT Accessibility Planning site (state access only).

How to Launch:

• Select Extensions from the top menu
• Select Grackle Docs
• Select Launch

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Grackle Docs Accessibility Checker cont.

Interpreting Results:

• Green Check: Passed
• Green Check with Exclamation Point: Passed with a warning
• Red X: Failed

Key Checks:

• Missing alternative text for images
• Correct heading structure
• Color contrast issues
• Tables that need to be tagged (see next slide for details)

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Tables in Google Docs (Slide 1 of 2)

Tables work well in Google Docs when they are used to show simple, tabular data. Tables should not be used to create layouts or page structure.

To read appropriately with assistive technologies in Google Docs, tables must have both the first row as a header row and the first column as a header column.

For Example: Price of Produce Per Pound at Various Grocery Stores

This table has a header row consisting of "Store," "Cucumbers," "Carrots," and "Apples," as well as a header column that includes "Safeway," "Trader Joe's," and "Whole Foods."

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Tables in Google Docs (Slide 2 of 2)

Using Grackle Docs to mark header rows for tables in Google Docs will help to assign appropriate header tags when the Google Doc is converted to a PDF, but this will not impact how tables are read with assistive technologies in the Google Doc itself. (The first row and the first column will always be read as headers in Google Docs.)

Complex tables (tables with more than one header row and header column) are not currently supported for assistive technologies in Google Docs.

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Alternative Text

For people who are blind, legally blind, or have low vision, obtaining information provided from images by listening to text-based descriptions called alternative text or alt-text. All images that contain important information should include alt-text. The alt-text should be as concise as possible (up to 150 characters).

To add alternative text in Google Docs:

1. Select the image, right-click and select the Alt-text option.

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Lists

Lists highlight a series of steps, requirements, or pieces of information in a visually clear way. Use lists to help your user focus on important material.

Lists are useful because they:

• Highlight levels of importance
• Help the reader understand the order in which things happen
• Help readers skim and scan
• Make it easy to identify all steps in a process
• Add white space for easy reading
• Are an ideal way to present items, conditions, and exceptions

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Final Thoughts

• Be thoughtful about your use of tables for layout design
• Less is better
• Write clear, simple, and effective content
• Define acronyms
• Content should be written in an easy-to-read, conversational style
• Put the most important content in the first paragraph
• Write short paragraphs and minimize unnecessary words. Sentence structure should be simple and varied.
• Use active voice instead of passive voice
• Choose lists over long paragraphs. Lists to make your content easier to scan.

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Resources

• Training: PDFs and Document Accessibility (Google Slides)
• Google docs accessibility guidelines - Google Help Center
• Creating an accessible template - Google Help Center
• OIT Guide to Accessible Websites

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Have a resource to share about Google Doc accessibility?

Consider sharing with the ACE: Documents Group. Contact the technology Accessibility program at OIT_Accessibility@state.co.us.

Questions?

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If you’re thinking it… most likely someone else is as well.

Reach out to the Technology Accessibility Program at OIT_Accessibility@state.co.us.