0.6 Making documents people can actually read
Your documents work for someone using a screen reader, and for someone reading on a phone.
Before:nothing requiredUnlocks:01. Excel — First Steps07. Word — Core09. PowerPoint — Core11. Outlook & OneNote12. Copilot Across the Apps
Documents get read by screen readers, by phones, and by eyes that see contrast differently, and this topic covers the habits that make a file work for all of them: alt text on images, link text that says where it goes, colour that never carries meaning alone, and the built-in Accessibility Checker. It sits in the first module because these are cheap habits to build and expensive ones to retrofit. The common confusion is treating this as an optional extra; at SOOP the readers are real, so it is part of making a document correct, not decorating it.
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Why this matters at SOOP: real readers, real assistive technology
Documents produced here are read by real people using screen readers and magnification, and this is why the rest of the topic exists. It is a practical requirement rather than a formality.
Alt text on every image; meaningful link text
A description on every image and link text that says where it goes are the two changes with the largest effect for the least work. Link text reading as a bare address helps nobody.
Colour contrast, and never using colour alone to carry meaning
Text needs enough contrast against its background to be readable, and meaning carried by colour alone disappears for a large number of readers. Adding a second signal is usually a one-word change.
Running the Accessibility Checker and fixing what it finds
The built-in checker finds most structural problems and tells you how to fix each one. Running it before you send anything turns accessibility from a judgement call into a checklist.
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Links last checked 29 Aug 2026.
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