Document Accessibility Services

---

Do you have a backlog of documents that aren't accessible? Or do you routinely create documents that need to be accessible? I'll bring them up to WCAG 2.1 AA, PDF/UA, and Section 508 standards. For Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files, this includes adding alt text, aligning heading structure, correcting inaccessible tables, checking color contrast, and more. For PDFs (this is the most common remediation I perform), this includes everything mentioned already plus adding proper tags, manually checking the tag tree structure, setting appropriate document properties, fixing table structure, cross-checking (or adding) internal hyperlinks, testing in a screen reader, etc. Automated checkers only catch 30-40% of issues. The remaining 60-70% requires human judgment from a qualified professional, someone who actually knows how to evaluate whether alt text is meaningful, whether reading order makes sense, and whether a document genuinely works with a screen reader.

Give your whole team the skills to build accessibility into your documents from the start, instead of scrambling to add accessibility at the last minute. Baking accessibility into your documents during the creation phase is the most effective way to lower your remediation costs, both in time and money. These virtual group sessions walk through the real, practical habits that make the biggest difference, in the tools your team already uses (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more). Sessions are customized to your team's size and current skill level, whether that's a single 90-minute crash course or a multi-part series.

Sometimes one person needs focused, one-on-one time. Maybe you're the one responsible for accessibility compliance, or you want to work through a specific document together in real time. These sessions are built around your actual work. Bring a document you're stuck on, or questions about a workflow, and we'll work through it together. Individual coaching is the right fit for you if group training doesn't match your schedule, or if you want deeper, personalized troubleshooting beyond what a workshop covers.

Not sure how big the problem is? I can give you a clear, prioritized picture of where your documents currently stand against WCAG, PDF/UA, and Section 508 standards, without committing to a full remediation project upfront. You'll get a report that flags specific issues — missing alt text, poor contrast, broken reading order, and more — along with a roadmap for what to fix first. It's a low-commitment way to understand your risk and plan next steps, whether you handle the fixes yourself, bring in your team, or come back to me for remediation. If you're a public entity working toward the 2027 or 2028 Title II deadline, an audit is also the clearest way to see exactly how much work is ahead of you so you can plan a realistic timeline instead of guessing.

Starting a new document or publication? I'll design it to be accessible from the very first draft (proper heading hierarchy, sufficient color contrast, readable fonts and sizing, and a logical structure that works whether someone's reading visually or with a screen reader). Building accessibility in at the design stage is almost always faster and cheaper than fixing it later, and it means you're not choosing between good design and accessible design. Remediation services are always available for your finished documents.

Training your team is only half the equation. They also need accessible starting points to work from. I design custom, reusable, accessible templates in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and InDesign. I'll walk you through how to use the file, including how to properly apply all native accessibility options available to you. I also provide an accompanying SOP document so that accessibility doesn't depend on everyone remembering every rule every time. This pairs naturally with training: your team learns the habits, and the templates make it easy to apply them consistently, without rebuilding proper structure from scratch on every new document. Again, I am available to remediate your finished documents.

For organizations that need accessibility expertise on an ongoing basis, not just for a single project, a retainer gives you a standing relationship instead of a series of one-off requests. That might mean a set number of hours each month for remediation, reviewing new documents before they go out, or being available for quick questions as they come up. Retainers are scoped around your organization's actual volume and needs, so you get predictable support without paying for a full-time hire, and for public entities, it's a straightforward way to stay compliant past your Title II deadline, not just up to it.