21 Tables
A first step in creating accessible tables is to make sure they are structured as simply as possible. This means avoiding nested tables, split cells, and merged cells, all of which can interfere with a screen reader’s ability to navigate the table. Try to keep tables concise, preferably limited to one page or less. Avoid using blank rows or columns to format the contents of your table. Instead, format your content using the line spacing function.
While it may be tempting to copy and paste an image of a table into your document, doing so compromises its accessibility. It is also impossible to create an accessible table using the Draw Table function. Instead, use the Insert Table tool in Microsoft Word to add your table to the document.
Once you the layout of your table, go to Table > Insert Table to include the rows and columns you’ll need. Then, identify which row contains the column headers: having clearly labelled column headers can also make your table’s content easier to navigate.
Next, go to Table Properties to change a few settings (either right click on the table and go to Table Properties, or click on the table and go to Table Tools < Layout < Properties). Go to Row, and uncheck the box beside ‘Allow row to break across pages’. Next, check the box beside ‘Repeat as header row at the top of each page’.
Once you’ve changed the row settings, you can now add alt text. Under Table Properties, click on the Alt Text tab. You can now enter a title and description for the table.
Finally, properly captioning tables can make navigating from table to table easier. Meaningful caption text can also help the reader understand exactly what each table includes.
Additional Resources
For more on tables, see Tables – Getting Started with Open Educational Resources.
Digital Accessibility @ Iowa includes information about tables in its guides, “Accessibility Practices in Microsoft Word” and “Accessibility Practices in Adobe Acrobat Pro.”
The University of Minnesota provides information about the impact of accessible tables, Dos and Don’ts, and How-to’s on its page available here.
