The Accessibility Checker in Microsoft Word is a powerful tool designed to help users create documents that are accessible to everyone. By identifying and suggesting fixes for common accessibility issues, this tool ensures that your content can be easily read and understood by individuals using screen readers or other assistive technologies. The Accessibility Checker not only highlights areas that need improvement but also provides guidance on how to make your document more inclusive, promoting better communication and equal access to information for all users. 

Some common accessibility issues covered by the Accessibility Checker include: 

• Missing Alt Text: Images without alternative text descriptions. 
• Poor Color Contrast: Text that doesn't stand out against the background. 
• Inconsistent Heading Structure: Improper use of headings that affects navigation. 
• Missing Document Title: Lack of a clear, descriptive title. 
• Non-Descriptive Hyperlinks: Links that don't provide context about their destination. 
• Tables Without Headers: Tables that lack header rows to define the data. 
• Missing Language Specification: Not specifying the document's language for screen readers. 

a. Go to the "Review" tab on the Ribbon.

b. Click on "Check Accessibility" in the "Accessibility" group.

c. The accessibility checker will automatically run when you open it

1. The Accessibility Checker pane will open on the right side of your screen.
2. It will display a list of issues categorized as Errors, Warnings, Tips, and Intelligent Services.
3. For more information on how findings are categorized, see Microsofts Rules for the Accessibility Checker.

1. Clicking on the item within the list of errors will highlight/select it within the document.

1. For example, if an image is missing alt text, you can add a description by right-clicking the image, selecting "Edit Alt Text", and entering a meaningful description.