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How to create accessible resources

Creating accessible resources means making the content and design of what you produce simple and clear enough so that most people can use them without needing to adapt them, while people who do need to adapt them can do so.

The Solidarity Circle for Disability has helped to produce the following guidelines for good practice to ensure that materials are accessible. It is not exhaustive. There is no one-size-fits-all approach which will work for everybody - be prepared to be flexible.

Handouts

  • Aim for text on paper to be at least 12pt and 14pt where possible
  • Avoid using red or green for text
  • Try to use sans serif fonts (e.g. Calibri, Helvetica, Arial)
  • Turn off orphaning where possible
  • Avoid block capitals
  • Avoid underlining or italics to emphasise important sections of text, as these can be harder to read or can be mistaken for hyperlinking. If necessary, use bold
  • Line spacing should be at least 1.15
  • Avoid textboxes as these can affect reading order for those using screen readers
  • Use headings and sub-headings to provide structure to documents
  • Left-align text rather than centring it, where possible, to improve readability
  • Consider using pastel or cream coloured paper, rather than white, or providing coloured overlays. 

Emails

  • Use sans serif fonts when writing emails, ideally at 12pt or above

Presentation slides

  • Have space around the edge of slides, containing no information, so nothing is ‘cut off’, though avoid a margin in a different colour
  • Aim for all text on projected screen to be at least 28pt
  • Aim for all slides to be ‘decluttered’ and have key information in the centre of the slide, not in a multitude of different locations around the slide. Avoid lots of pictures that distract from the core information to be read
  • Leave a line between points where possible
  • Avoid textboxes that read diagonally or vertically
  • Try to ensure that backgrounds behind black or dark text are pastel-coloured or grey
  • Try to ensure that texts on dark backgrounds are white or light pastel-coloured
  • Avoid using white text on black background or black text on white background
  • Avoid using red or green for font and especially red-green clashing
  • Ideally use a solid sans serif font (e.g. Calibri, Helvetica, Arial)
  • Ensure that colour isn’t the only way of conveying information: consider using symbols or text alongside colour.

In advance of your presentation:

  • Send out slides either by default or on request ahead of the presentation, so that attendees can adjust them to suit their own needs if required
  • In addition to pdfs, consider sending an editable document, such as Word or PowerPoint. This allows people to edit text to the size and font they require
  • Ensure that the first textbox or item to be read on a slide is at the back, with other boxes and items in order towards the front, so that they are read in the correct order by screen reader software
  • Include alt text or a caption with every image, so they can be read by screen reader software. Ensure the alt text description is accurate. Try to avoid placing text within an image, as this can’t be read by most screen reader software. If this is done, ensure the text is also included alongside the image, as well as in alt text.

Content

  • Documents that are for general public readership should have a reading age of 10 or below and a readability score of close to 90-100 (find out how to check this in Word on the Microsoft website)
  • The Methodist Church inclusive language guide provides guidance on ensuring that the language you use is inclusive.

Further sources of advice from other organisations

Print resources and PDFs

PowerPoint

Social media

General

Accessibility tools to signpost users to:

If you have any feedback on this page, or any suggestions of advice or resources to be added, please contact publishing@methodistchurch.org.uk.