Creating Accessible Emails

Overview

People who are blind or have low vision can better understand and read your emails if they were made with accessibility in mind. There are five basic principles to think about when creating an accessible email.

• Structure
  • Use "Styles" to format headers and main content (in Outlook found under the "Format Text" tab).
  • Use numbered lists when there are lists of items.
• Font Selection
  • Select basic fonts (Calibri, Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica).
  • Ensure sufficient contrast between the text and background.
  • Avoid small font sizes (11 or larger).
• Color and Meaning
  • If using color to convey meaning, be sure to include another visual difference (symbol, etc).
• Images
  • Include "Alt-Text" in all images.
  • To add "Alt-Text" in Outlook 2013, right click on the image, click "Format Picture", click the "Layout and Properties button and include a description of the image in the "Description" field.
• Tables
  • Use tables for data as opposed to page layout.

Resources

Make your Outlook email accessible