Creating Accessible Tables in Microsoft Word

You can create accessible tables for JAWS 6.0 or later solely by using functionality available in Microsoft® Word. This means that even those who do not use JAWS can mark table row and/or column headers for JAWS users.

Remember to use styles in Microsoft Word when creating documents. JAWS users can also use navigation quick keys to move through a document searching for any of the following:

NOTE: Microsoft Word styles also provide the structure for tags in PDF documents when the Word documents are converted into portable document format.

Table Reading Keystrokes for JAWS and MAGic

EXERCISE: First, let's take a look at some of the table reading keystrokes used with JAWS and MAGic.

Column Headers for Word Tables

If the table spans more than one page remember to mark the row with the column headings in the table properties to "Repeat as header row at the top of each page." Make sure the cursor is in the table row or rows that are header rows. If more than one row contains headers, select all the header rows first. Then do the following:

  1. Press the APPLICATION Key or right click to open a context menu.
  2. Choose Table Properties (R). The Table Properties multi page dialog box opens.
  3. Press CTRL+TAB to move to the Row tab page.
  4. Press TAB to move to and check the check box for Repeat as header row at the top of each page.
  5. Press ENTER to close the dialog box and save the changes.
Word 2003 and Prior Versions Word 2010
Press ALT+A to open the Table menu, then H for Heading Rows Repeat. Choose the Layout tab of the ribbon. ALT+JL, then J for Repeat Header Rows.

Tables with both Row and Column Headers

To make row and column headers in tables accessible to users of JAWS 6.0 or later, start Microsoft Word and open the document containing the table.

If the table has both row and column headers:

  1. Place the insertion point in a cell where the row and column containing the headers meet.
  2. Open the Insert menu and choose Bookmark (see table below).
  3. Type "Title" without the quotes and press ENTER.

Tables with only Row Headers

  1. Place the insertion point in any cell within the column containing the headers.
  2. Open the Insert menu and choose Bookmark (see table below).
  3. Type "RowTitle" without the quotes and press ENTER.
Word 2003 and Prior Versions Word 2010
Open the Insert menu (ALT+I), then choose Bookmark (K) Activate the Insert tab of the ribbon (ALT+N), then choose Bookmark (K)

Tables with only Column Headers

  1. Place the insertion point in any cell within the row containing the headers.
  2. Open the Insert menu (ALT+N) and choose Bookmark (K).
  3. Type "ColumnTitle" without the quotes and press ENTER.

TIP: Do not place a bookmark in each cell that contains a header. JAWS recognizes all cells in the marked row and/or column as a header.

Documents with Multiple Tables

Microsoft Word does not allow two bookmarks to use the same name. If there is more than one table in your document, add a number or descriptive word to the end of the bookmark text used to indicate headers. For example:

Title_1
RowTitle_Revenue
ColumnTitle_Expenses


Any JAWS user can override the information provided by the table author by using the Adjust JAWS Options dialog box (INSERT+V).


EXERCISE: Open the first practice document included and follow along with the instructor to mark row and column headers using the Bookmark feature in Microsoft Word.

Open the second practice document included and follow along with the instructor to mark row and column headers using the Bookmark feature in Microsoft Word.


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