Documents

Documents are one of the most common accessibility issues across School of Medicine websites. Every document uploaded to your site, including PDFs, Word files, and PowerPoint presentations, must meet accessibility standards before being uploaded. These documents must have specific structure, tags and labels to ensure they are readable by assistive technology.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and UNC policy has rules for ensuring ALL digital content is accessible.

Use Web Pages Instead of Documents Whenever Possible

Web pages are:

• Easier to make accessible than documents
• Mobile-friendly
• Search-engine friendly
• Faster for users to read and navigate

If the information belongs directly on your website, publish it as page content instead of linking to a document.

Free Training From the DAO

UNC’s Digital Accessibility Office (DAO) offers free training to help you create accessible documents. Training options include live Zoom sessions and self-paced online courses that cover how to fix common accessibility issues in Word, PDF, PowerPoint, and Excel files.

Accessibility Checklists

The DAO also provides accessibility checklists to help you verify your documents meet UNC’s standards before uploading them to your site:

• Word Accessibility Checklist
• PDF Accessibility Checklist

Before Uploading a Document

Make Sure the Document is Accessible

• Use proper heading structure, readable text, sufficient color contrast, and meaningful link text.
• UNC’s Digital Accessibility Office (DAO) provides guides and training on how to make documents accessible.

Check That the Document is Intended For Public Sharing

• If you are not the original creator, review the file carefully before uploading.
• We’ve had incidents where CV files attached to faculty profiles included home addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, leading to patients contacting faculty at home.

Use Clear, Descriptive File Names

• Rename files before uploading (e.g., annual-report-2025.pdf instead of final_version.pdf).

Meaningful Link Text

When linking to documents, make sure the link text is clear, descriptive, and meaningful. It should accurately describe the destination or purpose of the link — not just say “click here” or “read more.”

Link text must make sense when read out of context. This is especially important for users navigating with screen readers. Learn more about and view examples of meaningful link text.

How to Link to a Document

1. Place your cursor where you want the document link to appear.
2. In the editor toolbar, click the Add Media button.

3. The Insert Media window will open. From here, you have two options:
   • Option 1: Select an Existing Document (already in the Media Library).
     • Click the Media Library tab at the top of the window (if not already selected).
     • Browse or use the search bar to find the desired document.
     • Click the document thumbnail to select it.
   • Option 2: Upload a New Document
     • Click the Upload Files tab.
     • Drag and drop your document into the upload area, or click Select Files to browse your computer.
     • Once uploaded, the document will automatically appear selected in the Media Library.

If a Document Isn’t Accessible

If you discover that a document isn’t accessible and you’re not the creator:

• Contact the document’s owner (the person or department that provided it) and let them know accessibility remediation is required before it can be posted.
• Provide resources such as a link to the DAO’s training to help them make the file compliant.
• If an accessible version isn’t available, do not upload the document. Instead, link to an accessible web page with equivalent information or request assistance from the SOM IT Web Team.

Related Resources