TRANSCRIPT OF CREATING ACCESSIBLE TABLES

[Narrator] When you need to create a table, there are several things 
you'll need to keep in mind to ensure your table is accessible 
to all of your students.

In this video, we'll take a look at how to assign a header row and title, 
how to check reading order, and what to avoid when creating a table.

Generally speaking, keeping the table as simple as possible is the first step 
to ensure that it's accessible. Tables should be limited to simple data
or other information that can be logically displayed in this format, 
such as a schedule.

Rather than using space bar or the Tab key to piece together a table, use your 
content authoring software's built-in tools that allow you to create a structured 
table.

For example, on Microsoft Word's Insert tab, you can use the Table command 
to create a table of any size. To help identify the expected contents of the 
table, provide a title.

In Microsoft Word, you'll provide a title through the Insert Caption feature.
To access it, select the table, right-click, and select Insert Caption.

My table will include weekly assignments and readings, so that's 
what I'll type next to Table 1.
When I click OK, the title appears above the table.

In PowerPoint, use the slide's title placeholder
to indicate a table is appearing on the slide.

Identifying the table's header row helps to orient a screen reader user
by identifying the table's column titles. In Microsoft Word, the header 
row is a feature that also comes in handy when your table extends beyond one page.

When that happens, the header row will be repeated at the top of the next page,
making it easier to reference the column titles. To create a header row in Word,
highlight the first row and right-click. Select Table Properties, and then the Row tab.

Check the box next to Repeat as header row at the top of each page and then 
we'll close the dialog box.

As you populate your table, make sure to use all of the cells and 
avoid merging or splitting cells. If you need to leave a cell blank,
type the word blank or another indicator that makes sense in the context of the table,
such as To Be Determined. This will help a screen reader user avoid becoming disoriented 
while navigating the information in your table.

If desired you can visually hide this text by changing its color to match 
the background. It's still there for the screen reader user, but appears as 
a blank cell for other students. After you've finished entering information 
into your table, it's a good idea to check the table's reading order.

The contents should make sense  when read left to right, top to bottom.
To check the reading order, place the cursor in the first cell and then 
press the tab key on your keyboard. See how the focus moves to the next 
cell to the right? That's the expected behavior.

Press Tab a few more times to make sure the cursor moves to the 
right and then down to the next row. 

Great, this table has proper reading order.

When you need to structure information or data into a table,
creating a header row and title, avoiding blank, merged, or split cells,
and checking the reading order will ensure the information in your table
is available to all of your students.