Page Content

Margins

For any document, including PowerPoint slides and Web pages, it’s important to leave a margin at the sides to enhance legibility.

Text with Zero Margin

Penn State is committed to making its information technology resources accessible to all users, and to meeting the requirements of its settlement with the National Federation of the Blind. This document reports on the activities of Penn State from October 15, 2013 to October 15, 2014 to make its websites, applications, online course materials and learning technologies accessible. It should be read by anyone with a stake in making a Penn State education accessible to everyone regardless of disability.

Line Spacing

Line spacing can also affect legibility, particularly for wider blocks of text. For a very long document, consider either:

  1. Increasing line spacing beyond single point. Depending on the document 115% to 200% (double spacing) may be useful. See example below.
  2. Adding padding/white space below each paragraph. This can be done with styles in Word, HTML (CSS) or InDesign
  3. Traditional use of indenting the first line of a paragraph can also enhance legibility.

Single Space, No Padding Beneath Paragraphs

Penn State is committed to making its information technology resources accessible to all users, and to meeting the requirements of its settlement with the National Federation of the Blind.

This document reports on the activities of Penn State from October 15, 2013 to October 15, 2014 to make its websites, applications, online course materials and learning technologies accessible. It should be read by anyone with a stake in making a Penn State education accessible to everyone regardless of disability.

Spacing Set to ca. 125% with padding

Penn State is committed to making its information technology resources accessible to all users, and to meeting the requirements of its settlement with the National Federation of the Blind.

This document reports on the activities of Penn State from October 15, 2013 to October 15, 2014 to make its websites, applications, online course materials and learning technologies accessible. It should be read by anyone with a stake in making a Penn State education accessible to everyone regardless of disability.

Use More Bullets Online

If text is presented online, consider using more bullets and breaking up text into smaller chunks of text than normal academic text. Readers online tend to scan text more quickly than when reading a printed page, so these conventions help direct reader flow.

Text Alignment

For body text it is best to use left-aligned, non-justified alignment. Using other alignment options for long passages may interfere with ability for users with different reading disorders to efficiently read the text. See an example below from the W3C WAI Initiative.
Note: Different alignments can work for small passages such as document titles.

Left-Aligned Justified

June 24, 2024 — How People with Disabilities Use the Web is updated with new user stories (personas) and new videos highlighting “Accessibility: It’s about people”. It describes tools and approaches that disabled people use to interact with technology and it covers barriers that people experience because of inaccessible digital technology. The resource helps developers, designers, content creators, and others understand the reasons behind creating accessible digital products. To quote the new videos: Whatever your role, “You can help make technology accessible to me.”

Center Aligned

June 24, 2024 — How People with Disabilities Use the Web is updated with new user stories (personas) and new videos highlighting “Accessibility: It’s about people”. It describes tools and approaches that disabled people use to interact with technology and it covers barriers that people experience because of inaccessible digital technology. The resource helps developers, designers, content creators, and others understand the reasons behind creating accessible digital products. To quote the new videos: Whatever your role, “You can help make technology accessible to me.”

Right Aligned

June 24, 2024 — How People with Disabilities Use the Web is updated with new user stories (personas) and new videos highlighting “Accessibility: It’s about people”. It describes tools and approaches that disabled people use to interact with technology and it covers barriers that people experience because of inaccessible digital technology. The resource helps developers, designers, content creators, and others understand the reasons behind creating accessible digital products. To quote the new videos: Whatever your role, “You can help make technology accessible to me.”

Justified

June 24, 2024 — How People with Disabilities Use the Web is updated with new user stories (personas) and new videos highlighting “Accessibility: It’s about people”. It describes tools and approaches that disabled people use to interact with technology and it covers barriers that people experience because of inaccessible digital technology. The resource helps developers, designers, content creators, and others understand the reasons behind creating accessible digital products. To quote the new videos: Whatever your role, “You can help make technology accessible to me.”

See image below for an example badly justified text.

Shows text 'margin-right is formatted' with 2  inches between each word

Body Copy Formatting

With the exception of headlines or decorative text, it is best to avoid large blocks of italic text, colored text, underlined text, decorative fonts and capitalized letters. These formatting choices can make text difficult to read.

Below are the examples to avoid.

Don’t format Text Blocks Like this

All ItalicsAn entire block of italic can be hard to read because computer monitors may not render diagonal lines clearly.

All UnderlinedNot only is underlined text harder to read, but underlines should only be used to designate a link.

All Brightly ColoredSubtle, dark colors can work, but not long passages of brighlty colored text. Too much color can cause eyestrain and may induce migraines.

All Decorative Font – Reading times for unusual fonts are much slower, and display technologies may affect visibility. See an example below in the Microsoft Harrington semi-cursive font.

Same paragraph as above in a vintage cursive font.

All Caps – TESTS SHOW THAT READERS RELY ON CUES FROM LOWERCASE ASCENDERS & DESCENDERS….PLUS, CAPITALIZATION IS EQUATED TO "SHOUTING" ON THE WEB.

Beware Lightweight FontsLightweight fonts can blend into the background and create issues for readers with some visual disabilities.

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Last Update: December 20, 2024