Using Microsoft Copilot to Help with Accessibility

Use the following AI prompts with Microsoft Copilot to help create accessible content.

To use these prompts, log in to your Microsoft Copilot Work account with your Purdue Career Account credentials. When logged in:

  1. Copy and paste the text of one of the below prompts into Copilot.
  2. Where applicable, replace [SUBJECT] and [TOPICS] with the course subject and topics if the prompt includes these.
  3. For Alternative Text prompts, upload your corresponding image(s) using the plus (+) icon
  4. Press ENTER

Choose a subject below to find out how Copilot can help:

Common accessibility issues with Microsoft Word files include:

  • Skipped or incorrect headings
  • Missing alternative text on images
  • Vague link text
  • Lack of defined table headers

Copilot can:

  • Suggest proper heading structures (H1 → H2 → H3) ​
  • Generate alt text for images based on description or the file content ​
  • Rewrite complex text into plain language​
  • Evaluate link accessibility and provide descriptive link text​
  • Suggest improvements to document reading order and structure​
  • Walk through how to use Word’s built-in accessibility review tool​
  • Provide a corrected document that incorporates fixes (it will still need manual review)​

Prompt:

You are an accessibility assistant. Evaluate and remediate the attached Word document for accessibility according to WCAG 2.1 AA and ADA Title II compliance.​

Identify issues with headings (missing headings, only one H1, proper nesting, meaningful structure), document title metadata, alt text for all images/tables, hyperlinks (descriptive, no bare URLs), lists (must be real lists, not typed characters), reading order, tables (header rows, no empty rows, no merged/split cells, correct structure).​

Produce a report for each issue: ​

  • Explain why it violates WCAG 2.1, Level AA standards​
  • Provide the recommended fix and step-by-step instructions​

After completing the evaluation and issue report, generate a fully remediated accessible Word document that incorporates all required fixes.​

Common accessibility issues with Microsoft PowerPoint files include:

  • Missing alt text for images and captions for embedded videos​
  • Missing slide titles​
  • Incorrect reading order for slide content​
  • Use of only color to convey meaning​
  • Insufficient contrast between foreground and background colors​
  • Unclear link text

Copilot can:

  • Generate and improve alt text for images, including long descriptions for complex visuals​
  • Identify accessibility issues and suggest WCAG‑aligned fixes when you upload a file to Copilot Chat​
  • Guide you through remediation tasks like fixing reading order and structure

Prompt:

You are an accessibility assistant. Review the uploaded PowerPoint for WCAG 2.1 AA and ADA Title II compliance.​

Tasks:​

  • Provide concise alt text (no more than 150 characters) for all meaningful images. For charts or diagrams include both ashort alt text (≤150 characters) and a 2–4 sentence long description. Note any images that should be marked asdecorative.​
  • Identify any accessibility issues on each slide such as missing alt text, incorrect reading order, or unclear link text. Provide aclear fix for each one, including the exact steps to apply the correction in PowerPoint.​
  • Identify any images of text or scanned pages, use OCR or other methods to convert them, and provide clear, replacementtext.​

Common accessibility issues with Microsoft Excel:

  • Missing table header rows​
  • Unclear names of sheets (tabs) in an Excel Workbook​
  • Missing content in the first cell (which is where screen readers start)​
  • Plain-language descriptions of data​
  • Missing chart labels

Copilot can:

  • Format table content​
  • Generate groupings for tables or generate pivot tables to present the data differently​
  • Give each sheet a unique and descriptive name​
  • Add descriptions to sheets and tables​
  • Ensure charts and other graphics have descriptive titles and labels as well as alt text​
  • Generate alt text for charts

Prompt:

You are an accessibility assistant. Review the uploaded Excel for WCAG 2.1 AA and ADA Title II compliance. ​

Reference the following links for accessibility guidelines to help with your review:​

Provide clear step-by-step instructions on how to fix any problems you find.​

Prompt for a single image

You are the Alt Text generator. Your task is to create helpful, accessible alt text for an image used in a course. Follow WCAG 2.1 AA standards to ensure clarity and usability.

Alt Text Writing Guidelines:

  • The alt text description should be written in clear, natural language that explains the image as if to a student who cannot see it.
  • Focus on what is visible in the image. Describe objects, colors, layout, and any legible text.
  • Keep descriptions clear and concise. Aim for under 150 characters for easy screen reader use.
  • Use simple, direct language. Describe without interpretation or explaining concepts.
  • Avoid phrases like “image of”, “screenshot of”, or similar.

Describe this image in detail for accessibility purposes. This image is from a [SUBJECT] course, possibly covering the following topics: [TOPICS].

Prompt for two or more images

You are the Alt Text generator. Your task is to create helpful, accessible alt text for a series of standalone images from a course document. Follow WCAG 2.1 AA standards to ensure clarity and usability.

Alt Text Writing Guidelines:

  • The alt text description should be written in clear, natural language that explains the image as if to a student who cannot see it.
  • Focus on what is visible in the image. Describe objects, colors, layout, and any legible text.
  • Keep descriptions clear and concise. Aim for under 150 characters for easy screen reader use.
  • Use simple, direct language. Describe without interpretation or explaining concepts.
  • Avoid phrases like “image of”, “screenshot of”, or similar.

Describe these images in detail for accessibility purposes. They are from documents used in a [SUBJECT] course, possibly covering the following topics: [TOPICS].

Prompt for Alternative Text and Long Image Description

Use this prompt for more complex images that require more detail. Image descriptions should be added in the body of text somewhere near the image. The image will still need the alternative text added.

You are the Alt Text and Long Description generator. Your task is to create helpful, accessible alt text and long descriptions for a series of standalone images from a course document. Follow WCAG 2.1 AA standards to ensure clarity and usability. 

General Guidelines: 

  • Write in clear, natural language that explains the image as if to a student who cannot see it. Use simple, direct language. 
  • Avoid interpretation, subjective language, or making assumptions about what the viewer should infer. Describe only what is visible. 
  • Avoid phrases like “image of”, “screenshot of”, “this image displays”, “the image consists of” or similar. 

Alt Text Writing Guidelines: 

  • Succinctly convey the image’s purpose or identify it. 
  • Aim for under 125 characters for easy screen reader use.  

Long Description Writing Guidelines: 

  • Cover all essential visual details that the image conveys visually, such as data, relationships, trends, spatial layout, and structure. 
  • Describe notable trends, patterns, or comparisons. 
  • Include colors, sequences, or layout relationships only if they carry important meaning. 
  • Ensure that any text present in the image is digitized. 
  • Use complete sentences and organize information logically for clarity.