Don’t skip the small print: Tips for accessible fonts and text sizes

Preparing your modules and materials for the next academic year provides a great opportunity to quickly review resources to ensure that they are accessible for all our students. Making small changes to the fonts and text sizes we use can have a big impact on the student experiences, especially for those with visual impairments, dyslexia or other learning differences. Read on for some tips to improve readability and accessibility with your learning resources.

1. Choose accessible fonts

To make content easier to read and more accessible across different devices and assistive technologies, stick to clear, sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Veranda [1]. When creating documents in Word use the Styles function to structure your content with Headings. Not only will this support those using a screen reader, but the use of Headings will generate a table of contents that can help all students navigate long documents [2]. Access this from the View tab, then select Navigation Page.

2. Use appropriate text sizes

For documents a minimum of 12pt body size is recommended, with larger sizes used for headings (See Styles above). When designing slides for lectures aim for a minimum of 24pt for body text and 32pt or more for titles [1]. Keep slides uncluttered and ensure there is high contrast between the text and background for better visibility.

3. Text formatting in Learning Central

The Content Editor in Learning Central has a default setting for size 14pt and the sans-serif font Open Sans. To keep content consistent and accessible, avoid overriding these settings and use the use text heading styles to provide structure and hierarchy. If you are uploading files, ensure that they follow the same accessibility guidelines mentioned above.

By embedding these simple steps into your course design, you are helping to create a more inclusive learning environment for all students. Small changes for a big impact on digital accessibility!

Further support

For more tips on accessible fonts and formatting, visit the British Dyslexia Association’s style guide. You can also learn how to identify barriers to accessibility and how to avoid them in the Accessibility and Digital Education workshop from the Cardiff Learning and Teaching Academy.

If you need more support or have requests for new blogs, please contact LTAcademy@cardiff.ac.uk.

References

[1] National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) (n.d.) Accessibility guidelines. Washington, D.C.: National Disability Rights Network. Available at: https://www.ndrn.org/accessibility-guidelines/ (Accessed: 4 June 2025).

[2] Microsoft (n.d.) Add a heading in a Word document. Available at: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-a-heading-in-a-word-document-3eb8b917-56dc-4a17-891a-a026b2c790f2 (Accessed: 4 June 2025).