36 CFR Part 1193 Telecommunications Act (Section 255) Accessibility Guidelines

Large Print

7. Persons with low vision may require documentation to be provided in large print. Large print documents can easily be produced using a scalable font from any good word processing program and a standard laser printer. Using the document enlargement option on a photocopier will usually yield unsatisfactory results.

8. To obtain the best results follow these guidelines:

a. It is preferable to use paper that is standard 8½ x 11 inches. Larger paper may be used, but care should be taken that a document does not become too bulky, thus making it difficult to read. Always use 1 inch margins. Lines longer than 6 inches will not track well for individuals who must use a magnifier.

b. The best contrast with the least glare is achieved on very pale yellow or cream-colored non-glossy paper, such as paper that is used for photocopying purposes. To produce a more aesthetic looking document, an off-white paper may be used and will still give good contrast while producing less glare than white. Do not use dark colors and shades of red. Double-sided copying (if print does not bleed through) will produce a less bulky document.

c. Remove formatting codes that can make reading more difficult. For example, centered or indented text could be difficult to track because only a few words will fit on a line. All text should begin at the left margin. Use only left margin justification to maintain uniform spacing across lines. Right margin justification can produce uneven spacing between letters and words. Use 1¼ (1.25) line spacing; do not double space. Replace tabs with two spaces. Page numbering should be at the top or bottom left. Avoid columns. If columns are absolutely necessary, use minimum space between columns. Use dot leaders for tabular material. For those individuals who are able to read graphics (via the use of a magnifier or other assistive device) graphics should be included, but placed on a separate page from the text. For those individuals with low vision who are unable to read graphics, tables, and charts this material must be removed from the document and an accurate description of this material should be included in a text format.

d. There is no standard typeface or point size. For more universal access, use 18 point type; anything larger could make text too choppy to read comfortably. Use a good strong bold typeface. Do not use italics, fine, or fancy typefaces. Do not use compressed typefaces; there should be normal "white space" between characters.

e. Use upper and lowercase letters.

f. Using these instructions, one page of print (11-12 point type) will equal approximately three pages of large print (14-18 point) depending on the density of the text.