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Alternate formats

On this page

An alternate format is any different way of presenting print information. This could be audio, braille, large print or Easy Read. If requested by someone, every printed publication must be available in all these formats.

The following statement must be included in all printed publications:

“To receive this document in another format such as large print or audio, phone [insert contact name and contact phone number] or email [insert contact name and contact email address].”

The National Relay Service(opens in a new window) is available as a phone solution for people who are d/Deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Australia-wide. All calls are confidential.

National Relay Service (NRS)

If you are d/Deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech/communication difficulty please contact us by:

Step 1

Contact us through your preferred NRS call channel detailed on NRS call numbers and links.

Step 2

Provide the NRS with our phone number [contact phone number].

This document can also be found in HTML format on our website [insert link].”

The phone and email added to the statement must be the team who authored the publication.

For information on creating alternate formats contact [insert appropriate department email].

Producing alternate formats

Creating alternate formats of print documents is a specialised skill. It’s important to engage a qualified professional to produce them.

All alternate formats must be prepared so all meaningful text, imagery, audio, diagrams and references found in the original are accessible.

Video and audio

All new videos produced by Victorian Public Service bodies and Special bodies must include closed captions. If you use auto-generated closed captions make sure to check they are correct before publishing your video. It is good practice to also provide a transcript of your video.

All audio produced by Victorian Public Service bodies and Special bodies must have a transcript accompanying it.

Auslan and audio description

Auslan is the sign language of the Australian Deaf community. It is a visual-spatial language. It is not just English expressed through hand signs and facial expressions. For some people who are d/Deaf, Auslan is their first language.

Audio description is added narration to a video providing details on the movements, gestures, props, settings, costumes and scenery. The audio description is woven between the dialogue. It is important for people who are blind or live with low vision and can also be helpful for people who need help to understand what is being shown on screen.

This policy details the minimum requirements for video produced by Victorian Public Service bodies and Special bodies. You should consider when producing video whether a version with an Auslan interpreter should also be produced and if you should include audio description.

PDF files and web pages

PDF files are a common file type but are hard to make accessible.

Web pages are the best way to present information online. It is the most accessible format, is easier to view on mobile phones and is good for search engine optimisation.

All content on websites should be presented as web pages. Where possible, a PDF file will only be uploaded if there is another version also provided. This other version could be a web page or a Microsoft Word document.

If you have a PDF that can’t be uploaded as a web page and you can’t provide a second version, contact your strategic communications team and/or digital publishing team to discuss options.

Microsoft Word can be made more accessible than other file formats. It’s important to remember, you still need to check your document is accessible. You can do this using the Accessibility Checker.

Note: once you have created a web page version of your document, that is the accessible version. You do not need to provide anything further.

Updated 25 August 2025

Victorian Government accessible communications policydocx657.28 KB

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