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This page defines what an accessible document is, as well as the benefits provided by making documents accessible. It provides resources and guidance on how to convert PDFs into accessible web pages or other alternatives.
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What Is an Accessible Document?
Generally, when we talk about accessible documents on the web, we mean accessible PDFs. Unless a source document (like Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign) was created and converted with accessibility in mind, it is most likely not accessible. Inaccessible documents make it difficult or impossible for people with disabilities to read or interact with the contents of that PDF.
It has become a frequent practice to convert a source document into a PDF and post it to the web instead of creating an HTML web page. It is possible to continue the practice of converting source documents to PDFs, but special training and/or paid professional remediation is needed to do this in a way that does not create barriers for people with disabilities. However, the benefits of converting those documents to web pages often outweigh the drawbacks.
Benefits of Converting Inaccessible PDFs to Web Pages:
- Faster and less costly since all PDFs must be accessible
- Easier (and less costly) to edit when changes need to take place
- Much easier to make the content accessible to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 standards
- Improved search engine optimization (SEO) or the “findability” of information
- Improved readability for everyone who uses mobile devices to consume the information
Some Alternatives to PDFs Include:
- A web page(s) created on the web CMS
- If the document should be printed, a print stylesheet can be added.
- A Qualtrics form, a Microsoft Form, or a Drupal form
- Link to an interactive map
- Inclusion of text-based directions (e.g. approaching from north, south, etc.)
- A text description of the PDF content
- e.g. a simple but detailed text description of an infographic or chart added to a web page and associated with the PDF document
- EPUB: This format offers dynamic reflowable text (so it works well with mobile devices) and it is easier to make accessible because it is HTML based.
- Microsoft documents that have not been converted to PDF
- This may not be the best solution for documents that should not be edited by users.
Please remember all these options will still need to be formatted for accessibility. For example, converting an inaccessible PDF into a web page does not make the PDF content “accessible”, it just makes the process of making the content accessible easier.
What Is a Good “Use Case” for PDF Files?
PDF stands for portable document format and was invented by Adobe to maintain the appearance and structure of a document across any platform. This open standard file format is regulated by the ISO (International Standards Organization) and includes PDF/A for archiving, PDF/E for engineering PDF/X for printing, and PDF/UA for accessible documents
. PDFs can, in fact, be made accessible through the proper use of tags
, which will also allow reflow of content for people using mobile devices.
Can I Remediate PDFs “In-House”?
The process of remediating inaccessible PDF documents into PDF/UA-compliant documents is often quite technical and labor intensive. Ohio University does not currently employ any professional PDF remediators. However, 20 members of the OHIO digital accessibility network ( OHIO DAN
) have earned our DAC ( Document Accessibility Champion
) certification and have been trained to create more accessible source documents.
Accessible source documents can be transformed into more accessible PDF documents which can either be uploaded to the web (if they pass automated and manual tests) or greatly reduce the cost of professional remediation. Please check the DAC webpage
to see if there is an accessibility champion in your department who may be available to help.
This is a great option for simple content like documents with headings, text, simple tables, and images only. A PDF document with a form
, an infographic
, or with a complex table
for example, would be considered complex and require professional remediation.
How Will I Know That a Document Is Accessible?
Ask the question, “Was the source document created with accessibility in mind”? If the answer is “no” OR “I don’t know” then the answer is no. There are quite a few things to learn about creating accessible documents, here are a few of them:
- Properly use built-in styles for headings, lists, blockquotes, tables of contents, and more.
- Create hyperlinks that describe where the link will go
. Never use generic language like “click here” or “learn more”
- Provide a lot of color contrast between the font color and the background color for all text
- For accessibility purposes the minimum difference between foreground and background colors is 4.5:1 – you will need a color contrast checker (available for Windows and Mac in the Software Center or on the web via WebAim
) to verify that unless the colors are black and white
- Set the table headers
for data tables correctly.
- Add alternative text
to all images.
- Use accessibility checkers
.
- Do not use “Print to PDF” to convert to PDF, “ Save to PDF
” is the best choice for most circumstances.
The Microsoft website has helpful information about improving the accessibility of source documents
.
Checking Your PDF for Accessibility
It is a little trickier to test your PDF for accessibility. To get a general idea, you can get the PAC 2021 Checker
from the software center if you use the Windows operating system. You can then download the document you want to test and drop it into the checker, and it will run a comprehensive check of PDF/UA standards. All areas must show a green checkmark for the document to “pass.” However, even though the document may “pass” this check, that does not mean the document actually works well for people with disabilities, but it is a good step in the journey toward improved accessibility.
Likewise, you can also use the accessibility Checker in Adobe’s Acrobat Pro (not in Acrobat Reader), however, that checker does not catch PDF/UA requirements, but it is useful especially if you are using a Mac OS environment. If you are using a Mac, consider using the university’s VDI or Parallels to access a Windows environment to use the PAC 2021 or similar checker.
If your document contains any complex elements like complex tables, forms, infographics, charts, complex heading structures, etc., those documents must be professionally remediated and checked manually for compliance.
What is Professional Remediation and When Do I Need It?
Ohio University has preferred vendors for professional document remediation and requests for that process are handled through UCM ( University Communications and Marketing
). Professional remediators will add or edit the tag structure in a PDF so that the structure and functionality can be correctly communicated to people who use assistive technology like screen readers and voice controllers. Professional remediators will never change the look or function of a PDF, so if there are color contrast issues for example, those will need to be addressed before sending the document for remediation.
Once your document is remediated, it should be locked for editing. If an update is needed to the document, it must be sent in for remediation again. The remediation company should provide you with a report verifying PDF/UA compliance for both automated checks and manual checks.
