Today’s post is an overview of PDF accessibility. It explains what makes a PDF accessible and why accessibility is important. It highlights how accessible PDFs are designed to be usable by everyone, by ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers, text-to-speech programs, and Braille displays.
Video Guide
Understanding PDF Accessibility
What is an Accessible PDF?
An accessible PDF is a document that can be used by anyone, regardless of disability or technology barriers. These documents must be compatible with various assistive technologies and accessible on different devices, ensuring that content can be easily navigated and read by all users.
Assistive Technology Compatibility
Accessible PDFs must work with screen reader technology like Jaws or NVDA, text-to-speech programs, Braille displays, and other assistive technologies. They should also be accessible on mobile devices and capable of being zoomed in to 200% or more without losing content or structure.
Compliance Standards
There are various accessibility standards that PDFs can comply with, and the appropriate standard often depends on the type of entity or business:
- Section 508 Standards: A US federal standard ensuring accessibility for electronic and information technology.
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Includes AA and AAA levels of compliance.
- PDF/UA Standards: An international standard for ensuring universal accessibility of PDF documents.
- HHS Standards: Specific to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The Accessibility Guy advises organizations to aim for the more rigorous PDF/UA standards rather than just Section 508 compliance.
Download the Free Section 508 Checklist for PDF Accessibility:
Common Elements in PDF Accessibility Standards
Document Structure Tags
Accessible PDFs include these key elements:
- Headings: Properly tagged to organize content.
- Links, Lists, and Tables: Structured to ensure readability and navigation.
- Figures and Artifacts: Tagged appropriately, with figures requiring alternate text descriptions.
- Form Fields: Properly tagged and accessible.
Metadata
Accessible PDFs must include appropriate metadata such as title, author, keywords, subject, and language.
Reading Order
Correctly set the reading order via the tags panel and the reading order panel to ensure that the document’s content flows logically when read by a screen reader.
Practical Steps for PDF Accessibility
Using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
To make a PDF accessible using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC:
- Open the Tags Panel: Correctly tag all content.
- Check Metadata: Include necessary information like title and author.
- Run Accessibility Checker: Use the built-in tool to identify and fix accessibility issues.
- Manual Check: Always manually check the color contrast and reading order as automated tools aren’t perfect.
The video linked above does an example walkthrough of the process.
Conclusion
This post emphasizes the importance of making PDFs accessible to ensure inclusivity and compliance with legal standards. By following the guidelines and using tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, organizations can create documents that are accessible to everyone.
Let me be your champion for inclusion. I offer tailored solutions (and self-paced courses!) to ensure your documents meet and exceed compliance expectations. For more detailed insights, tutorials, and in-depth discussions on accessibility and related topics, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel: The Accessibility Guy on YouTube. Subscribe for regular updates!
