How to Make a PDF Form Accessible

In today’s post, we dive into PDF form accessibility in Adobe Acrobat Pro. From providing equal opportunities to users with disabilities, to improving user experience, creating accessible PDF forms has become a necessary skill in today’s digitized world.

Video Guide

Understanding the Importance of Accessible PDF Forms

Every digital content creator must prioritize accessibility. Making a PDF form accessible ensures that it is compliant with Section 508, a federal law requiring all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the federal government to be accessible to people with disabilities.

Creating an Accessible PDF Form: The Adobe Acrobat Pro Way

A step-by-step guide can simplify the process of making an accessible PDF form using Adobe Acrobat Pro. This comprehensive guide offers a seamless roadmap to creating an accessible PDF form, starting from a basic structure created in Microsoft Word to a finalized, accessible form. The process can be broadly divided into four phases.

1. Applying Accessibility: The first step involves applying accessibility to the document. This includes working with tags, removing unnecessary elements, assigning appropriate heading levels, and setting up the basic structure of the document.
2. Checking Accessibility: This step involves running an accessibility checker, which checks if the document is accessible, identifying any issues that need to be addressed.
3. Adding Form Fields: This step involves adding form fields in the document. Adobe Acrobat Pro comes with a handy feature – ‘Prepare Form’ – that helps auto-detect form fields, making the process smoother.
4. Setting Up Accessibility and Final Checks: This final phase involves detailed work with tags and form fields. It also includes running the accessibility checker once more to ensure that all elements of the form are indeed accessible.

Download the Free Section 508 Checklist for PDF Accessibility:

Creating an accessible PDF form involves in-depth understanding and meticulous execution. However, with tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro, the process can become significantly easier. This is not just about compliance with laws. It’s about providing an inclusive digital environment.

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!