How to Make PDFs Accessible | Episode 16: Merced College

Welcome to Episode 16 of our College PDF Accessibility series. Today, we focus on Merced College’s Disability Verification form.

Video Guide

If you’re interested in the real-life practice and nuances of document remediation, here are Episode 1, Episode 2,  Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15 and Episode 17 in our PDF Accessibility Community College Series.

PDF Accessibility: The Process

We started by auto-tagging the document to create a basic structure. This automated process provided a starting point, but we knew we would have to refine the tags manually.

• Add Document Tag: Create a document tag as the root element, giving the document a clear structure. This is the first step in making a PDF accessible, as it helps assistive technologies navigate the document efficiently.
• AdjustTag Structure: Clean up the tag structure by removing nested tags and ensuring each element is correctly tagged.
• Proper Form Field Tagging: Properly tag all form fields and add tooltips to each form field, providing additional information about the field’s purpose. Ensure that the reading order of the form fields is logical, which is crucial for users relying on screen readers. Review the video guide for an exhaustive tutorial on properly tagging form fields!
• The accessibility checker: After making loads of manual adjustments, run Adobe Acrobat’s accessibility checker to ensure the document meets the required standards.
• More rigorous Accessibility checking: To verify compliance with PDF UA and WCAG standards, use the PAC checker. The final review confirmed that the document was now accessible, with all required tags, tooltips, and metadata correctly implemented.

Conclusion

This episode demonstrated the complexities and challenges of making PDF documents accessible. Despite setbacks, we showed how to systematically identify problems and implement solutions to improve document accessibility. By focusing on proper tagging, structure elements, and form field management, the Disability Verification Form is now accessible.

Download the Free Section 508 Checklist for PDF Accessibility:

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!