Overview
Creating accessible documents ensures that all students, including those using screen readers and other assistive technologies, can access your course materials. While native formats (such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs) are often easier to make accessible, PDF files frequently require remediation. This step-by-step guide walks you through the essential process of checking and fixing accessibility issues in PDF files using Adobe Acrobat Pro.
View Adobe Acrobat's video on What Accessible PDFs Are and Why They Matter
In this video, you will learn:
- The core elements of an accessible PDF (reading order, headings, alt text, and tags).
- How screen readers interact with digital documents.
- The legal and educational impact of digital accessibility on student success
Federal accessibility policy (Section 508 / OMB M-24-08) emphasizes using digital-first, web-based formats (HTML) whenever possible.
Why HTML/Source docs first?
Web pages and source files adapt naturally to screen sizes, mobile devices, and screen readers. PDFs are fixed-layout documents that often require extensive manual tagging to become accessible.
When to Use PDFs:
Use PDFs only when necessary (e.g., formal official forms, legal documents, or printable materials). Whenever you do use a PDF, ensure it is fully remediated and tested for accessibility.
View Adobe Acrobat's video on How to Create and Remediate Accessible PDFs in Acrobat
In this video, you will learn:
- How to run Adobe Acrobat Pro’s built-in Accessibility Checker.
- How to automatically and manually fix common errors (e.g., missing title, unmapped tags, missing language setting).
- How to adjust page reading order and add alternative text to images directly in Acrobat.
For step-by-step instructions maintained directly by Adobe, use these official help guides:
- Accessibility features - Learn about built-in tools like automatic tagging, high contrast, and screen reader preferences.
- Creating accessible PDFs - Follow best practices for generating tagged PDFs directly from authoring software or within Acrobat.
- Create and verify PDF accessibility - Step-by-step guide on running Acrobat's full accessibility checker, fixing reading order, and updating tags.
If your document includes interactive form fields or requires strict federal testing standards, refer to these specialized resources:
Create an Accessible PDF from Word
In this video, you will find how to:
- Format headings, lists, and tables correctly in Word to build an underlying tag structure.
- Add alternative text to visuals before exporting.
- Save and export files properly so accessibility tags carry over directly into your final PDF.
Interactive PDF Form Accessibility:
- Interactive forms require additional setup (such as tab order, field labels, and tooltips). Jump directly to the Workflow for creating accessible PDF forms section in Adobe's documentation.
Testing Guidelines:
- Go to Section508.gov Module 2: Testing a PDF for Accessibility for official federal testing checklists on screen reader compatibility and tagging matrices.
Review OMB M-24-08: Strengthening Digital Accessibility for full guidance on prioritizing accessible web content over PDFs.
You are done. Great job!
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