PDF Accessibility

PDF Accessibility

PDF files can be the most challenging and time-consuming to make accessible; follow the Reduce, Replace, Remediate motto:

Reduce

Reduce the use of PDF files by using other file formats, such as Word Docs or HTML.

• Microsoft Office files (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and HTML pages within D2L provide accessible formats that may be easier to manage and update for accessibility than PDF files. Instructions for creating accessible Microsoft Office and HTML Files in D2L can be found in the Accessibility section of the eLearning Instructor Resource Site.
• PDFs may be exported to Microsoft Office formats by using the Export feature in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Instructions can be found at How to export PDFs to Microsoft Office formats ​.

Replace

Replace PDF files that are old, scanned, or printed with a higher quality, more recent version of the PDF.

• Is the PDF from a publisher or other third-party provider? Reach out to the publisher representative or third-party provider to inquire about obtaining an updated, accessible version.
• Is an up-to-date version of the PDF available from the LCC Library? Check with the Library Liaison for your department ​ to see if there is an accessible online version available through one of the libraries database services.

Remediate

Remediate PDF files if there is no way to avoid PDF usage. This entails a manual, time-intensive process, using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. If Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is not already installed on your LCC computer, please contact your department to see where this program is available (e.g. workstations within departments), or if permitted, contact the LCC Help Desk ​ to request to have it installed. 

If remediating, keep in mind the following:

The accessibility of PDFs increases significantly when the following are present:

• PDF is tagged in the correct order using the Reading Order tool ​.
• PDF is scanned with Optical Character Recognition (OCR).
• PDF includes a title.
• PDF has a set language.
• PDF has alternative text for all images.
• PDF has been checked for contrast issues (ie. yellow font on a white background.)

Use the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC built-in Make Accessible Wizard and Full Check accessibility checker to help make PDFs accessible. Step-by-step instructions can be found on the Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro) ​.