Adobe Acrobat PDFs
Adobe Acrobat is a powerful software tool designed for creating, editing, and managing PDF documents, including making them accessible.
Start with an Accessible Source Document
Creating an accessible document is always easiest when working in the original software. Making changes in Adobe Acrobat is more challenging and requires additional training. Whenever possible, return to the source document to fix any issues before converting it to a PDF.
Follow the accessibility action steps for each content type (Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) before converting these documents to PDFs.
Enable Tags when Saving as a PDF
There are several ways to convert Microsoft Documents to a PDF, but not all ways preserve the accessibility of the original document in PDF form. Moreover, not all file types support accessible conversions. At this time, converting PowerPoint documents to accessible, tagged PDFs is not available. If you choose to export PowerPoint documents to PDFs, they must be fully remediated using Acrobat Pro DC.
To preserve the accessibility of the original document, follow the instructions outlined in the tutorials below.
- Preserving Accessibility When Exporting Documents to PDFs (Windows Users)
- Preserving Accessibility When Exporting Documents to PDFs (Mac Users)
Scanned-In PDFs
When content creators scan a printed page into a PDF, the resulting file contains no recognizable text—only an image of the text. You can identify an image-only PDF if the text cannot be selected or searched within the document. For screen readers, these PDFs are treated as images rather than text. While a single image can be made accessible with a brief alt-text description, this approach is not feasible for an entire scanned PDF, regardless of its length.
OCR PDFs
OCRing, or Optical Character Recognition, is the process of converting a flat image of a scanned PDF into one with text that is both searchable and editable. Tools like Adobe Acrobat Pro are commonly used for OCRing scanned PDFs. While this step allows screen readers to read the PDF, it does not resolve other accessibility issues.
Action Items
Ensuring PDF accessibility is essential for creating inclusive documents. Regardless of how the document was created, all items on the Accessibility Checklist must be addressed to ensure it is usable for all readers. Additionally, Adobe Acrobat users must address the following action items to fully meet accessibility standards.
All PDFs should have the title and language set in Document Properties. The title should be concise and meaningful, reflecting the document's purpose. The title can be used to quickly identify the intent of a document without opening it. Meanwhile, the document language indicates the spoken language in which the text is written. Correctly set language properties allow screen readers and assistive technologies to accurately read and interpret the content.
Add Metadata
A document's title and language is part of its metadata. Metadata is the descriptive information embedded within a PDF file that helps identify and organize the document. This data is not visible to the eye; rather, it is contained within the code. Additional metadata includes the author's name, a subject description, and keywords. This metadata helps users and systems quickly locate the document in a library, database, or search engine by matching the keywords to search queries. In Adobe Acrobat, this additional data can be entered in the same dialogue box as the document title.
Some PDF security settings may prevent screen reader users from accessing accessibility features. Check your security permissions in Document Properties to ensure that “Protected View” and “Enhanced Security” is disabled. For most documents, the "No Security" option is preferred.
Tagging PDFs is crucial for document accessibility. Document tags provide an underlying formatting structure that defines the document's layout and enables screen readers to navigate the content more effectively. These tags make it possible for screen readers to identify elements such as headings, lists, tables, etc.
Common PDF Tags
Some common PDF tags include
- <Part> : Demarcates a large, major section of a document (e.g. chapter, report, etc.)
- <H1> or Heading 1: a Document's title
- <H2> or Heading 2: main level heading
- <P> or paragraph: body text
- <L> or list: tag under which all list items are nested
- <Link> or hyperlink: an active link to a URL or email address
- <Figure> : Image element (e.g. logo, chart, image, photo, etc.)
- <Table> : tag under which all table tags are nested
- <Artifact> : decorative image, non-essential content
For a more comprehensive list of tagging elements, see Section 508's webpage on PDF Tags and Adobe Support's page on the Tags Panel.
Inspect the Tag Tree
Accessible documents that have been correctly exported as a PDF will contain an existing tag tree. The HTML code created when applying styles in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and InDesign translates to tags in Adobe Acrobat. While the tag tree should reflect the content's structure, always inspect it to ensure proper tagging.
To view the tag tree, navigate to the hamburger Menu (Windows) or the View menu (Mac). Hover over the Show/Hide option; a new menu should appear. Hover over the Side Panels option; a list of tools should appear. Select Tags. This will display the document's tags in order from top to bottom. Review all tags to ensure proper semantic structure and reading order.
Delete empty Tags
Keep tag trees clean by deleting empty tags. Screen readers will read all tags, even those without content. This can cause unnecessary confusion in navigation.
Reading order and tag structure are closely related. A document's reading order is the sequence in which content tags are read. A correct tag tree ensures a logical reading order, which is crucial for screen readers and assistive technology. Ensuring the correct reading order prevents potential confusion, as the visual layout may not always match the intended reading order. Complex layouts, particularly those with tables or multi-column designs, can disrupt the intended reading order. For more information, see Adobe Support's documentation on Reading Order.
Run the Accessibility Checker to test for accessibility issues. This checker verifies if your document conforms to prevailing accessibility standards, such as PDF/UA and WCAG 2.0. It will prompt you to fix any issues it finds. Running the Accessibility Checker should be both the first and last thing you do in a PDF. For more information, see Adobe Support's documentation on Verifying PDF Accessibility.
Resources
- Get step-by-step instructions and best practices for making your PDF documents accessible with Adobe Acrobat's help page on Accessibility Features in PDFs.
- Use the Accessibility Checklist for PDF Documents to gauge how compliant your course resources are with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II regulations, and WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines.