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Working With Proprietary Formats — Are PDF Documents Really Acccessible?

Lesson Plan

OBJECTIVE:

Learner will be able to describe the steps for creating an accessible PDF and will know the advantages for the user of providing an accessible HTML version in addition to PDF.

SET:

PDF files are inherently inaccessible, especially to people using screen readers. Designing accessible PDF files can be a difficult process. Providing the document in accessible HTML format is often the most cost effective solution.

TEACHING POINTS:

  1. What makes PDF files inaccessible?

    1. How it was created

      1. Graphic image

      2. Text

      3. Tagged PDF

    2. Security applied

  2. What are the steps required to create an accessible PDF?

    1. PDF files must be created with accessibility in mind

    2. Document must:

      1. Contain real text rather than scanned image

      2. Have tagged elements

      3. Be marked up for accessibility

    3. Creating an accessible PDF from a Word document

      1. Use proper markup (styles)

      2. Tag all images

      3. Using the "Make Accessible Plug-in"

  3. Other considerations

    1. User must have a recent version of JAWS or Window Eyes to read an accessible PDF

    2. The version of Adobe Acrobat that you purchase determines the accessibility features that you can offer.

  4. Weigh the costs and benefits

    1. Costs (time, software requirements)

    2. Benefits (accessibility)

    3. Alternatives (accessible HTML)

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION:

Ask for show of hands, how many developers create PDF files that get posted? Show of hands: how many have people submitting PDF files for posting on the web that are already accessible? What do you think would be the training curve for teaching those that create PDFs to make them accessible?

CLOSURE:

Adobe always making accessibility improvements. The way you choose to handle it now may not be the way you will always have to handle it.

MATERIALS:

To access Lesson Plan as a Microsoft® Word document: PDF_Proprietary_Formats_lessonplan.doc

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