Integrating Accessibility into PDF Documents

1
Integrating Accessibilityinto PDF Documents

• Sean Keegan
• Web Accessibility Instructor
• High Tech Center Training Unitfor the California
  Community Colleges

2
Overview

• Definitions
• Creating Accessible PDFs
• Retrofitting PDF Documents
• Assistive Technology and PDFs
• Resources

3
Definitions

• Image Only PDF
• Scanned image, no actual text content
• Requires OCR
• Searchable PDF
• Contains text content, but not tagged
• Tagged PDF
• Contains a document structure

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PDF Tags

• Tags provide structure to a PDF document
• Tags allow for
• a logical reading order
• structured content
• access in PDF forms

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Content Creation - Easy

• Software Necessary
• MS Office 2000 or later (for Windows)
• Adobe Acrobat 5, 6, 7, or 8
• "Save as PDF" plug-in for Office 2007 also works
• Sample Workflow for MS Word
• Create your content
• Use Styles and Formatting to designate headings
• Add appropriate alternative text for images
• Specify your data table column headers

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Add Structure

• Use the Styles menu to specify content headings

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Add Text Descriptions

• Select the image
• In the Size ribbon, open the Size properties
• Choose "Alt Text"
• Enter the text description for the image

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Content Creation "Less Easy"

• PDF document does not contain Tags, but contains
  text content (searchable PDF)
• Sample Workflow in Adobe Acrobat
• Use "Add Tags to Document" function(under
  Advanced gt Accessibility on menu bar)
• Add text descriptions for images, check logical
  reading order, and set data table headers
• P.S. Don't make a mistake there is no undo.

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Determining Reading Order

• Save the PDF as Text (Accessible) or Plain Text
• This will provide a text flow of how information
  may be communicated to assistive technology

• Review the zones on the PDF document
• Watch for
• multiple columns
• text boxes
• Figures labeledas Tables

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The TouchUp ReadingOrder Tool

• Allows author to
• control text flow
• reclassify headings, formulas, text, captions
• Remove content from document structure (e.g.,
  artifacts)

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Using the Order Tab

• The Order tab provides a page view of the content
  and zones on the page
• Zones can be reorganized in this view to control
  reading order

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Starting Over

• Sometimes you just need a "Do Over"
• Use the "Clear Page Structure" option to clear
  the structure of the current page
• Does not affect the visual aspect of the PDF -
  just the structure

13
Adding Alternative Text

• The TouchUp Reading Order Tool provides an option
  to add alternate text to images figures

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Content Consumption

• Properly created content is usable with current
  assistive technology
• Not all assistive technology functions well with
  PDF viewing applications
• Accessible PDF content can be navigated with
  refreshable Braille displays

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Resources

• High Tech Center Training Unit
• http//www.htctu.net
• PDF Training Manual
• http//www.htctu.net/trainings/manuals/tutmain.htm
  
• NetCentric CommonLook Plug-in to Adobe Acrobat
• http//www.commonlook.com/products/cl_s508_adobe.a
  spx
• WebAIM
• http//www.webaim.org/techniques/acrobat/
• WCAG Samurai on PDF
• http//wcagsamurai.org/errata/pdf.html

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Thank you

• Sean Keegan
• High Tech Center Training Unitfor the California
  Community Colleges
• http//www.htctu.net