PDF Accessibility Remediation Tool

To get started, log in through the PDF Accessibility Remediation Login Page

Document Requirements

• Upload up to 5 documents at a time
• Maximum 50 pages per document
• Maximum 30 MB file size
• Password-protected documents cannot be processed
• Remediated files are stored for 3 days and then automatically deleted
• Filenames longer than 30 characters will be shortened

Important Notes

This service is still under development and may not produce fully accessible documents. By using it, you acknowledge that:

• Results may not achieve 100% accessibility
• Color contrast issues must be manually corrected
• Logical reading order may require manual adjustments
• Tables may require manual remediation
• Figures and images may require additional or corrected alternative text

You are the subject matter expert and your review of the new file is critical.

The following steps do not use assistive technology; contact the UDC for how to conduct this review a file using a screenreader or other assistive technology.

Original vs. Processed

First, open the two files side-by-side. The PDF Accessibility Remediation tool should not alter the content of your PDF, but a quick visual comparison is a good starting point. 

All Content?

Next, make sure the PDF Accessibility Remediation tool found all of the content within your PDF. The simplest way to check is to highlight all of the content. Ctrl plus 'a' (Windows) or command plus 'a' (Mac) will select everything the tool found. In Adobe Acrobat (Reader or DC Pro), it will be highlighted blue. 

If there are areas within your processed PDF that are not highlighted, the tool missed some of your content.

Image Descriptions

The CSU PDF Accessibility Remediation tool will generate image descriptions ("alt text") for you. Hover your mouse over each image to read the description. It should be concise but capture the important information conveyed by the image.

Interactive Elements

If the file contains any interactive elements (links, etc.), tab through the file from the beginning and make sure you proceed through the elements in a logical order.

Adobe Acrobat "Read Out Loud"

Adobe Acrobat Reader has a built-in "Read Out Loud" feature that converts text in PDFs to spoken audio, useful for accessibility and multitasking. Activate it by going to View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud (or Ctrl+Shift+Y). It supports reading specific pages or the entire document. Learn more about How to have a PDF read aloud.

Key Features & How to Use:

• Voice/Volume Settings: Go to Edit > Preferences > Reading to change the default voice or volume. 
• Activate: Select View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud. 
• Reading Options: Under the same menu, choose "Read This Page Only" or "Read To End of Document".

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Activate/Deactivate: Ctrl + Shift + Y
• Read Page Only: Ctrl + Shift + V
• Read to End: Ctrl + Shift + B

If the PDF scan is unclear or cannot be read properly, please obtain a new copy. Learn more about This PDF is Scanned.

Adobe Acrobat DC Pro

If you have the full version of Acrobat, there are additional checks you can conduct on the output file. Our PDF Accessibility page contains short videos and tips about how to use Acrobat DC Pro. 

Open your Course Accessibility Report in your Canvas course (in the menu, often just above Settings). Select the Review Course Files tab.

1. Click on the Review button to the right of the item.

2. To replace the files with the remediated PDF, click on the Replace file with an uploaded file button. Drag and drop the fixed file into the box. 

If the new file is not being scanned for new score, follow these steps:

1. Click the Kebab button (the three vertical dots).

2. Select Full Rescan from the dropdown menu.