Overview
This page is an overview of creating accessible PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Accessible PDF documents allow information to be readily available for assistive technology. Screen readers can easily navigate the content when accessibility is considered during the design process. This information will cover using the built-in Action Wizard and Accessibility Checker in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. This tutorial will also highlight basic PDF modifications for accessibility issues including accessibility set up, logical reading order, title, bookmarks, color contrast, images, forms (basic), tables (basic), lists, and headings. This will not only benefit people with disabilities, but overall usability will improve for all users. Accessibility is for everyone.
Video Presentation in Panopto
- Use your CSUN username and password to watch PDF Tools recording in the Panopto.
- Watch other UDC Training Videos
Presentation Slides
- PDF Accessibility Tools (pdf)
- PDF Custom Tags: Lists, Links, Tables (pdf)
- PDF Scanned and OCR (pdf)
- Canvas Ally says, "This PDF is Scanned"
- Document Learning Tools
Adobe Creative Cloud software is now available for use (at no additional charge) on all faculty and staff university-owned computers, labs and classroom devices, and for all students. Please note that this deployment of Adobe software is not available for use on personally-owned faculty and staff devices at this time. Find out more.
Video Tutorials
- Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- PDF Remediation Basics
- Advanced PDF Accessibility: Scanned Documents, Tables, and Lists
Video Credit: The University of Alabama, Technology Accessibility - Creating Accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (total length 57:06 mins)
Creating Accessible PDFs Segmented Videos
- PDF vs Webpage (start time: 3:23)
- What is Source Document? (start time: 6:14)
- What is Word Accessibility Checker? (start time: 8:20)
- PDF Tags Panel (start time: 13:47)
- Converting to PDF (start time: 17:51)
- Avoid Using Print to PDF (start time: 23:50)
- Accessibility and Action Wizard Tools (start time: 26:26)
- Accessibility Checker and Results Explanation (start time: 27:46)
- Title - Failed (start time: 34:43)
- Logical Reading Order - Needs Manual Check (start time: 37:17)
- Color Contrast - Needs Manual Check (start time: 42:53)
- Make Accessible Action Wizard (start time: 47:13)
Video Credit: The University of Alabama, Technology Accessibility - PDF Remediation Basics (total length 46:58 mins)
PDF Remediation Basics Segmented Videos
- Navigation Panes: Order and Tags (start time: 2:53)
- Accessibility and Action Wizard Tools (start time: 3:52)
- Heading Hierarchy Logical Reading Order (start time: 5:58)
- Lists (start time: 18:59)
- Tagging Content as an Artifact (start time: 23:16)
- Simple Table (start time: 27:12)
- Complex Table (start time: 31:39)
- Images – Alternative Text (start time: 35:35)
- Set Alternate Text (start time: 38:31)
- Create Tag from Selection (start time: 41:45)
Video Credit: The University of Alabama, Technology Accessibility - Advanced PDF Accessibility: Scanned Documents, Tables, and Lists (total length 51:53 mins)
Advanced PDF Accessibility Segmented Videos
- Scanned Documents: Action Wizard Tool (start time: 6:27)
- How to Tags a Document (start time:24:53)
- Lists (start time:32:09)
- Tables (start time:43:24)
Best Practices
- When creating an accessible PDF, always convert from an accessible document (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, InDesign, Publisher, etc.). This will save you time and limit the number of accessibility edits to make in Adobe Acrobat.
- Always conduct an Accessibility Full Check first when you create a PDF. This tool will help you determine how much accessibility improvements your document needs.
- Review your page to make sure color contrast is clear.
- Consider Readability for content development
- Use a concise document file name that doesn't include spaces
- Make sure all footnotes or references marked as notes and reference tags are placed in proper reading order
Resources
- Adobe: Create and Verify PDF Accessibility
- NCDAE: Creating Accessible PDF Documents
- Coblis Color Blindness Simulator
- Simple Tables vs. Complex Tables by Penn State
