PDF Tools

Adobe Acrobat DC

Accessibility (A11y)
 Training Objectives
 Understand the benefits of a Portable Document Format (PDF)

 Identify the accessibility tools available within Adobe Acrobat Professional

 Explain key features of an accessible PDF

 Evaluate a converted PDF to identify inaccessible features

 Adobe Creative Cloud for Faculty & Staff
• 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.
• Learn more about Adobe Creative Cloud for Faculty & Staff

• Adobe Reader is for viewing, printing, signing, sharing, and

annotating PDFs. Adobe Reader doesn’t have Accessibility
Adobe Acrobat DC checking tool.
 What is Assistive Technology?
Assistive Technology (AT) are “products, equipment, and systems that enhance
learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities.”

Magnification Speech
Screen Readers Software Recognition Trackball Mouse Keyboard

Zoom Text Captions/Subtitles Captioned Video Relay Services

Braille Computer Keyboard
Telephone
 What are Screen Readers
Screen readers are a form of assistive technology (AT) software that
enables access to a computer, and all the things a computer does, by
attempting to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the
computer screen using text-to-speech. Screen readers can only access and
process live text.
• Provides access to someone who is
visually impaired, mobility or has a
learning disability to access text on the
screen.
• Offers same level of independence and
privacy as anyone else.
 Types of screen readers

Provides auditory Adds spoken, audible, Screen magnifier for

Screen reader program for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows that allows descriptions of each and vibration feedback
onscreen element to your device. that allows you to see
blind and visually impaired and hear everything on
users to read the screen either using gestures, a
keyboard, or a braille the computer.
with a text-to-speech output or
by a refreshable Braille display. display.
NVDA screen reader can be
downloaded free of charge by
anyone.
 Left Right
How Do Screen Readers Work?
• Screen readers read line-by-line from left-to-right
and top-to-bottom.
Top
• Screen readers start at the top of a document or
website and read any text including alternative text
for images, graphics or charts.

• Screen readers navigate a document or website Bottom

using the keyboard without a mouse. Tab key: jump
from link to link, Enter: select a link, arrow keys:
navigate a document or website.

• Reading order is important for users with visual

challenges. The users can become confused if the
document (content, tables, images or charts) is
poorly organized or out of order.
 Click vs Select
Screen readers and physical or mobility limitation
users navigate a document or website using the
keyboard without a mouse. The word “Click” is not
inclusive of people who can’t use the mouse. Use the
word “Select” to write step-by-step instructions.

“Click” or “Click on” Example Use “Select” Example (Recommend)

• Go to YouTube video player • Go to YouTube video player
• Click on Settings gear icon • Select Settings gear icon
• Click on Subtitles/CC • Select Subtitles/CC

• Click on Options to Customize • Select Options to Customize

• Select Caption Style
• Click on Caption Style
TAGS are the HTML code
What is a Tagged PDF?
accessibility markup all of
the document text, images,
etc. Tags are invisible
identifiers that will tell
screen readers and other
assistive technology (AT) an
element is…
• header <H1-H6>
• paragraph <P>
• image <Figure>
• list item <LI>
• hyperlink <Link>
• table data cell <TD>
 What’s the Difference?
Remediate PDF Documents Remediate Source Documents

• No tags, or inaccessible scanned version • PDF keeps accessibility tags from original document
• Incorrect reading order • Logical reading order
• No descriptive text (alt text) for images and graphics • Descriptive text (alt text) for images and graphics
• Testing accessibility and fixing issues • Use Built-in Accessibility Checker
Optional 1: No Source Document? Export Options

In case you can’t find the source

documents, you can export PDFs to
different file formats, including
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
etc.

Note: Need to verify format,

alignment, unrecognized
characters, punctuation, spelling,
etc.
 Direct vs Styles Formatting

Direct Formatting Styles Pane Formatting

• Not accessible to any assistive • Provide structure and make document accessible
technology such as screen readers • Easier to modify existing formatting
• Can’t create a Table of Contents • Create and update a Table of Contents
• Can’t create a navigation to different • Quicker navigation to different sections in a document
sections in a document • Retain document structure when export to PDF
• Huge barriers! • Accessible to any assistive technology like screen
readers
• Save time and save lives!
 Example 2: Well-structured documents help readers
Headings and organize and process texts

Document Structure
Example 1: Reading long, dense text
documents can be a daunting task for
learners
 Heading Styles Headings are styles to
• Heading Styles (Heading 1 through Heading 6) in a logical sequence. Do not give a document structure
skip heading levels i.e. Heading 2 to Heading 4, headings should be in order.) by category or topic.
• Heading 1: Document title or main content heading/title (just one)
• Heading 2: Major section heading Without headings, a
• Heading 3: Sub-section of the Heading 2 person using assistive
technology like a screen
• Heading 4: Sub-section of the Heading 3, and so on, ending with
reader cannot navigate by
Heading 6
sections, subsections, or
• Normal: Text or paragraph
scan section titles to
• Title in Word Style won't recognize when converting to a PDF. Start understand the document
with Heading 1 for the document title. structure.
• How to create an accessible document using Microsoft Word, visit Word
Essentials page www.csun.edu/udc/word
 Converting a Source Document to PDF
(Word, PowerPoint, InDesign, etc.)
Multiple Methods Varying Results
• Acrobat Plug-in • Tables and Lists may be inaccurately
• Application Save As PDF tagged
• Export • Resulting PDF may be untagged
• Print to PDF (no tags structure) • Custom tags may be created
• Other conversion tools or plug-ins
 Windows: Converting Word Document to PDF
1. Select File from the menu and
select Save As. Choose where you
want to save the file.
2. In the Save As dialog box,
choose PDF in the Save as type list.
3. Select Options button in the same
dialog box, make sure to select these
boxes
• Document structure tags for
accessibility
• Document Properties
• Create bookmarks using: Headings
4. Select OK and Save the PDF.
 Mac: Converting Word Document to PDF

1. Select File from the menu and

select Save As. Choose where you
want to save the file.
2. In the Save As dialog box,
choose PDF (Export Formats) in the
File Format.
3. Select 1st radio button “Best for
electronic distribution and
accessibility (Uses Microsoft online
service)“
4. Select Export button
 Never Choose Print to PDF Option

Never choose a "Print" to PDF option in

Office, or in any other program. A screen
reader user may still be able to access the
text of a PDF created in this way, but
heading structure, alternative text, a logical
reading order, and any other tag structure
will be lost.
Use Save As choose PDF.
 How to open PDF files from Adobe Acrobat not Web Browser by default?
Windows Mac
• Save PDF files on desktop • Save PDF files on Desktop
• Right-click on PDF file, select • Select PDF (not double
Open with, Choose another app click)
• File tab, Always Open
with, Other
Option 2: Tools Pane Set Up

If this is your first time

setting up Adobe
Acrobat software…
• Select Tools Tab
• Add Shortcut for
Accessibility and
Action Wizard
 Navigation Pane
These are the primary tools needed to create an accessible PDF
Option 1: View > Show/Hide > Navigation > Content and Tags Panels
Option 2: On left pane, right-click to select Content and Tags Panels
Accessibility Tools
 Accessibility Tool

Contains settings to build

accessible PDFs and to support
the reading of accessible PDFs
 Tagging PDF Phase – Accessibility Check
First run the Accessibility Full Check at the beginning and at the end
 Tags Panel
Accessible PDF means every piece of content must be
tagged with the correct tag.

Tags are invisible identifiers that will tell screen readers and
other assistive technology (AT) an object is…
• Paragraphs of body text: <P>
• Headings and subheads: <H1> - <H6>
• Lists: <L>, <LI>
• Tables: <Table>, <TR>, <TH>, <TD>
• Graphics have Alt-Text that describe the visual: <Figure>
• Hyperlinks: <Link>
• Captions, and other parts of a document: <Caption>
• Decorative images: <Artifact>
Ensure the tags are in the correct logical reading order to match the
document pane.
 Content Panel
• List of all content in your PDF
• You can add and delete information within
content panel. However, the content panel can
be difficult to navigate because it is not properly
organized.
• Editing your contents panel is most helpful when
you have PDFs with lots of graphics or
overlapping information. If content is hidden in
your PDF, you can go to the content panel to find
it and reorganize to find the missing info.
There are 37 different tags under Object Properties

1. Article 10. Form* 19. Index 28. Quote

2. Annotation 11. Formula* 20. Label 29. Reference*

3. Bibliography Entry 12. Heading* 21. Link 30. Section

4. Block Quote 13. Heading 1* 22. List 31. Span

5. Caption 14. Heading 2* 23. List Item 32. Table*

6. Code 15. Heading 3* 24. List Item Body 33. Table Data Dell

7. Division 16. Heading 4* 25. Note* 34. Table Header Cell

8. Document 17. Heading 5* 26. Paragraph* 35. Table of Contents

9. Figure* 18. Heading 6* 27. Part 36. Table of Contents Item

37. Table Row

* Shown in Reading Order

Common tags use to create an accessible document
 Heading and Text Tags
Headers Text (regular text / paragraph)
 How to Tag a Document?
1. Open Accessibility, Reading Order Tool
2. Draw a rectangle around the content or double-click the content then click one of Reading
Order buttons to tag it
3. Proceed step #2 to tag the rest of the content
Always SAVE your PDF as you
add TAGS accessibility markup

Save it OFTEN to avoid

Adobe unpredictable crashes!
 Visual Challenge

Normal vision Low vision Color blindness Blind or deaf-blind

What’s the best way to make images

accessible to everyone?
 Image Alternative or Alt Text
• The purpose of alt text is to allow low vision or blind
users to understand the purpose of the image.
• When creating alternative text for images (Alt Text)
• What is its purpose?
• Why the image there?
• Who is the intended audience?
• If there is no description, what will the readers miss?
• Screen readers and other assistive technologies
can’t convert images into words/texts.
• Captions are universal and accessible for everyone.
When screen readers encounter an image,
• “Image of…”, “photo of…” is not needed. they read out the word “image” or “graphic”
• Keep alt text short 8 to 120 characters or less. and then read the alt text:
• Alt text should be very brief, no more than a “Three plants going through transformation
sentence or two. with text quote Accessibility user-friendly
• Best practices for accessible images
document for CSUN student success.”
 How to Describe Images?

A stair chase leading up to an entryway is A hand reaches out of a computer screen giving
painted yellow with bold black text that reads On the left is the book cover for Haben The Deafblind
the hand gesture for stop. The screen reads
museums are now. Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, and on the
‘access denied!’
right is the quote: “In the Tigrinya language of Eritrea
and Ethiopia, Haben means 'pride.’”

More examples of How

to Describe Images
• Document Learning Tools: Describing images
• How to Describe Images (Art, Chemistry,
Diagrams, Flow Charts, Formatting & Layout,
Graphs, Maps, Mathematics, Page Layout, Tables,
Text-only images)

Student holds a diploma hardcover up in the air • Periodic Table of the Elements
Michelle Obama claps and Barack waves. during CSUN commencement. Caption text "and • UDC Best Practices for Describing Images
together, as Matadors, we will move mountains."
Images Tag
• Images are tagged as “Figure”
• Or images with short text underneath as
“Figure/Caption”.

Accessibility
Background/Artifact Tag for Decorative Images
• Conveys no information; does not provide
meaningful information.
• Purely for visual effect.
• The horizontal line that divided the two sections.
• Line border image used as part of page design.
• Decorative images do not require a text
alternative.
• Decorative images, lines, borders, or shapes
ignore by assistive technologies, such as screen
readers.
 Verify Logical Reading Order
Ensure the TAGS Tree are in the correct logical order to match the document pane. Manual
rearrange tags as needed in the TAGS panel. After making these adjustments, start from the top of
the tags tree and move through the tags panel sequentially using the down arrow key. A logical
reading order start from left to right, top to bottom as illustrated.

Left: Incorrect
reading order

Bottom: Correct
reading order
 Order Panel
• DO NOT use Order Panel to
rearrange logical reading
order in sequence. Screen
readers like JAWS, NVDA,
VoiceOver don’t use Order
Panel to read the
document. Screen readers
use TAGS to read the
document.
• If the reading order is
incorrect order, go to TAGS
Panel to rearrange the
correct order.
 Delete Empty Tags
Empty tags mean no text underneath the tags. Screen
readers will say “Blank”. Highly recommend to delete any
empty tags by selecting <P> or <H2>, right-click to select
“Delete Empty Tags”.
 Verify Color Contrast

• Download Colour Contrast Analyser onto

your computer (PC/Mac) to ensure
accessible contrast or use an online
contrast checker from WebAIM.
People who have low vision or • WCAG Level AA requires a contrast ratio of
colorblind could encounter some This example has a great color at least 4.5:1 for regular sized text (12 or
difficulty distinguishing text color contrast ratio of 8.7:1. The 14 pt. font) and 3:1 for large text (18 pt.
from a background color if the contrast is sufficient for those font).
contrast is insufficient contrast ratio who have color deficiencies • Coblis Color Blindness Simulator
1.5:1.
 Document Properties: Title & Language
The document description gives the document
a proper title and language to be recognized by
assistive technology.

• Select File menu > Properties

• Description tab, enter Title box is

document title or main content
heading/title (deselect Leave As Is, if
necessary).
• Application box showing the source
document created from Word to PDF.

• Initial View tab, Window Options to select

Document Title instead of File name.

• Advanced tab, select a language from the

Language menu in the Reading Options.
 Final Accessibility Check

• Conduct manual or visual checks on Logical Reading Order and Color Contrast.
• Two question marks will always stay in Document (2 issues) section even if you
right-click and select Pass. It just there as a reminder to conduct manual check.
 Action Wizard Steps, 1 of 5
• The Make Accessible feature of the Action Wizard is
designed to crawl through a PDF to detect headings,
images, tags, reading order, etc.
• The easy prompts will guide a user through the
process of making the PDF accessible.
• It should not be the only tool used to check a PDF's
accessibility. User still need to go through Full Check
for accessibility mark up.

Step 1: Open Untagged PDF file

Step 2: Select Action Wizard Tool
Step 3: Select Make Accessible
Step 4: Start button
Action Wizard Steps, 2 of 5
Step 5: The document description gives the document a
proper title to be recognized by assistive technology.
Uncheck the Leave As Is box and provide a title to the
document.

Step 6: The recognized text option will scan the document

using the selected language. Select the desired Language and
Output Editable Text and Images.
 Action Wizard, 3 of 5
Step 7: Detect Form Fields. The Wizard will automatically detect form fields on the
PDF. If the document has space boxes for form fields, select Yes, Detect Form
Fields. If not, select No, Skip this Step.
Step 8: Click the desired Reading
Language and select OK.

Step 9: The Action Wizard can be set up to always

detect for any image present in the document.
Select OK to scan the PDF for missing alternate
texts.
 Action Wizard, 4 of 5
Step 11: Run Accessibility Full Check. The
Step 10: If alternative text is missing, a Accessibility Full Checker will run a full scan for
window will appear to set the accessibility. Select Start Checking to complete
alternative text for each image. Type the scan. The results will display on the screen.
the description of each image in the box
and toggle between images using the
right and left arrow buttons. Select Save
& Close when all images have proper
descriptions.
 Action Wizard, 5 of 5
Step 12: Accessibility Issues Review and Correct Tags
After running the final step in the Action Make sure all items have
Wizard with the Accessibility Checker, appropriate tags
the results are prompted on screen for
review. The Accessibility Checker will
• Run Initial Accessibility Check
detect and prompt any remaining issues. • Regular Text: Text/Paragraph
These issues are identified using specific • Headers: Heading 1 – 6
icons to represent each type of • Images: Figure
issue: Passed (green check mark), Needs • Links: Link + OBJR
Manual Check (question mark), • Form Fields: Form
and Failed (X). • Decorative Content (e.g. Lines, text
boxes, etc.): Background/Artifact
• Add Document Title and Language
• Important: any issue with a Needs Manual • Verify Reading Order
Check or Failed will need to be fixed before the
document can be considered accessible. • Verify Color Contrast
• Select the X in the right-hand pane to close
• Run Final Accessibility Check
the Action Wizard.
 Use screen reader to finalize
your document accessibility features
DO NOT use Adobe Acrobats built-in ‘Read Out Lout’ tool as a screen reader. This tool is
NOT a screen reader and will not capture the same information as screen readers below.

Microsoft Windows NVDA screen reader that allows blind Apple VoiceOver built-in provides
and visually impaired users to read the screen either with auditory descriptions of each onscreen
a text-to-speech output or by a refreshable Braille display. element using gestures, a keyboard, or a
NVDA can be downloaded free of charge by anyone. braille display.
nvaccess.org
Accessibility Tips

• Always save your PDF as you add TAGS

accessibility markup

• When modifying extensive content in reading

order, drag content down not up

• Delete empty tags

• Header, footer, and page numbers, decorative

lines or shapes tag as “Background/artifact”
PDF Accessibility Iterative Process
 How can we help you make a difference?

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