糖心探花

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Accessible PDF

PDF has been a popular format to share documents. However, it is much easier to make the original document (in Word or PowerPoint) accessible than making the PDF version of the document accessible. The Government Digital Service is recommending to .

We recommend making the original document accessible and available. Only if this is not possible, consider sharing an accessible PDF.

Topics:

Create an accessible PDF

It is always a good practice to make the original document accessible and then convert it to a PDF. You may find guides on creating accessible documents and accessible presentations useful. Whenever possible share the document in its original format.

Microsoft Office

How to save a Word document as an accessible PDF?

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Illustrator

Unfortunately, Adobe Illustrator does not allow exporting a tagged, accessible PDF. There is a request for this feature since 2017 at . Illustrator created PDFs have to be manually tagged to make accessible.

Checklist for PDF Accessibility

If you are creating a PDF for the University, the content needs to meet WCAG 2.2AA standard. Make sure all the following accessibility checks are performed. We update the checklist to reflect issues we have identified. Please always refer to the latest available here.

  1. All content is tagged
  2. The tags are in the correct order (this will be the reading order for Screenreader)
  3. Passes Adobe Accessibility Check and automated test
  4. Elements with colour have sufficient contrast to meet WCAG 2.2 AA requirement
  5. Colour is not used as only means of expressing meaning
  6. Headings are tagged correct
  7. Heading hierarchy is correct
  8. Lists are tagged correct
  9. Links are tagged correct
  10. Alternative text for images are provided and decorative images marked as such
  11. Tables only used for tabular data 
  12. Tables and table headers are tagged correct (if there are merged or split cells manual tagging may be required)
  13. Interactive forms are tagged correct
  14. Document tab order is correct
  15. Document reading order is correct
  16. Document reflow is correct 
  17. Document has meaningful title
  18. Document reads in correct order with NVDA and Adobe Read Aloud () 

Download the PDF accessibility checklist

Using Acrobat Pro to remediate content

This guide will look at common issues reported by PDF Accessibility Checker (requires Adobe Acrobat Pro version) and how to remediate them. This paid-for software allows editing a PDF.

Check Accessibility
Document
Page Content
Forms
Alternate Text
Tables
Headings
Footnotes

Check Accessibility

Tools tab under Protect & Standardise you can add Accessibility. This will then appear on the right hand side panel (View > Tools > Accessibility). Select Accessibility Check. 

Document

Title - Failed

Check your original Microsoft Word document to see whether you have provided a title under File > Info > Properties > Title

If you have already provided a document title, the issue could be caused by an incorrect setting. In your PDF document go to File > Properties > Initial View tab > Window Options > Show: from the dropdown select Document Title > OK. Now run the Accessibility Check again and this error should be resolved.

If you only have access to the PDF you can select Menu > Document Properties > Title and provide a title. 

Logical 糖心探花 order - Needs manual check

Right click on left margin and selecting "Accessibility tags" to add the Tags pane to the left hand margin. Click on Tags. This will display the accessibility tags tree for the document.

If your document tags tree shows "No tags available", this means the document is not created with accessibility tags. There are two options available to make this document accessible. First and the recommended option is to go back to the original document and export it with accessibility tags. The second option is to manually tag the document, which take time, effort and technical knowledge.

Expand the tag tree. On an element if you press right arrow key it open that tag and left arrow will close it. Walk down the tag tree to see whether the content on the pag