You can build the document in another program first (e.g. Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc.) before converting it to a PDF and sharing.
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) provides a useful Canvas module on creating accessible PDF documents.
Adobe Acrobat Accessibility Checker
PDFs should be checked for accessibility using Adobe Acrobat Pro's Accessibility Checker. IT will need to activate your Adobe Creative Cloud Pro license before you will be able to use this program. Please open an IT ticket to have your license activated.
To use the checker:
- Go to All Tools > Prepare for accessibility > Check for accessibility
- Ensure all boxes are checked in the Accessibility Checker Options dialog that pops up.
- Click the "Start Checking" button.
- In the "Accessibility Checker" sidebar, review any sections with issues and fix them
For more information about how to fix these issues, right click any of the rules, and choose "Explain" from the context menu to view the specific issue on Adobe's PDF Accessibility help page.
Sometimes Adobe's help page isn't enough! See our encyclopedia of Adobe Acrobat Accessibility issues and how to fix them at our PDF Error Handling Encyclopedia webpage.
Don't Forget the Required Footer!
If you have completed the following, you can officially add a footer to the first page of your document per Procedure 720.1A, denoting that it has been checked for accessibility.
- Ran the Accessibility Checker and fixed any failed checks
- Manually checked heading hierarchy
- Manually checked what Adobe Acrobat does not, see PDF Error Handling Encyclopedia
- Manually checked color contrast (it counts if you have ran an accessibility checker on the source document in Word or Google Docs)
It is much easier to build and edit a document in Microsoft Word or Google Docs than in Adobe Acrobat. For this reason, it is wise to maintain a source document (a Word or Google Doc) and export the document to its final format (a PDF) when it is complete. If edits need to be made, you can make them in the source document easily and convert the changed document to a PDF, rather than trying to edit the PDF directly.
Remember that even if your source document passes an accessibility check, the PDF version must still be checked in Adobe.
If you don't have access to a source document for your PDF, you can use Adobe Acrobat Pro to check the accessibility of the document. In the case that the document does not pass Adobe's Accessibility Checker, you will have to fix the issues in Adobe Acrobat. Adobe's "Prepare for accessibility" tool should be used to tag the PDF, fix the reading order, and check the document for accessibility. Use the edit tool to add the footer required by Policy 720.1A.
A detailed example of PDF remediation in Adobe Acrobat Pro can be found below:
In the video above, I follow the How to Remediate a complex PDF with Adobe Acrobat Pro written guide.
Accessibility is constantly evolving to keep up with emerging technologies, and the
information herein is not comprehensive. If you still have questions, please fill
out our form. We recommend completing the Canvas training "Accessibility Training: How to Create Content that Works for Everyone" first!Still Have Questions?
Contact Accessibility Coordinators
Disability and Access Services
Contact DAS for accommodations and help with access barriers.
(360) 442-2340
mmorgan@lowercolumbia.edu
Information Technology Services
Contact IT for help with procurement and third-party technologies.
(360) 442-2250
(360) 442-2259
eLearning
Contact eLearning for help with course content and digital documents.
(360) 442-2520
elearning@lowercolumbia.edu
Effectiveness and College Relations
Contact ECR for help with webpages, complex web documents, and social media.