PDFs

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To create accessible content, consider using content formats in this order:

1. Accessible HTML pages in D2L (clear headings and navigation, plain language, and images with alt text).
2. Accessible Microsoft Word .docx, PowerPoint .pptx, or Excel .xlsx files available for download.
3. If PDF is required: Use the PDF accessibility checklist below. If it is not possible to create a fully accessible PDF, then it is important to provide an accessible HTML or Microsoft file as an alternative. Once the PDF file has been uploaded to your D2L course, you can also work within YuJa Panorama to remediate the file or create an alternative version in an OCR or other format.
    

• ___ Tip: Start with accessible source material before exporting to a PDF file.
• ___ Document language: Set the primary language in the source document.
• ___ Descriptive title: A PDF file needs a descriptive title - this is different from the file name.
• ___ Metadata: Include author, subject, keywords.
• ___ Tags: Verify that tag structure is accurate to match the logical reading order for screen reader users.

• ___ Accessibility Checker: First run this at the beginning and at the end of a PDF document.
• ___ Accessible PDF: Means that every piece of content must be tagged with the correct tag.
• ___ Remediate PDF documents: If there are no tags, inaccessible images and graphics without alt text, no page or heading structure, and if the reading order is not logical.
• ___ Remediate source documents: PDFs exported from an accessible source file keeps page structure and accessibility tags from original document, provides for a logical reading order, and has descriptive alt text for images and graphics.
• ___ PDF with no source document: Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro, and export to a Word or PowerPoint file.

• ___ Reading order: Menu navigation and reading order is logical and can be navigated with a keyboard.
• ___ Structure: Provide document structure with semantic headings, paragraphs, lists and data tables.
• ___ Headings: Use proper heading tags (H1 - H6) in a logical ascending hierarchy, without skipping levels. A Table of Contents based on heading structure needs to be included in long documents. If you have more than 9 slides, bookmarks are required. Here is how to fix it: Select H1 or H1 and H2 as structure bookmarks.
• ___ Links: Hyperlinks use meaningful descriptive link text that clearly indicates the destination of the link. Avoid generic phrases click here or learn more.
  • ___ Ensure hyperlinks are visually distinct from surrounding text (e.g., underlined and in a different color).
• ___ Tables: Use tables only for data, not layout. Data tables must have a simple structure with table headers for columns and rows. Column and row scope should be designated to associate header cells with data cells. Avoid merged or split cells. If a table spans multiple pages, repeat header rows.
• ___ Forms: Ensure that form fields have clear labels, descriptive tooltips, error messages, descriptive instructions and follow a logical tab order.
• ___ Lists: Make content easier to read by providing visual structure and highlighting key points using lists. Use built-in list features in the source document before exporting to a PDF.
• ___ Bookmarks: Longer PDFs will need to contain Bookmarks so users of assistive technology can navigate pages.

• ___ Font and font size: Use a clear, simple font like Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman; with body text font size of 12 points or larger. Avoid using ALL CAPS, italics, or underlining for large blocks of text.
• ___ Line spacing: Use adequate line spacing (e.g., 1.15 or 1.5).
• ___ Paragraph spacing: Use to separate paragraphs; avoid using multiple spaces or tabs for indentation.
• ___ Color: Do not rely on color alone to convey important information.
• ___ Color contrast: Use a color contrast analyzer tool to ensure WCAG 2.1 Level AA sufficient contrast:
  • ___ For text: 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text.
  • ___ For links: 4.5:1 contrast between the link text color and the background; 3:1 contrast between the link text color and the surrounding non-link text color.

• ___ Images: Provide clear and concise descriptive alternative text ("alt text") for all meaningful images (125 characters or less). Provide long descriptions for complex images. None for decorative images.
• ___ Charts and graphs: Need to be positioned inline with the text. Must have alt text and a detailed long description.
• ___ Audio-only files: Should have closed captions and transcript.
• ___ Video with audio files: Should have closed captions, transcript, and audio descriptions.

• ___ Automated testing: To ensure accuracy, readability and ease of navigation, before exporting the source document to PDF, check the source document with that program's accessibility checker.
• ___ After the file is exported to PDF and the above checklist has been implemented, then test the PDF with a free automated PDF checker like the Perkins School for the Blind’s PAVE tool.
• ___ Manual testing: After using the checklist above to update the PDF, I have successfully accessed the PDF document using keyboard navigation, and tested it with a screen reader (if I have been trained to use NVDA for PC, or VoiceOver for Mac).