Accessible PDF document resources

Accessible documentation is a necessity in today's world. However, creating accessible PDF documents is tedious and time consuming. Whenever possible, use HTML documents instead. If you must create a PDF, follow the steps below.

Start with an accessible source document
Correctly convert the document to a PDF
Check the accessibility of the PDF
Touch up the PDF
Check the accessibility of the corrected PDF

Note:

If you don't have access to the source file, and the PDF is linked from your Canvas course, see Improve the accessibility of PDF documents in Canvas for another method.

1. Start with an accessible source document

To create a properly tagged PDF, you first need to create an accessible source document. Making a PDF accessible without an accessible source document is much more difficult and takes more time.

Adobe documentation

Adobe InDesign accessibility: Adobe documentation for creating accessible PDF documents in InDesign

Microsoft documentation

Make your Word documents accessible to people with disabilities: Microsoft documentation for creating accessible Word documents
Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities: Microsoft documentation for creating accessible PowerPoint presentations
Make your Excel documents accessible to people with disabilities: Microsoft documentation for creating accessible Excel documents
Make your templates more accessible: Microsoft's tips for creating accessible document templates
Rules for the Accessibility Checker: Microsoft documentation on the Accessibility Checker, for use with Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, and PowerPoint

Additional documentation

Make Microsoft documents more accessible: The IU Knowledge Base has resources for creating accessible Microsoft documents.
NCDAE cheatsheets: The National Center on Disability and Access for Education has several cheat sheets on creating accessible documents with Microsoft and Adobe products.

2. Correctly convert the document to a PDF

To retain the accessibility of the source document and produce a tagged PDF, convert the document by following the correct method.

Acrobat PDFMaker tool: The PDFMaker tool is available in many applications, including Microsoft 365 applications. Use this tool to convert your source documents to PDFs to better retain the accessibility features.
Create an accessible PDF in Word: This Knowledge Base document includes step-by-step instructions for converting a Microsoft Word document into a PDF.

3. Check the accessibility of the PDF

Once you have a PDF, use an accessibility checker to reveal inaccessible parts of the document that will require remediation. Even if your PDF passes one or more of these tools, you may need to perform further remediation; for example, if someone that uses assistive technology indicates the document has issues.

Desktop tools

Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro): Doesn't verify fully against WCAG 2.x & PDF/UA. Manual checking will be required, with the amount depending on the complexity of the document.
CommonLook PDF Validator: The only free tool to verify against WCAG 2.x AA, Section 508, PDF/UA, and HHS. Manual checking is required. Free; Windows only; not the simplest interface.
PAC 2024: From Access for All, a Swiss organization. Verifies against PDF/UA only. Manual checking is required. Free; Windows only.

Online tools

Siteimprove: Checks PDFs under 20MB uploaded to IU websites that are enrolled in the Siteimprove service. Doesn't verify fully against WCAG 2.x & PDF/UA. Manual checking is required; how much checking depends on the complexity of the document.
Siteimprove only checks the following in PDFs:
- Is the document machine readable?
- Is the document tagged?
- Is the document missing a language definition?
- Is the document missing a title?
- Does the document have headings?
- Does the document have bookmarks?
- Can the document be accessed by user agents?
- Does the document contain untagged content?
- Is the first heading a Heading 1?
- Is the heading structure correct?
- Do images have an alternative presentation?
- Do tables in the PDF have headings?
- Do form elements in your PDF have a label explicitly connected?
Note:
- PDFs should not be uploaded to any IU website until each document has passed one of the other tools listed above. Siteimprove's PDF scan should not be used for an initial accessibility check.
- Only PDFs of 20MB or under will be checked by Siteimprove.

4. Touch up the PDF

Review the results of the accessibility check and touch up any errors. To work efficiently, make needed corrections in the source document first. Changes to the source document will require re-generating the PDF. Use Adobe Acrobat DC to make changes to the PDF itself; the Cloud version gets quarterly updates, including many accessibility enhancements. When making an accessible PDF with Acrobat, be sure to use the newest version, as it will have bug fixes, plus improved workflow and features.

Adobe Acrobat DC Documentation: The starting point for Acrobat DC accessibility documentation
Accessibility features in PDFs: The available guides include a PDF accessibility overview and accessibility features of Acrobat.
Reading Order tool for PDFs: Directions for correcting the reading order and editing, removing, and replacing tags with the Reading Order tool
Edit document structure with the Content and Tags panels:: Directions for correcting reflow problems with the Content panel and viewing, adding, and editing tags in the Tags panel.
Workflow for creating accessible PDF forms: Directions for making an accessible interactive PDF form
Create accessible PDF forms and documents with Acrobat Pro DC: Knowledge Base document with links to a webinar series, including sessions on forms, complex tables, and scanned documents

5. Check the accessibility of the corrected PDF

Use the same tools from step three to recheck the accessibility of your PDF.