How to Make PDFs Accessible and ADA Compliant
Question details
The user needs to remediate PDFs to ensure website accessibility and ADA compliance, seeking expert guidance on training and reliable validation methods.
- Product
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A public school district is updating its website and needs to ensure all uploaded PDF documents are accessible to users with disabilities.
- Observed behavior
- The user is looking for the most efficient workflow to create, validate, and remediate accessible PDFs that comply with ADA standards.
Before attempting to manually remediate an existing PDF, check if you have access to the original source file (such as a Word or InDesign document), as fixing accessibility issues at the source is significantly faster and more reliable.
Create Accessible PDFs from Source Documents
The most cost-effective and efficient approach to ADA compliance is building accessibility features directly into your source files before exporting them to PDF.
Manually tagging an unformatted PDF can be incredibly time-consuming. By applying structural elements within the original word processor or design software, the generated PDF will automatically contain the necessary accessibility tags.
This method requires document creators to understand basic accessibility principles like heading hierarchy, alternative text, and reading order.
Open the original document in its source application (e.g., WPS Writer, Microsoft Word, or InDesign). Use built-in style menus to apply structural heading levels (H1, H2, H3) rather than just changing the font size.
Right-click on any images, charts, or graphs in the document, select the option for Alternative Text (Alt Text), and provide a concise description of the visual information.
Ensure that any data tables have designated header rows and avoid using merged or split cells, which can confuse screen reading software.
When saving or exporting the document, choose the PDF format and ensure the option to 'Create tagged PDF' or 'Document structure tags for accessibility' is checked in the export settings.
Implement Accessibility Training and Validation
To maintain ADA compliance across an organization, staff must be properly trained on accessibility standards and validation procedures.
Create Well-Structured Documents and PDFs with WPS Office
WPS Office provides an intuitive word processor that makes it easy to structure your documents with proper headings, lists, and alt text. You can seamlessly export these structured documents as high-quality PDFs to help meet your accessibility goals.
- 1. Open your document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your existing text document or start a new one.
- 2. Apply structured styles: Use the 'Styles' pane in the Home tab to format your text with logical Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 tags.
- 3. Insert image descriptions: Right-click any image, select 'Picture', and add descriptive alternative text so screen readers can interpret the visuals.
- 4. Export to PDF: Click on 'Menu', navigate to 'Export to PDF', and save your document. The structured layout will translate into the resulting PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for a PDF to be ADA compliant?
An ADA compliant PDF is accessible to people with disabilities, particularly those using assistive technologies like screen readers. It requires the document to have hidden structural tags (like headings, paragraphs, and lists), a logical reading order, embedded alternative text for images, and proper language declarations.
How can I validate if my PDF is accessible?
You can validate a PDF's accessibility by using built-in accessibility checker tools found in professional PDF editors, running the document through automated web accessibility compliance scanners, or manually testing the file using a screen reader like NVDA or JAWS to ensure the reading order is correct.
Is it better to fix an existing PDF or create a new one?
It is generally much faster and more cost-effective to fix the original source document (such as a Word or InDesign file) and re-export it. Manually remediating an untagged, exported PDF requires specialized software and can be highly labor-intensive.
What are PDF tags and why are they important?
PDF tags are hidden structural elements within a PDF that provide a text-based representation of the document's layout. They define which parts of the document are headings, tables, or standard paragraphs. Without tags, a screen reader may read the document out of order or fail to recognize text entirely.
