Introduction To Using Acrobat Pro DC To Create Accessible PDFs

Introduction to Using Acrobat Pro DC to Create Accessible PDFsDonna Caldwell, Sr. Solutions Consultant, Education 2020AdobeRevised April 2020

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Let’s Talk About PDF/UA – ISO 14289-1ISO 14289-1 is a subset of and references ISO 32000§Subset of ISO 32000 for accessibility.§Provides the text, structure, and organization of the content to assistive technologies.§Tag Tree (Structure Tree) must be in the logical reading order.Shall vs. May§§§ 2020e.g., lists – Individual list items shall be specified by LI tags. Lbl and LBody tags may be included.Organizations may define their own specific rulesAdobe3

Source DocumentThe Source Document is SupremeThings to consider when creating the sourcedocument:§Does the authoring tool of the sourcedocument allow the author to create anaccessible document.§Does the author know how to create anaccessible document§§§ 2020For Example: Word has an Accessibility Checker to helpthe author make the document more accessible.For Example: In Word, are Styles used to apply Headingsor are headings “created” by changing the font size andmaking the font bold?It is almost always easier to remediate thesource document then the converted PDFdocument.Adobe4

Reading an Accessible PDFVariables1.Quality of the tagging of the PDF document (how accessible is the document)2. Assistive Technology (e.g. Screen Reader) support for PDF tags3. PDF “Reader” support for PDF tags4. Untagged document (reading order inferred)Best Results1.PDF/UA tagged document2. NVDA screen reader from NV Access (free screen reader)https://www.nvaccess.org/download/§3. 2020Acrobat Reader (desktop)Adobe5

Acrobat Accessibility Setup – Navigation PaneShort Approach§§ 2020Right Click on Navigation PaneSelect: Tags, Content, and OrderAdobeLong Approach§Go to: View Show/Hide Navigation Panes§Add: Tags, Content, and Order6

Fixing Tags§§Content Shall be Tagged in the Logical Reading OrderCommon areas for review:1.Tables2.Figures3.ArtifactsLists4.§Unique considerations depending on the source document and means of conversion:1.Scanned Document2.Role Mapping3.Links4.Form FieldsNote: Results depend on the conversion/tagging method 2020Adobe7

Editing in the Tag Tree – The BasicsCovered in specific exercises later.1.New Tag§Select where you want the new tag inserted in the TagTree (inserts below selected tag)§Right click to open the Context Menu§Select “New Tag” and the tag typeMove Tags2.§Change Tag3.§ 2020“Drag and Drop” or “Cut and Paste”F2Adobe8

Fixing Tags - Headings BasicsHeading Hierarchy - Use EX1 - Incorrect Heading Hierarchy 2020§PDF/UA allows for multiple H1 tags§PDF/UA requires heading tags be in sequential order (WCAG does not)Adobe9

Fixing Tags – List Basics (Single level)According to the PDF/UA ISO standard, a list must have the List L tag and List Item LI tags. They may also have the Label Lbl and List Body Lbody tags.1.Open PDF document EX2 - Word Demo Doc with Errors2. Open Tag Tree3. Find mis-tagged list items (usually will have a P tag)4. Create L tag5. Change list items P tags to LI tags and make them children of the L Tag 2020Adobe10

Lists – beyond the basicsUse PDF document EX3 - Complex List§ Correct so that the entire list is in one list L tag§ Fix sub-bullets (tagged at the same level) 2020Adobe11

Table Header Cells - OfficeSelect in Word 2020§Header Row (Column Headers)§First Column (Row Headers)Adobe12

Fixing Tags – Basic TableColumn and Row Headers need to be tagged with the TH tag and data cells with the TD tag1.Use PDF document to PDF EX2 - Word Demo Doc withErrors2. Open Table Editor (context menu in Tag Tree orReading Order tool)3. 2020Select and change TH tags to TD tags and add ScopeAdobe13

Table Header Cells - AcrobatSelect Header Cell radio button for a TH tag§§ 2020Row Headers should have a scope of “Row”Merged Headers need both Scope and Span (Span for number or rows or columnsAdobe14

Tables with Merged CellsUse document EX2 - Word Demo Doc with Errors§Add scope and span to merged cells§Match scope and span 2020Adobe15

ArtifactsAn artifact is content that does not provide meaningful information such as decorativeimages or line spaces. Artifacts should not be present in the Tag Tree.Use PDF document EX2 - Word Demo Doc with Errors1.Go to the Tag Tree2. Look for empty P tags3. Access the Reading Order tool from the Tag Panel4. Select item number for content to be artifacted5. Select “Background/Artifact” from the Reading Order tool6. Note empty P tag is now gone and reading order number has shifted down. 2020Adobe16

ImagesUse PDF document EX2 - Word Demo Doc with ErrorsFigures with Captions (Artifact?)Without Captions (Alternative Text)1.2.3.§ 2020Select the Accessibility ToolAdobe17

LinksConvert EX4 - Links with PDF Maker1.§delete tags and§re-add tags (best for forms – see hierarchy)Convert EX4 - Links with Print and2. 2020§Add links (similar to scanned doc), only need short URL.§Select content and go to context menu (right click) or use Edit ToolAdobe18

Training Options and g.html?OWASP CSRFTOKEN b4fc6234076238Webinar sibility 2020Adobe19

Acrobat Pro DC Helpful Links and Resources§Acrobat DC roducts/acrobat.html§Adobe Acrobat DC Accessibility robat Reader DC Accessibility sibility-features.html§Acrobat DC and Reader DC Accessibility Blogshttps://theblog.adobe.com/document-cloud/ (search for PDF or Accessibility)§Using the Acrobat Pro DC Accessibility html§Create and verify PDF /create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html§Acrobat Pro DC PDF Accessibility Repair -workflow.html 2020Adobe20

Adobe Accessibility ResourcesRob HavertyHaverty@Adobe.comAdobe Accessibility Websitewww.Adobe.com/AccessibilityAccessibility liance.htmlFollow us on Twitter @AdobeAccessPDF StandardsISO 32000 (free)ISO 14289 (PDF/UA) (purchase) 2020Adobe21

Reading an Accessible PDF Variables 1. Quality of the tagging of the PDF document (how accessible is the document) 2. Assistive Technology (e.g.Screen Reader) support for PDF tags 3. PDF “Reader” support for PDF tags 4. Untagged document (reading order inferred) Best Results 1. PDF/UA tagged d