PDF Files

PDF files are not fully accessible, since tables are not identified by screen readers. This means that header tags are not recognized and keystrokes for navigating tables will not work.

Nonetheless, table content and text are read by screen readers, and image alt tags are recognized.

It is recommended that an alternative, html version of documents be provided, however, because of the limited accessibility of PDF files.

Software and Hardware Requirements

Users must have JAWS 4.0 or later installed to read PDF files. For converting Microsoft Word documents to tagged PDF, users need a PC with Adobe Acrobat 5.05 and the Acrobat 5.05 Accessibility and Forms Patch installed. It is recommended that they also have at least Word 2000.

To convert older (non-tagged) PDF files to accessible (tagged) PDF files, users must have the Adobe Make Accessible Plug-in installed on their PC. These items can be downloaded from the Acrobat accessibility page (www.adobe.com:80/products/acrobat/access_downloads.html)

Caveat

Tagged PDF files can only be created on a PC. PDF files created on a Macintosh will not contain accessible formatting even with tags added through the "Styles" function. Also, marked up PDF files are accessible only to JAWS and Window Eyes and not IBM Home Page Reader.

Creating Accessible PDF Files

Creating an accessible PDF file is similar to creating an accessible HTML document: content has to be text-based and not based on an image; images have to be given alternative text; and headings, links, and tables have to be properly coded. WebAIM has created a good summary for making accessible PDF elements.

There are three ways to create an accessible PDF file:

• Create a Word document including formatting for text and alt text for images, and convert it to a PDF file,
• Mark-up an existing, text-based PDF file using Adobe's Make Accessible plug-in (www.adobe.com/ support/downloads/detail.jsp?hexID=88de), or
• Tag the document in a PDF generating Adobe product such as InDesign.

Creating Accessible PDF files using Microsoft Office

First, be sure you are using Microsoft Office 2000 or later on a PC, otherwise it is more difficult to create accessible documents.

• If you have Adobe Acrobat 5.0, download and install the 5.05 update (www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=1309).
• Then install the 5.05 Accessibility and Forms Patch (www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=1438).
• Open up your Microsoft Office application and create your Word document.
• Save it.

Then:

1. Open the document in the Microsoft Office application.
2. Choose Acrobat > Change Conversion Settings.
3. Click the Office tab.
4. Select the options listed below:

• Make sure "Embed Tags in PDF" is turned on and "Page Labels" is turned off.
• Click the Bookmarks tab in the dialog box.
• From the list, select the styles in your document that you want carried over into PDF (Headings1, Headings2, Headings3; Caption; HTML Address; List; List Bullet; Table of Figures; Title; etc.). Then click OK.

5. Check the accessibility of your document by going to Tools > Accessibility Checker
6. Choose Acrobat > Convert to Adobe PDF on the Microsoft Office application menu bar, or click the Convert to Adobe PDF button on the application toolbar.
7. Name and save the file.

Marking-up an Existing PDF Document

Tagging a Document in an Adobe Application

The Adobe website contains detailed information in an HTML booklet called " How to Create Accessible Adobe PDF Files" from which portions of this section are reproduced.

WebAIM recommends creating an accessible HTML document in addtion to a PDF file for users with older versions of screen readers.