Creating Accessible PDF's

Creating Accessible PDF's can be challenging. The best way to get an accessible PDF is to start from an accessible Word (or other source) document. One thing to note, math and science equations can't be made accessible in a PDF document. Therefore, it is essential to create math and science content in course pages in eLearn using the equation editor.

From a Word Document

Start with an accessible Word document, created following all of the instructions on the accessible Microsoft Word Document page.

  1. Add a title to the Word metadata. In the Word Document, click on Info. In the Properties area add a title to the document.
  2. Before generating a PDF, run the Accessibility Checker in your document to make sure it is accessible to everyone. 
  3. When you've addressed the accessibility issues, select File > Save As or File > Save a Copy.
  4. Do one of the following:
    • To save the PDF to the same location as the original file, expand the file type dropdown list under the file name, select PDF (*.pdf), and then select More options.... The Save As dialog box opens.
    • To browse for a save location, select Browse. The Save As dialog box opens. Navigate to the location where you want to save the file, and then select PDF in the Save as type list.
  5. In the Save As dialog box, select Options.
  6. Ensure the option Document structure tags for accessibility checkbox is selected, and then select OK.

Note: KEEP the original Word document in addition to the PDF document. It is easier to make changes and updates to the original Word document and if a student has accessibility issues with the PDF, the Word document can be provided instead.

Note: Word for Mac cannot create accessible PDF's

The steps above were adapted from Microsoft Create accessible PDFs guide.

Adobe Accessibility Checker

The accessibility check in Adobe Acrobat Professional can help you determine what accessibility issues are found in your document. It is possible to fix some issues using the tools in Acrobat Pro but it is best to fix the source document and then re-convert it to PDF.

  1. Click the All Tools tab
  2. Click the Prepare for accessibility tool.
  3. Under Prepare for accessibility, select the Check for accessibility option.
  4. The Accessibility Checker Options Window will open.
    • Under the Report Options, check on the Create Accessibility Report.
    • Under the Checking Options section:
      • Category: Document and check all the items.
  5. Click the Start Checking button.
  6. The Accessibility Checker Report will display on the right pane.

Once you have the accessibility issues flagged, fix them to correct the issues to make the document accessible.

Scanned PDF Content

Scanned PDF documents function like a picture not like text. These steps will convert the picture of letters into actual text. This will not provide a fully accessible document. Even after the text is recognized the documents will not have headings, images will not have alt text, tables will not format correctly, color contrast may be inadequate and even the basic text flow may be organized incorrectly. This tool is best used to extract text from a PDF, then bring the text into Word or eLearn and complete the accessibility using the techniques on this website.

  1. Open the scanned PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Professional (Acrobat DC).
  2. Open the Tools panel (click Tools in the top right) and click on Enhance Scans.
  3. On the Enhance Scans toolbar select Recognize Text > In This File.
  4. Below the Recognize Text button, set the language to English. Open the Settings, set the output to Editable Text and Images and Downsample To 600 dpi.
  5. Click OK, then click the Recognize Text button. 
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