Another resource to consider is Butte College’s OER and ZTC for Faculty: Accessibility page for an array of resources intended for use by community college faculty who
are developing resources
We want all textbooks and other educational materials created to be usable by all
our students. Legally, this means the materials should be compliant with the Americans
with Disabilities Act and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. ADA and Section
508 compliance allow more students to access open educational resources and should
be prioritized during formatting. The following pages describe key aspects of compliance
applied to several file types.
Often, OER specialists will initially format in Word and then convert the file to
a PDF. While Word does have an accessibility checker, the PDF accessibility checker
is often used as the final test of a document’s accessibility.
Creating an Accessible Document
Documents created in Microsoft Word and Google docs can be quite accessible, but there
are some tips that OER authors should use to ensure that the documents they create
will not only be accessible in Word but also be accessible when transformed into other
formats (Web pages, PDF documents, braille documents).To easily build accessible documents in Word (and other word-processing tools like
Google docs and Open Office), the writer will need to become familiar with the editing
toolbars. Using the proper styles "tags" the document with hidden code that makes
the document understandable to screen reader software.
The basic tips to keep in mind include the following:
Use styles to denote headings.
Use list styles to create numbered and bulleted lists.
Provide alternative text for all images.
Ensure headers within tables are tagged.
Ensure adequate color contrast between all text and the background.
Use tabs, not spaces to move words.
Tutorials
While word processing software used to vary dramatically, Word for Windows, Word for
the Mac, and Google docs actually function very similarly! Here are a few terrific
videos that will help the writer get a bird's eye view of making documents accessible,
and for Word users, a terrific online resource that should be bookmarked for future
use:
To better understand the guidelines for designing electronic documents, please watch
the following video presented by the OEI as an introduction to basic accessibility in MS Word:
Basic Accessibility in MS Word
Documents: Chunking and Headers
Headings within a document--whether Word, Google Doc, PowerPoint, or PDF--should be
used to separate content into "chunks" by identifying the main ideas or concepts of
the page. Headings also identify a change in the flow of information on the page and
allow individuals to visually scan the document for the desired information.
From an accessibility perspective, properly formatted headings are valuable as they
provide individuals using screen readers with a simple method to navigate within a
document. Rather than reading line-by-line through a document or web page, the use
of headings allows individuals to move through the information based on heading topic.
To help students get the most from headings, follow these three rules:
Ensure the headings are logical and descriptive.
There should only be one Level 1 Heading.
Use Level 2 Headings as the main topics. (A page may only require h2s.)
Use Level 3 for subtopics.
Use Styles to denote headings.
Maintain the semantic structure of the headings (don't skip levels).
Lists can help transform dense sentences or paragraphs by making the material more
visually accessible. Lists are terrific ways to:
present related ideas to students;
illustrate items in a group;
present pieces of a series; or
outline steps in a process.
They also capitalize on white space, which can help make the content more visually
appealing.
To make a list accessible, however, please ensure to use the list style. Simply adding sequential
numbers or bullet icons before each line of text or item in the list does not make the list accessible.
While hyperlinks are a helpful and simple way to quickly direct students to web-based
resources, they can pose accessibility challenges when the purpose and destination
of the links are unclear to screen reader users. Screen readers will identify all
the links in the document and present them in an alphabetical list for easy navigation,
but the links need to be descriptive. To make the links accessible to every student,
follow these rules:
Identify the purpose or function of the hyperlink as part of the hyperlink name.
Be as descriptive as possible without being overly long--the user will have to listen
to the whole link before moving to the next link on the list.
Integrate the link into a sentence--sighted users will see the link, and screen readers
will identify the link.
There are also a few things to avoid. Avoid using vague or repeated text for hyperlinks,
such as Click Here, Read more, or Link. In addition, in keeping with the idea of being
descriptive, links should not be URLs. Not only are most URLs not descriptive, they
are usually very long.
Highlight the phrase that will be the link text (remember to follow guidelines for
link text).
SelectInsert from the menu bar, and then select Link...
Paste the URL into theLink field, then select Apply.
Because it is web-based, Google Docs will also allow one to search for an appropriate
link, and even make suggestions for links. This can be handy if one is not sure of
the resource to which they would like to link, but be sure to check out Google's suggested
link! Remember, the linked site needs to be accessible, too!
To ensure a document is accessible, it's important to add a text description to images.
This allows individuals who are visually impaired or blind using screen-reader software
to "hear" the description of the image. Additionally, for individuals who are using
a text-only Web browser or other mobile device, the text description still provides
access to the information when the images are not displayed.
There are scenarios where descriptive alt text is not required--sometimes an image
is just there for visual appeal. It's purely decorative. In this case, alt text is
not necessary, as the image has no value in helping a student using assistive technology
to understand the information being presented. Many images, however, have a pedagogical
purpose, and, therefore, require a description explaining the information the image
conveys.
When providing alternative text for images, the CCC High Tech Center Training Unit
offers the following guidelines:
Keep the alternative text brief (10 words or less), but be descriptive.
If there is text content in the image, include the exact text in the alternate text
box.
Do not use the word "image" to begin the description - instead identify the type of
image being used if it is relevant to the image content (e.g., photograph, painting,
screenshot).
If the image is very detailed and cannot be summarized in a few sentences, consider
placing additional information about the image into the page text preceding or following
the image.
Tabs Content
Tab Shown on Load
1
Heading
Content
Windows
Windows
Alt Text in Word for Windows
To set the alt text on an image:
Select the image and perform a right-mouse-button click.
ChooseFormat Picturefrom the menu.
In the Format Picture side panel select theLayout and Propertiesoption.
Click onALT TEXT, and then enter a short text description of the image.
Include information about the content and/or function of the image.
Try to keep the alt text under 7 words.
Mac
Mac
To set the Alt Text in Word 2016 for the Mac:
Select the image; thePicture Format tab will appear on the ribbon.
Open the Format Pane, then select the Layout and Properties icon.
Open the Alt Text option by selecting the arrow.
Enter the appropriate alt text in the Description (not the title).
To ensure students can navigate through a table with ease, all tables should be formatted
for optimal use with a screen reader, including properly denoting the table header
row. Remember, the header row allows the screen reader to keep track of where it is
within the table, providing valuable information that allows visually impaired students
to better understand the table. To maximize the clarity of the table, it's important
to avoid nested tables (a table within a table), split and merged cells, and empty
cells.
Tabs Content
Tab Shown on Load
1
Heading
Content
Windows
Windows
Formatting Tables
Select the header row.
Right-click in that row and choose Table Properties.
Select the Row tab.
Check “Repeat as header row at the top of each page.”
Select the number of columns and rows using the grid.
Ensure the table has a header row.
If the table is longer than one page or breaks across two pages, Please ensure the
header row is repeated on the second page. This will make the table more usable for
both sighted and visually impaired students. To repeat the header row:
Place the cursor in the header row, and Control+click or select Table from the Word
Menu.
Select Table Properties from the list or drop-down menu.
Select the Row tab, and then select the Repeat as header row box.
In this section, we provide guidelines and recommendations about color contrast in
your open educational materials.
What is color Contrast?
color contrast includes: hue, lightness and saturation of text, images, and backgroundFile types: .doc, .html, .pdf, .jpg, .gif
What What Role Does color Play in the Delivery of Your Content?
When documents or web pages do not provide enough contrast between foreground elements
(e.g., text, images) and background elements (e.g., color, watermark images), some
students will have difficulty reading the content. Consider the following questions:
1. Have you presented text- or image-based content on a colored or textured background?
If so, you should:
Confirm that there is sufficient contrast between your foreground content and the
chosen background color or texture.
2. Have you included links in your content? If so, you should:
Confirm that the color of your web links is distinct from both your background color
and the color of the surrounding text.
3. Have you used color to convey concepts or information? If so, you should:
Confirm that you are not using color alone to convey this information.
Who Are You Doing This For?
This work supports students who:
Have low vision
Have poor contrast vision
Are color blind and cannot differentiate between certain colors
Are using a device with monochrome display
What Do You Need To Do?
Contrast
Students with low vision and/or a form of color blindness may have difficulty reading
text that does not contrast enough with the background color you have selected. If
the color palette you have adopted is too subtle (e.g., white text on a pastel background;
medium-grey text on a light-grey background), the contrast between your foreground
and background is probably insufficient for some students.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require that “the visual presentation
of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1.”[15]The image below presents four different foreground/background color-contrast examples
to illustrate insufficient and sufficient color contrast ratios.
Image displays four examples of foreground (text) color against background colors;
only the example on the far right presents combinations with sufficient color contrast.
Not sure how to test your materials for color contrast ratios?
There are many online and downloadable tools available to help you evaluate color
contrast ratios. Here are a few we have tried and like:
WebAIM’sColor Contrast Checker: This web-based tool allows you to select or enter color values to test and provides
you with a “pass” or “fail” on your contrast ratio.
ACART’sContrast Checker: This is a straightforward, web-based tool you can use to both check color contrast
and view your selections in grey scale. This tool also allows you to keep a history
of the color combinations you have tested.
Giacomo Mazzocato’sAccessibility Color Wheel: This web-based tool includes several options for testing your color selections,
including simulations of three types of color blindness. You can also opt to test
what your contrast ratio is when the foreground and background color selections are
inverted.
Weblink colors
Weblinks must be visually distinct from both the surrounding, non-linked text and
background color. If you do not underline your links (or provide some other non-color
cue), you must ensure that you provide both sufficient contrast between the link and
background colors and between the link color and that of the surrounding text.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require a:
4.5:1 contrast between the link text color and the background
3:1 contrast between the link text color and the surrounding non-link text color[16]
High-Contrast Mode
Some students need to see light text on a dark background for it to be readable, while
others require dark text on a light background. Students with low vision must be able
to see content when it is displayed in high-contrast mode. This can be a subjective
experience, based on individual student needs. We recommend that you try testing your
text and image-based content as you go by using high-contrast mode on your own computer
and making adjustments as needed.
All content items such as text, images, bullets, and table borders must be visible
in both regular and high-contrast modes.
Not sure how to test your content in high-contrast mode?To test the visibility of your content in this mode, turn on high contrast by simultaneously
pressing the following keys on your (PC) keyboard:
Left ALT + Left SHIFT + Print Screen.
To turn off high contrast mode, repeat this step.
Use of color
You should not rely on color as the sole means of conveying information and instruction.
If the point you are making depends on color to be understood, you will need to edit
your materials so that concepts presented in the visuals are not lost to those who
are color blind or who require high contrast between colors.[17]
In this section, we provide guidelines and recommendations about color contrast in
your open educational materials.
What is color Contrast?
color contrast includes: hue, lightness and saturation of text, images, and backgroundFile types: .doc, .html, .pdf, .jpg, .gif
What What Role Does color Play in the Delivery of Your Content?
When documents or web pages do not provide enough contrast between foreground elements
(e.g., text, images) and background elements (e.g., color, watermark images), some
students will have difficulty reading the content. Consider the following questions:
1. Have you presented text- or image-based content on a colored or textured background?
If so, you should:
Confirm that there is sufficient contrast between your foreground content and the
chosen background color or texture.
2. Have you included links in your content? If so, you should:
Confirm that the color of your web links is distinct from both your background color
and the color of the surrounding text.
3. Have you used color to convey concepts or information? If so, you should:
Confirm that you are not using color alone to convey this information.
Who Are You Doing This For?
This work supports students who:
Have low vision
Have poor contrast vision
Are color blind and cannot differentiate between certain colors
Are using a device with monochrome display
What Do You Need To Do?
Contrast
Students with low vision and/or a form of color blindness may have difficulty reading
text that does not contrast enough with the background color you have selected. If
the color palette you have adopted is too subtle (e.g., white text on a pastel background;
medium-grey text on a light-grey background), the contrast between your foreground
and background is probably insufficient for some students.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require that “the visual presentation
of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1.”[15]The image below presents four different foreground/background color-contrast examples
to illustrate insufficient and sufficient color contrast ratios.
Image displays four examples of foreground (text) color against background colors;
only the example on the far right presents combinations with sufficient color contrast.
Not sure how to test your materials for color contrast ratios?
There are many online and downloadable tools available to help you evaluate color
contrast ratios. Here are a few we have tried and like:
WebAIM’sColor Contrast Checker: This web-based tool allows you to select or enter color values to test and provides
you with a “pass” or “fail” on your contrast ratio.
ACART’sContrast Checker: This is a straightforward, web-based tool you can use to both check color contrast
and view your selections in grey scale. This tool also allows you to keep a history
of the color combinations you have tested.
Giacomo Mazzocato’sAccessibility Color Wheel: This web-based tool includes several options for testing your color selections,
including simulations of three types of color blindness. You can also opt to test
what your contrast ratio is when the foreground and background color selections are
inverted.
Weblink colors
Weblinks must be visually distinct from both the surrounding, non-linked text and
background color. If you do not underline your links (or provide some other non-color
cue), you must ensure that you provide both sufficient contrast between the link and
background colors and between the link color and that of the surrounding text.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require a:
4.5:1 contrast between the link text color and the background
3:1 contrast between the link text color and the surrounding non-link text color[16]
High-Contrast Mode
Some students need to see light text on a dark background for it to be readable, while
others require dark text on a light background. Students with low vision must be able
to see content when it is displayed in high-contrast mode. This can be a subjective
experience, based on individual student needs. We recommend that you try testing your
text and image-based content as you go by using high-contrast mode on your own computer
and making adjustments as needed.
All content items such as text, images, bullets, and table borders must be visible
in both regular and high-contrast modes.
Not sure how to test your content in high-contrast mode?To test the visibility of your content in this mode, turn on high contrast by simultaneously
pressing the following keys on your (PC) keyboard:
Left ALT + Left SHIFT + Print Screen.
To turn off high contrast mode, repeat this step.
Use of color
You should not rely on color as the sole means of conveying information and instruction.
If the point you are making depends on color to be understood, you will need to edit
your materials so that concepts presented in the visuals are not lost to those who
are color blind or who require high contrast between colors.[17]
In this section, we provide guidelines and recommendations about color contrast in
your open educational materials.
What is color Contrast?
color contrast includes: hue, lightness and saturation of text, images, and backgroundFile types: .doc, .html, .pdf, .jpg, .gif
What What Role Does color Play in the Delivery of Your Content?
When documents or web pages do not provide enough contrast between foreground elements
(e.g., text, images) and background elements (e.g., color, watermark images), some
students will have difficulty reading the content. Consider the following questions:
1. Have you presented text- or image-based content on a colored or textured background?
If so, you should:
Confirm that there is sufficient contrast between your foreground content and the
chosen background color or texture.
2. Have you included links in your content? If so, you should:
Confirm that the color of your web links is distinct from both your background color
and the color of the surrounding text.
3. Have you used color to convey concepts or information? If so, you should:
Confirm that you are not using color alone to convey this information.
Who Are You Doing This For?
This work supports students who:
Have low vision
Have poor contrast vision
Are color blind and cannot differentiate between certain colors
Are using a device with monochrome display
What Do You Need To Do?
Contrast
Students with low vision and/or a form of color blindness may have difficulty reading
text that does not contrast enough with the background color you have selected. If
the color palette you have adopted is too subtle (e.g., white text on a pastel background;
medium-grey text on a light-grey background), the contrast between your foreground
and background is probably insufficient for some students.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require that “the visual presentation
of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1.”[15]The image below presents four different foreground/background color-contrast examples
to illustrate insufficient and sufficient color contrast ratios.
Image displays four examples of foreground (text) color against background colors;
only the example on the far right presents combinations with sufficient color contrast.
Not sure how to test your materials for color contrast ratios?
There are many online and downloadable tools available to help you evaluate color
contrast ratios. Here are a few we have tried and like:
WebAIM’sColor Contrast Checker: This web-based tool allows you to select or enter color values to test and provides
you with a “pass” or “fail” on your contrast ratio.
ACART’sContrast Checker: This is a straightforward, web-based tool you can use to both check color contrast
and view your selections in grey scale. This tool also allows you to keep a history
of the color combinations you have tested.
Giacomo Mazzocato’sAccessibility Color Wheel: This web-based tool includes several options for testing your color selections,
including simulations of three types of color blindness. You can also opt to test
what your contrast ratio is when the foreground and background color selections are
inverted.
Weblink colors
Weblinks must be visually distinct from both the surrounding, non-linked text and
background color. If you do not underline your links (or provide some other non-color
cue), you must ensure that you provide both sufficient contrast between the link and
background colors and between the link color and that of the surrounding text.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require a:
4.5:1 contrast between the link text color and the background
3:1 contrast between the link text color and the surrounding non-link text color[16]
High-Contrast Mode
Some students need to see light text on a dark background for it to be readable, while
others require dark text on a light background. Students with low vision must be able
to see content when it is displayed in high-contrast mode. This can be a subjective
experience, based on individual student needs. We recommend that you try testing your
text and image-based content as you go by using high-contrast mode on your own computer
and making adjustments as needed.
All content items such as text, images, bullets, and table borders must be visible
in both regular and high-contrast modes.
Not sure how to test your content in high-contrast mode?To test the visibility of your content in this mode, turn on high contrast by simultaneously
pressing the following keys on your (PC) keyboard:
Left ALT + Left SHIFT + Print Screen.
To turn off high contrast mode, repeat this step.
Use of color
You should not rely on color as the sole means of conveying information and instruction.
If the point you are making depends on color to be understood, you will need to edit
your materials so that concepts presented in the visuals are not lost to those who
are color blind or who require high contrast between colors.[17]
In this section, we provide guidelines and recommendations about color contrast in
your open educational materials.
What is color Contrast?
color contrast includes: hue, lightness and saturation of text, images, and backgroundFile types: .doc, .html, .pdf, .jpg, .gif
What What Role Does color Play in the Delivery of Your Content?
When documents or web pages do not provide enough contrast between foreground elements
(e.g., text, images) and background elements (e.g., color, watermark images), some
students will have difficulty reading the content. Consider the following questions:
1. Have you presented text- or image-based content on a colored or textured background?
If so, you should:
Confirm that there is sufficient contrast between your foreground content and the
chosen background color or texture.
2. Have you included links in your content? If so, you should:
Confirm that the color of your web links is distinct from both your background color
and the color of the surrounding text.
3. Have you used color to convey concepts or information? If so, you should:
Confirm that you are not using color alone to convey this information.
Who Are You Doing This For?
This work supports students who:
Have low vision
Have poor contrast vision
Are color blind and cannot differentiate between certain colors
Are using a device with monochrome display
What Do You Need To Do?
Contrast
Students with low vision and/or a form of color blindness may have difficulty reading
text that does not contrast enough with the background color you have selected. If
the color palette you have adopted is too subtle (e.g., white text on a pastel background;
medium-grey text on a light-grey background), the contrast between your foreground
and background is probably insufficient for some students.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require that “the visual presentation
of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 7:1.”[15]The image below presents four different foreground/background color-contrast examples
to illustrate insufficient and sufficient color contrast ratios.
Image displays four examples of foreground (text) color against background colors;
only the example on the far right presents combinations with sufficient color contrast.
Not sure how to test your materials for color contrast ratios?
There are many online and downloadable tools available to help you evaluate color
contrast ratios. Here are a few we have tried and like:
WebAIM’sColor Contrast Checker: This web-based tool allows you to select or enter color values to test and provides
you with a “pass” or “fail” on your contrast ratio.
ACART’sContrast Checker: This is a straightforward, web-based tool you can use to both check color contrast
and view your selections in grey scale. This tool also allows you to keep a history
of the color combinations you have tested.
Giacomo Mazzocato’sAccessibility Color Wheel: This web-based tool includes several options for testing your color selections,
including simulations of three types of color blindness. You can also opt to test
what your contrast ratio is when the foreground and background color selections are
inverted.
Weblink colors
Weblinks must be visually distinct from both the surrounding, non-linked text and
background color. If you do not underline your links (or provide some other non-color
cue), you must ensure that you provide both sufficient contrast between the link and
background colors and between the link color and that of the surrounding text.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) require a:
4.5:1 contrast between the link text color and the background
3:1 contrast between the link text color and the surrounding non-link text color[16]
High-Contrast Mode
Some students need to see light text on a dark background for it to be readable, while
others require dark text on a light background. Students with low vision must be able
to see content when it is displayed in high-contrast mode. This can be a subjective
experience, based on individual student needs. We recommend that you try testing your
text and image-based content as you go by using high-contrast mode on your own computer
and making adjustments as needed.
All content items such as text, images, bullets, and table borders must be visible
in both regular and high-contrast modes.
Not sure how to test your content in high-contrast mode?To test the visibility of your content in this mode, turn on high contrast by simultaneously
pressing the following keys on your (PC) keyboard:
Left ALT + Left SHIFT + Print Screen.
To turn off high contrast mode, repeat this step.
Use of color
You should not rely on color as the sole means of conveying information and instruction.
If the point you are making depends on color to be understood, you will need to edit
your materials so that concepts presented in the visuals are not lost to those who
are color blind or who require high contrast between colors.[17]
Color
There are a number of very important considerations when it comes to color: Contrast,
Color Blindness, and Color Processing Issues.
When creating a document, always be very aware of contrast. It is generally best for
readability not to overlay text on top of a busy graphic. Similarly, when using a
colored background, make sure that the text contrasts strongly with the background.
Never use light text on a light background (for instance yellow text on white) or
dark text on a dark background (for instance black text on dark blue).
Also remember that a significant portion of the population has some degree of colorblindness
(most often red/green). If green text is used for correct answers and red text for
incorrect answers, some students may be completely lost. It is fine to use color as
a reinforcement, as long as color is not the only indicator. For instance, have the
word “correct” in green and “incorrect” in red.
It is quite common for students with vision issues, including visual processing issues,
to be affected in some way by color. The nice thing about a fully accessible document
is that the programs that students use to read the documents can alter the color as
necessary.
Color Contrast
When possible, use the default settings for text colors. If using custom colors for
headings or other textual markers, check the contrast via a free online color contrast
tool. In order to test the colors, it is important to know thehex codeLinks to an external site.of the colors being used. Some recommended color contrast tools are:
The path to creating accessible documents is full of potholes. One particular issue
is the software students will need to open a file--if they are provided with a Word
document, they will need Word to read it. In addition, if their operating system or
version of Word is not the same as the document creator's, there is no guarantee the
document will look the same to them as it did to the person who created the file.
Converting Word, Google Docs, PowerPoint, and Google Slides documents (Excel and Google
Sheets, too) to a PDF eliminates the software issue. With PDFs, students can download
the freeAdobe ReaderLinks to an external site., allowing universal access to the course material, and, the document will look exactly
the same as when it was designed.
There is, however, a caveat:
The PDF is only as accessible as the original document.
In other words, an accessible PDF is built from an accessible Office or Google document.
If the original file has an accessibility issue, that issue will be passed on in the
PDF format. Additionally, sometimes new accessibility issues occur as the file is
being rendering into the PDF format, so even if the Word document was 100% accessible,
the PDF version may not be!
The following tabs on this page will provide guidance on converting Office for Windows
files into PDFs, converting Office for the Mac, and converting Google docs. In the
next section we'll cover using Adobe Acrobat Pro.
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1
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Windows
Windows
The beauty of the Microsoft products is their consistency. Whether converting a Word
doc or PowerPoint, the process is going to be very similar:
Make sure the original "source" file (from Word or PPT) is accessible.
Select File, then Save As.
Choose where to save the file.
Select PDFas the Save Astype.
Select Options, then check the box for Document structure tags for accessibility.
Select OK.
It never hurts to check the final PDF, as well. In the next section, we'll learn more
about assessing the accessibility of PDFs.
Remember, to end up with an accessible PDF, it is important to begin with an accessible
file. In addition, if using any version of Microsoft Word for the Mac that is prior
to 2016, the document cannot be converted to an accessible PDF from Word or PPT. The
documents will need to be imported to another tool (Google docs or OpenOffice, for
instance) in order to create an accessible PDF.For this reason, we strongly suggest all Mac users upgrade to MS Office for the Mac-2016.
** IMPORTANT INFORMATION **
We want to be very clear here. MS Office products designed for the Mac prior to 2016
will allow documents to be saved as PDFs, but, these PDFs are not accessible.
This is because there are two types of PDFs--image only, and tagged. Image-only PDFs
are like a picture of the original document. It looks the same, but the text has actually
been changed to an image. The text cannot be edited, and, more importantly, the screen
reader won't see text--instead, it will detect a single image. It is, essentially,
a photo of the original document.
Tagged PDFs, on the other hand, are text documents, and the 'tags' retain the important
formatting information so useful to screen readers.
In the MS Office for Mac products prior to 2016, the conversion process turned the
original document into an image-only PDF--no text, no tags, just the image. It looked
great, but it was useless to students using assistive technology.
So, here's how to ensure MS Office for Mac documents are converted to accessible PDFs:
Check the version of Office to be sure it is the 2016 version (selectWordfrom the menu bar, and then About).
Select Save Asfrom the Filemenu, name the file, and choose the folder in which it will be saved.
For File Format, choose PDF.
Select Best for electronic distribution and accessibility.
Select Export.
It never hurts to check the final PDF, as well. In the next section, we'll learn more
about assessing the accessibility of PDFs.
Google
Google
To convert a Google doc to a PDF:
SelectDownload asfrom the drop-down list in Filemenu.
SelectPDF document (.pdf) from the drop-down list.
Save the converted document to the computer.
Retrofitting PDF's
Retrofitting PDFs
For many years, there was an unfortunate myth floating around that the PDF format
magically made documents accessible. Now, however, it's time to confront the skeletons
in the closet, and check those old PDFs.
Never assume a PDF, even one that looks very professional, is accessible.
Checking PDFs
The best way to check a PDF is with Adobe Acrobat Pro. If using PDFs extensively,
investing in this software could prove invaluable to a campus with OER specialists.
Adobe Acrobat has a host of tools, including an Accessibility Checker. To run an accessibility
report, open a PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro:
Select theAccessibility tool.
SelectFull Report from the menu bar.
Select Start Checking.
The accessibility report will open in the left column. Follow the feedback to correct
any errors.
Retrofitting
The approach to retrofitting PDFs will depend on whether the OER specialist owns the
original source file that was converted to PDF. If they have the original file, that's
where they'll start:
Ditch the inaccessible PDF.
Retrofit the original source file and format accordingly.
If choosing to retrofit the original source file, after fixing any accessibility issues,
convert the file to PDF.
If this is not the original source file, Adobe Acrobat Pro will be needed to make the file accessible:
Open the file in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Run the Accessibility Check.
Follow the tips generated by Adobe to fix any issues.
Using Adobe requires practice. They have some terrific web-based tutorials, included
in the additional resources.