PDF Compliance
According to the Adobe.com articleCreating accessible PDFs
To create an accessible PDF, you need the following:
- Adobe InDesign to prepare a document for accessible PDF export using the process described in this article.
- Adobe Acrobat DC (Document Cloud) to finalize the accessibility process. You cannot accomplish these steps with the free Adobe Reader application.
LinkedIn.com has a courseCreating Accessible PDFscreated by Chad Chelius, Adobe Certified Instructor, Conference Speaker, Published Author, that is available to you. You will need to log in using your UTHealth credentials. Here is a short description of the course.
Accessibility means making sure your content is available to as many people as possible. When you make your PDFs accessible, it means adding tags, bookmarks, alt text, and other information that makes the files readable and navigable to users who are visually or mobility impaired. Using the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat DC, Microsoft Word, and Adobe InDesign, it’s now much easier to create valid, accessible PDFs.
If it is not possible to purchase these programs, consider replacing them with Microsoft Office products. The Office of the Texas Governor has publishedCreating Accessible Microsoft Office Documents, which includes training. TheGreat Lakes ADA Center上发布了一个视频从一个衰退nt online conference—Creating Accessible Digital Documents—which provides insights on how to make Microsoft documents accessible (link posted on this website Nov. 30, 2021). Visit the page, look under the headingMultimedia Archives, then press thePlayback Videolink.
Jennifer Canup, Executive Director, University Web Services, provides some good information about what to do with the existing PDFs on websites.
Review the PDFs to determine if they are necessary
- Is it content?Consider converting the content to web pages.
- Is it a fillable form to be submitted?Consider creating a web form. Contact your local web development team for that technical expertise.
- Is it a document that needs to be signed?Consider making it a DocuSign document.
If the PDF is needed, ensure it is ADA compliant.
- View the Social Security Administration’sAdobe PDF 508 Accessibility Checklist
- View WebAIM’sPDF Accessibilitypage
- View The University of Texas College of Fine Arts’ pageAccessible PDF Files
- There are LinkedIn Learning training classes on acquiring this skill set.
- The University has a standing contract with three vendors that groups can hire to remediate any PDFs that must remain on a website.
- Level Access
Contract# DIR-TSO-3840
$80.00/hour
Doug Bass, 703-215-8251 - BrightLeaf Group
Contract# DIR-TSO-3799
Contact Brightleaf for project pricing
Jane Scott, 512-914-5929 - Microassist
Contract# DIR-TSO-3813
$19.24/page (per page rate may vary)
$120.90/hour
Kelly Rossi, 512-794-8440, ext. 225
- Level Access