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Overview
When possible, PDFs should be eliminated in favor of web pages because they do not work well on mobile devices and are challenging to navigate for people using assistive technology.
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Mobile Issues: Unlike web pages, PDF documents are not responsive and do not adjust to your screen size, such as on a mobile device. This forces the user to have to zoom in and the swipe left to right /right to left in order to read the content.
Difficulty Navigating Content: They are difficult for web users, including screen reader users, to navigate when seeking specific information. Because the website navigation menu doesn’t appear when viewing the file, users can become disoriented.
Language Barriers: Content within PDFs are not easily made available in different languages. Per the city’s Digital Accessibility and Inclusion Standards, you need to provide vital information in required languages.
Not Designed for Reading on Screen: PDFs are not really designed for reading on screens. They should mainly be used as a way to print information.
Maintenance and Outdated Information: PDF documents are more time consuming to update and maintain and as a result often times are overlooked and as a result information in PDF documents is more likely to be outdated.
Step-by-Step Guides - Creating Accessible PDF and Word Documents
Step-by-step guide on how to create assessible PDF documents
Step-by-step guide on how to create an accessible PDF document using Microsoft Word
Step-by-step guide on how to test documents for accessibility compliance
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Step-by-step guide on how to create an accessible PDF document using Microsoft Word
Use Appropriate
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Font Type and
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Font Size
Choose an easy to read font like Arial or Verdana
The font size should be 12 pt or larger
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Use Color Appropriately
Make sure there is enough contrast between the words and the background. For example, do not put light gray text on a medium gray background.
Never use color alone to convey important information. Some people have color vision problems which prevents them from distinguishing between certain colors.
Provide
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Labels for Interactive Form Controls in PDF
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Documents
Ensure that users of assistive technology are able to perceive form control labels and understand how form controls are used.
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Form inputs generally have labels and instructions to help users understand what information is required and how to fill in the form. Unless these labels are programmatically associated with the relevant fields, assistive technology might not be able to associate them correctly, and thus users might not understand how to complete the form.
Add
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Alternative Text and
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Captions to
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Images
Here are instructions on how you can add alternative text to images in a Word document.
Text wrapping style should be “In Line with Text”
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When adding headers to the document, utilize the various items in the Styles pane instead of manually enlarging and/or bolding text.
Make sure that the headings are in chronological reading order. For example, any headers directly below the Heading 1 section must be Heading 2. It must not skip directly from Heading 1 to Heading 3.
Include a table of contents for long documents
Use the bulleted or number list buttons to format lists
Check accessibility
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Test Your Document for Accessibility Compliance
Instructions on how to check the accessibility of a Word document
Testing PDF documents for accessibility compliance using Adobe Acrobat Pro
Save the Word document as a PDF
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How to make your Microsoft Word document accessible by Microsoft
View file name Seven Steps to Creating an Accessible Microsoft Word document.pdf
Testing PDF documents using Adobe Acrobat ProView file name Three Steps to Creating an Accessible PDF file (without Adobe Acrobat).pdf
WCAG Related References
1.3.1 Info and Relationships (Level A)
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