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Making a PDF accessible

PDFs cannot be made fully accessible, but they can be made accessible to some people with disabilities; for example people using screen readers. A PDF is made accessible by tagging certain elements within it, for example images. If a PDF is tagged properly then a person using a screen reader can often understand a PDF just as well as an HTML document. However PDF does not yet have all the features of HTML, and therefore an equivalent must always be provided.

Please note: In order to create a tagged PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Professional, Version 5 or above and Microsoft Word, Version 2000 or above.

Relationship to checkpoints:

Checkpoint 8.1 requires that programmatic objects such as PDF are made directly accessible using the features available within the technology.

Preparing the Word document

It is preferable to create a tagged PDF from a Word document. However the Word document must have been created in a particular way.

1. Use structural formatting

Use the structural formatting already available in Word, for example headings, bullets and numbered lists.

Make sure all text is formatted as Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3 and Body Text.

Make sure a multi-column layout is achieved via column formatting and not through tabs or tables.

Make sure all paragraphs end in a Paragraph Return instead of a Soft Return (an Enter versus a Shift+Enter)

2. Create links

Ensure all links in the Word document are live links.

3. Group artwork

If the document contains artwork comprised of several elements, group the entire artwork into one picture.

4. Add alternative text to images

Add alternative text to all images via the "Format picture" dialog box. Under the "Web" tab, there is a section available for alternative text.

Please note: This is only available in Windows

5. Format tables

Ensure that tables are not nested.

Turn off the "Allow row to break across pages" option in the "Table Formatting" dialog box to ensure rows do not break across pages.

Where a table runs over two or more pages ensure the "Repeat as header row at the top of each page" is enabled.

Creating the PDF document

Please note: Do not use the option "Print as PDF" as this will not transfer across all the relevant formatting.

1. Change Acrobat Conversion settings

Word 2000 / Acrobat 5.0

Open the "Change Conversion settings" via the "Acrobat" menu.

Under the "Office" tab ensure that "Embed tags in PDF" is enabled and "Page labels" is disabled.

Under the "Bookmarks" tab ensure "Convert Word headings to bookmarks" is enabled.

Under the "Settings" tab ensure that the "Enable Text Access for Screen Reader Devices for the Visually Impaired" is enabled.

Word XP / Acrobat 6.0

Open the "Change Conversion settings" via the "Adobe PDF" menu.

Under the "Settings" tab ensure that the following are enabled:

• "View Adobe PDF result"
• "Prompt for Adobe PDF File Name"
• "Convert Document Information"
• "Add Bookmarks to Adobe PDF"
• "Add Links to Adobe PDF"
• "Enable Accessibility and Reflow with Tagged PDF"

Under the "Security" tab ensure that the "Enable Text Access for Screen Reader Devices for the Visually Impaired" is enabled.

Under the "Bookmarks" tab ensure "Convert Word headings to bookmarks" is enabled.

Word XP / Acrobat 7.0

Open the "Change Conversion settings" via the "Adobe PDF" menu.

Under the "Settings" tab ensure that the following are enabled:

• "Convert Document Information"
• "Add Bookmarks to Adobe PDF"
• "Add Links to Adobe PDF"
• "Enable Accessibility and Reflow with Tagged PDF"

Under the "Security" tab ensure that the "Enable Text Access for Screen Reader Devices for the Visually Impaired" and "Enable Accessibility and Reflow with Tagged PDF" is enabled.

Under the "Word" tab enable any options, such as cross-referencing, table of contents etc that should become links in the accessible PDF.

Under the "Bookmarks" tab ensure "Convert Word headings to bookmarks" is enabled.

2. Create the PDF

Word 2000 / Acrobat 5.0

Create the accessible PDF by selecting "Convert to Adobe PDF" under the "Acrobat" menu.

Word XP / Acrobat 6.0

Create the accessible PDF by selecting "Convert to Adobe PDF" under the "Adobe PDF" menu.

Word XP / Acrobat 7.0

Create the accessible PDF by selecting "Convert to PDF" under the "Adobe PDF" menu.

Testing the PDF document

Please note: Only later versions of Adobe Acrobat contain these functions.

1. Run a Full Check

Run a Full Check of the accessibility of the PDF by selecting "Full Check" under the "Accessibility" tab in the "Advanced" menu.

Under the "Report and Comments" section ensure that "Create Accessibility report" is enabled and "Create comments in document" is disabled.

Under the "Checking options" section, make sure all options are enabled.

The results of the Full Check will be created in an HTML document and saved in the same directory as the source PDF file. On completion of the Full Check this document automatically opens in the left window of the PDF file.

Please note: Running a Full Check may be time-consuming.

2. Use Reflow

Reflow the text into a single column to determine whether the content still makes sense. Reflow can be turned on by selecting "Reflow" under the "View" menu.

3. Turn on Read Out Loud

Listen to the document being read aloud using the inbuilt Acrobat screen reader. Read Out Loud can be turned on by selecting "Read Out Loud" under the "View" menu.

Further Information

Creating tagged PDFs

• Adobe – How to Create Accessible Adobe PDF Files Booklet
• Adobe – Working with Microsoft Office 2000 Application Files
• Guide to Creating Accessible PDF Files for Use on the Web
• Adobe – Creating accessible PDF documents with Adobe Acrobat 5.0
• Adobe – Creating accessible PDF documents with Adobe Acrobat 6.0
• Adobe – Creating accessible PDF documents with Adobe Acrobat 7.0
• Creating Accessible PDFs using Adobe Acrobat 7.0 Professional

Last updated: 1 July 2007

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