PDF Accessibility

Introduction

At the Viterbi School of Engineering, we're committed to ensuring that all our digital resources are accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. This commitment extends to the PDFs we create and share, making sure they meet the same high standards of accessibility that we uphold across all digital content.

Creating accessible PDFs involves following specific guidelines and using tools that make documents readable and navigable for individuals using assistive technologies. Our approach is informed by USC Central’s comprehensive guidelines on Creating Accessible Content, which provide foundational standards for accessibility across the university. Additionally, the USC PDF Accessibility Checklist offers a practical, step-by-step framework for ensuring our PDFs comply with accessibility best practices.

With these resources and guidelines in place, our goal is to make PDF accessibility both achievable and integral to our digital publishing process at Viterbi. Whether you're creating new PDFs or updating existing ones, this page offers the tools and instructions you need to contribute to a more inclusive online experience.

Reviewing, Archiving, and Prioritizing PDF Accessibility Remediation

To make accessibility remediation as efficient as possible, we recommend the following approach for managing and prioritizing PDFs:

  1. Remove Unnecessary PDFs
    • Begin by identifying and removing PDFs that are outdated or no longer essential for business operations. Reducing unnecessary documents minimizes the remediation workload.
  2. Archive Your Required but Inactive PDFs
    • For documents that need to be retained for historical or legal purposes, archive them in a designated, separate location meant solely for archived files. Note that archived documents should remain untouched unless they are specifically requested, in which case they will be remediated upon request. Any document that is actively updated or modified will need immediate remediation.
  3. Prioritize Active PDFs for Remediation
    • For the remaining documents, prioritize remediation efforts based on the document’s purpose, its target audience, and its visibility to the public. Focusing on the most essential, frequently accessed, or publicly available PDFs first ensures that our highest-impact documents are accessible sooner. Prioritization also strengthens our position should any legal accessibility requirements arise.

Setting Up Adobe Acrobat Pro for Accessibility Tasks

Adobe Acrobat Pro is an essential tool for creating accessible PDFs, and setting it up properly can streamline the process, making it easier to ensure all documents meet accessibility standards. By adding the Tags panel to the Navigation Pane and enabling the Accessibility tools in the Tools Pane, users can quickly access crucial features like Autotag Document, Set Alternate Text, and Accessibility Check.
Acrobat Panes

We recommend this setup because it places key accessibility features within easy reach, saving time and ensuring consistency across all documents. With Acrobat Pro’s accessibility tools, users can efficiently create, review, and adjust PDFs, supporting our commitment to an inclusive digital environment for everyone.

  1. Add Tags to the Navigation Pane
    • Open Adobe Acrobat Pro and load any PDF document.
    • On the left-hand side of the Acrobat window, you’ll see the Navigation Pane.
    • To add the Tags panel, right-click anywhere in the Navigation Pane (or click the small arrow at the top).
    • From the menu that appears, select Tags. This will add the Tags icon to the Navigation Pane, allowing you to manage and view tags on each document.
  2. Add Accessibility to the Tools Pane
    • Go to the Tools tab at the top of the Acrobat window.
    • In the Tools view, you’ll see a list of available tools and categories.
    • Scroll to find Accessibility or type “Accessibility” in the search bar.
    • Once located, click the Add button next to Accessibility. This will place the Accessibility tool in your right-hand Tools Pane for quick access in future sessions.
    • Once added, you can click on Accessibility in the Tools Pane to access features such as Autotag Document, Set Alternate Text, and Accessibility Check.
  3. Verify Accessibility Tools Are Accessible
    • Return to your open document and confirm that Tags appears in the Navigation Pane on the left, and Accessibility is in the Tools Pane on the right.
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Both tools should now be easy to access and ready for managing PDF accessibility.

Step-by-Step Process for Making PDFs Accessible

Creating accessible PDFs is a key component of our commitment to inclusivity at the Viterbi School of Engineering. Follow these steps to ensure every PDF meets accessibility standards.

Note: Some out-of-the-box issues will require you to search online for resources on how to address them. The documentation below are mostly common issues you will face when creating and fixing PDFs for accessibility.

  1. Review USC's Accessibility Documentation
  2. Read the Document Accessibility Checklist
  3. Download the PDF
    • Download the PDF that needs accessibility improvements. Keep a copy of the original PDF as a backup.
  4. Open in Adobe Acrobat Pro
    • Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro. Viterbi students can access Acrobat Pro through the VDI platform.
  5. Check Document Properties for Accessibility
    • File Title: Go to File > Properties > Description and confirm the title field is filled with a descriptive, accurate title.
    • Tagged PDF: In the same Description window, ensure that the "Tagged PDF" setting is set to "Yes."
  6. Verify Security Settings
    • Navigate to File > Properties > Security and ensure the "Content Copying for Accessibility" feature is set to "Allowed."
  7. Set Initial View to Document Title
    • Go to File > Properties > Initial View and ensure the "Show" option is set to "Document Title."
  8. Set Document Language
    • Under File > Properties > Advanced, confirm that the language is set to "English."
  9. Auto-Tag the Document
    • Open the Tools pane, select Accessibility > Autotag Document. This step helps ensure the document structure is readable by screen readers.
  10. Add Alternate Text
    • In the Tools pane, go to Accessibility > Set Alternate Text. Review and add descriptive alternate text for any images or graphical content, ensuring a thorough and accurate description.
  11. Run Accessibility Check
    • Select Accessibility > Accessibility Check from the Tools pane and click "Start Checking" to identify and address any remaining accessibility issues.
  12. Replace the PDF in the Media Library

By following this process, you’ll help ensure that our PDF content is accessible to everyone, supporting a more inclusive learning environment for the Viterbi community.

Published on November 6th, 2024Last updated on December 16th, 2024