Alternate Media Workflow Strategies for PDF

1. Alternate Media Workflow Strategies for PDF

2. Why PDF? • Portable document format (PDF) • Reads the same on any computer • Looks like the book • Contains all the text • Smaller than TIFFs • Easy for publishers

3. Types of PDF Documents • Text-based • Text can be selected • Graphical • Picture of text (i.e., a graphic) • Text cannot be selected • Use text-select tool to tell the difference

4. PDFs and Publishers • Fairly easy for publishers • Usually even small publishers can create a PDF • Most accurate format • Will be complete • But watch out for teacher’s editions • Look for format choice on request forms

5. Requesting through ATPC • Use the ATPC request form • www.atpc.net • In notes field at bottom, request PDF • If additional processing is required, send syllabus! • Please note: atpcnet.net is old URL; new URL is atpc.net

6. Security Issues • PDF files can be locked in various ways • Some files can be read but no text extracted • Some files cannot be read • Sometimes OmniPage and/or FineReader can OCR locked files • Sometimes nothing can open the files

7. Different Acrobats • Adobe Reader • Free • Useful for students who need minimalaccessibility features • http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/ • Adobe Acrobat Professional • www.uscollegebuy.com $55 • Useful for alt media specialists • Extract text, create accessible PDFs, enabled Adobe Reader features

8. Access with Acrobat Reader • Reads aloud • But does not highlight or track • Enlarges text • Nice reflow feature • Changes text/background colors • Text highlighting, sticky notes, and comments • Access text-based PDFs

9. Adobe Reader Reality Check • As good as Kurzweil? • NO • As good as PDF Aloud? • NO • Appropriate as only assistive technology? • NO • Nice as a free, widely available option? • YES

10. Process with Acrobat Pro • Cropping • Enlargement for printing • Tiling • Combining • Some text extraction • Works with text-based PDF

11. Processing Graphical PDFs • Must use OCR program • Use virtual printer with Kurzweil • Creates KESI files • Will not work with locked files • Use OmniPage or FineReader • Sometimes work with locked files • OP handles tighter security than FineReader does • Nothing works on “armadillo wrappers”

12. OCR Programs • Treat the same as a TIFF • Load image file • Zone • Create templates

13. PDF Strengths • Good format for large print • Cropping • Fit to page on large pages • Print sections on large pages (tiling) • Adobe Reader has some nice features forfree • Change colors • Reflow • Voicing • Easy for most publishers to create

14. PDF Weaknesses • Not always fully accessible • Screen readers do not always like them • Reading order can be problematic • May be graphics • May have too much security

15. Summary • Source files vs. end-user files • Source files = for you to create alt media from • End-user files = alt media formats • PDF • Consider PDFs as source files (files to process) that sometimes double as end-user files (for certain students with limited access issues)