Creating Section 508 Compliant PDF Documents I

1. Creating Section 508 CompliantPDF Documents I ASPA Web Communications and New Media Division

2. PDF I Class Objectives This course has been created to assist document publishers in converting documents to accessible PDFs After completing this class you will be able to: Describe the HHS requirements for creating PDFs Describe how to create an accessible PDF In Adobe Acrobat Professional In Microsoft Word Structure a PDF for accessibility using tags Identify techniques for developing accessible PDFs

3. Creating Section 508 CompliantPDF Documents I Module 1 – Introduction and HHS Document Requirements

4. HHS PDF Document Layout and Formatting Requirements The document should be properly tagged The document language should be specified The document should have a logical reading order Table of Contents (TOC) and Bookmarks must be functioning correctly

5. HHS PDF Document Layout and Formatting Requirements All URL’s must contain the correct hyperlink and display the fully qualified URL All URLs must be linked to an active Web Destination All Acrobat Comment and Markup items must be removed from the document All Acrobat Accessibility Tags must be correctly applied to the document

6. HHS PDF Document Layout and Formatting Requirements A Full Accessibility Report must be run on the document Documents that contain multi-column text, tables, or call-out boxes should be checked for correct reading order using assistive technology or the Acrobat Reader ‘Read Out Loud’ function Any document that is unable to be made accessible will need to have a separate accessible version available for disabled users to access This version must have all of the capabilities (e.g. bookmarks) of the PDF

7. HHS PDF Document Images Requirements All images, grouped images or non-text elements must have Alternative Text associated with them Documents comprised of scanned images of text are not 508 compliant Complex images must have descriptive text immediately after the image Multiple associated images must be grouped as one object (i.e. single flattened image) All multi-layered objects must be flattened into one image and use one alternative text (alt tag) for this image

8. HHS PDF Document Tables Requirements Documents containing data tables should have readily identifiable row and column headers Tables should be used to organize information into a tabular format Data tables should have a logical reading order from left to right and top to bottom

9. HHS PDF Document Tables Requirements Table cells should be logically associated with the Row/Column Header Tables should be named, have a table number (if applicable) and have a description below the table All cells within a data table, that are not part of the header row, must be designated as “data cells”

10. HHS PDF Document Best Practices A visual check should be done to the document to ensure that no hidden data from any application used to create the original document is present in the resulting PDF file The document file name must not contain spaces or special characters (!,;:?{}@/\=+parentheses?

11. HHS PDF Document Best Practices The document file name must be concise, generally be limited to 20-30 characters, to make the content of the file clear in the context in which it is presented Scanned signatures within documents are a considered a theft-of-identity risk and should not be used The document must utilize the recommended fonts i.e. Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Tahoma and Helvetica

12. Use Document Properties as Best Practices Properties Summary tab Shows document creator and ownership Gives author of the document Further contact information

13. PDF - Overview You have completed Module 1 You can now describe the HHS requirements when creating a PDF document Here is the link to the HHS PDF Checklist http://www.hhs.gov/web/policies/checklistpdf.html

14. Creating Section 508 CompliantPDF Documents I Module 2: Creating PDF Documents

15. Creating an Accessible PDF • There are several methods for converting a document to PDF • Converting Microsoft Office documents to PDF using Adobe Acrobat • Converting files into PDF within Microsoft Office applications using the Adobe Acrobat plug-in • Converting a Paper Document to PDF (covered in PDF II)

16. Creating Documents in Adobe Acrobat Professional

17. Open Acrobat and from the File menu select Create PDF Select the original file or method to create the PDF Converting Documents using Adobe

18. Converting Documents using Adobe • Create PDF can be also chosen from the Advanced Editing tool bar • Select the original file or method to create the PDF

19. Converting Documents using Adobe • After selecting the file location and type in the browse field, select Open • The file will automatically convert into a PDF • Now the file will need to be remediated within Adobe Acrobat Professional

20. Conversion to PDF within Microsoft OfficeUsing the Adobe Acrobat Plug-in

21. Converting files into PDF within Microsoft Word • Start with a document that has been checked for best practice for accessible Word documents. • Here is the link to the HHS Word checklist http://www.hhs.gov/web/policies/checklistword.html • Before you can perform the actual conversion process, you must first check the conversion settings

22. Conversion Settings • Open the desired Office document source file • From the Office applications Main Menu bar, select Adobe PDF > Change Conversion Settings

23. Conversion Settings • From the Settings tab, under Applications Settings check the following checkboxes: • Attach source file to Adobe PDF • Add Bookmarks to Adobe PDF • Add links to Adobe PDF • Enable Accessibility and Reflow with Tagged Adobe PDF

24. Conversion Settings • Select the Advanced Settings button • Change the Capability combo box selection to your version of Acrobat Professional • Ensures the latest accessibility features • Select OK to save conversion settings

25. Converting files into PDF within Microsoft Word • Select Adobe PDF from the Main Menu • Select Convert to PDF from the Adobe PDF dropdown menu • This creates a tagged PDF • When prompted, name the file and save it • Once the conversion process is completed, Adobe Professional will launch and display the newly created PDF file to be checked for accessibility.

26. Module 2 – Creating PDF Documents • You have completed Module 2 • You can convert a Word document into a PDF • Using Adobe Acrobat Professional • Using Microsoft Word

27. Creating Section 508 CompliantPDF Documents I Module 3: Structuring Documents

28. Structure Document structure gives a logical reading order A document that is well-structured and logically organized can easily be: Read and navigated by assistive technology Exported to other applications, with minimal adjustment to maintain accessibility Certain specifications need to be identified for text elements, non-text elements (images, tables, and diagrams), organizational aids and navigation aids

29. Adobe Acrobat: PDF Accessibility PDF tags create accessibility For a PDF document to be accessible it must contain the following: Actual text, scanned images are not accessible Tags that create the appropriate document structure Reading order specified for columns and tables Alternative text for images

30. Adobe Acrobat: PDF Accessibility Navigational aids as needed Fonts that allow characters to be extracted to text Security settings that do not interfere with assistive technology

31. Tagged PDF Tags are a text only representation of the PDF file that is presented to Assistive Technology (AT). They create the document’s structure and functionality PDF documents use tags to indicate the page elements that define the document’s content structure and how elements relate to one another Elements include: headers, paragraphs, tables, graphics and lists

32. Tag Types

33. Tag Types as seen in Acrobat

34. Verify Status Using the Tag tab, will denote if the document is tagged or not If no tags appear, the document is untagged From the Content tab, review the document’s content If no text appears in the Content pane, the document is a legacy PDF or image Selecting the Order tab will reveal the reading order If the document is untagged or does not contain actual text, the reading order will not exist Document Status

35. Document StatusContent and Order Panes

36. Tagging Converted Documents • Converting documents to PDF may generate an untagged PDF • Untagged or poorly tagged PDFs are not accessible • Combining several PDFs or other files into a single document results in a poorly tagged PDF [covered in PDF II]

37. Tagging an Untagged PDF • Select Advanced > Accessibility > Add Tags to Document

38. From Office formatted document: From the Order tab, review the documents reading order Remove empty containers and adjust reading order Edit tags Test for accessibility From legacy PDF or paper document (covered in PDF II) Accessibility review of documents

39. Accessing the Tools • Gain access to the Content, Order and Tags panes by: • From the Acrobat toolbar select View • From the View menu select Navigation Panels • From Navigation Panels select Content, Order, Tags • Drag all tabs into one panel

40. Creating Tags • Use the Touchup Reading Order Tool to: • Create a basic tagged structure of the document • Add fillable edit fields with labels • Establish the tab order • Create and adjust reading order • Use the Tags pane to: • Add descriptive text to tags • Add alternative text to Images • Adjust/add table headers • Adjust/add bookmarks

41. Touchup Reading Order From a Word Document • Starting with the Word Document: • Make sure the document is structured with text elements styles such as Headers, Sub headers, list, formatted tables and make sure that all images have alternative text • 90% of making a PDF accessible is done • Create PDF by using the Convert to PDF tool • From the Acrobat Order Panel, review and adjust the reading order as necessary • Demote artifacts to background • Go to the Tags panel and edit tags

42. Manually Adjusting PDF Tags • If a document element was improperly tagged, the tag can quickly be converted to a more appropriate tag • Open the Tag Panel by selecting View>Navigation Panels>Tags from Acrobat’s main menu

43. Manually Adjusting PDF Tags • Right click on the desired tag, and select Properties • This will open the Touchup Properties window

44. Manually Adjusting PDF Tags • From the Type combo box, select the correct tag and then close the window • The updated tag will appear in the Tags tree

45. Editing/Adding Tags • Before editing or adding tags, review tag options by right clicking on a tag • New Tag • Creates new tag in the tags list and must be dragged to the right location • Highlight Content • Highlight corresponding content to the selected tag

46. Editing/Adding Tags • Find Tags from Selection • From the toolbar, use the Select tool to select document text, and then click Find Tag from Selection • Create Tags from Selection • From the toolbar, use the Select tool to select document text, and then click Create Tag from Selection

47. Editing/Adding Tags • Properties • Change tag type • Add alternative text to Figure tags • Change document text style

48. Editing/Adding Tags • Add Alternative text to images: • Select the Tags panel and right click on a Figure tag • Select Properties • Enter a title for the image • Type actual text that appears on the image • In the Alternative Text box type a text description that conveys the purpose of the image

49. Editing/Adding Tags • Demote tagged images to the background: • Reveal child elements below the tag by left clicking on the plus sign to the left of the tag • Right click on the child element and then select Change Tag to Artifact • Define artifact type • Page • Pagination • Layout Artifacts are invisible to AT

50. Touchup Reading Order for Poorly Tagged Documents (e.g. MS Publisher) • Working in the Order panel select Options • Select Show reading order panel • Next the Touchup Reading Order tool will appear • Select Clear page structure to clear any existing tags