What is a PDF?
A PDF, (Portable Document File) is a type of file that is self-contained. Meaning that it will look the same on a computer screen or printed on paper. The PDF format is very helpful when making documents accessible, because it is highly compressed, yet readable no matter what program or software was used to create it.
What is “Tagging”?
Regarding accessibility, PDF documents are easily “tagged” for an assistive reader. Tagging is the process of applying HTML codes to the document, which in turns provides “cues” to the assistive reader. These cues provide information to the reader software including logical structure: what to read, in what order, and items of importance by assigning headers. HTML tags also help provide further explanations of images via alternative text, charts, lists or tables. There are numerous HTML tags that can be utilized, depending on the contents of the document. After inserting the proper HTML tags into the document, the PDF is then ready to be tested and read by an assistive reader.
There are misconceptions about how to fully utilize the PDF format correctly, to provide maximum accessibility to an assistive reader such as JAWS or NVDA.
Here are a few comments I have heard frequently:
- “I saved all my files as PDF’s. That should be compliant”.
- No! Just saving or creating a PDF is not enough. The document will still require HTML enhancement.
- “But I did auto tag all of my PDF files.”
- No! Auto tagging is a step in the right direction but DOES NOT ensure accessibility. Why? Because machines do not read, understand or perceive information the way humans do. Most often the logical structure is not accurate. This is also the reason the final step in any remediation scenario is human testing with an assistive reader. It is extremely important when the document contains charts, graphs, images and tables, which can sometimes have a very complicated structure.
- “I ran AC (auto-correct) and it did not show many errors.”
- Even if the document did not show any errors, it is still a wise precaution to conduct additional testing. Even minor changes to the document such as inserting a link for example, can result in errors. It is considered best practice to test manually as a final step.
- “How do I know that ALL of the requirements have been met for my documents?”
- You can find a helpful checklist at HHS.
For further information or assistance, visit Pearl Interactive Network or contact Dee Moradi at dmoradi@pinsourcing.com