Southern New Hampshire University

Adobe PDF Creation and Remediation

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For PDF training, please look at the free microlearning models below.

Accessible document structure allows a screen reader to read a PDF out loud properly. It also allows a mobile device to reflow and display the document on a small screen correctly. Similarly, the preset tab order of an accessible PDF form helps all users—not just users who rely on the keyboard—complete the form more easily. The best recommendation is to AVOID creating PDF files and create digital web-based documents or WORD Documents.

  • Do not use headers or footers

  • Do not use footnotes - incorporate any and all important information into the main content text itself

  • Break up complicated, multitopic tables into separate tables 

  • Utilize headings to improve document navigation in screenreader applications greatly

  • Avoid using scanned PDFs - they are actually images instead of text, require Optical Character Recognition to translate to text, and the worse the quality of the scan, the less effective (therefore, less accessible) the end result will be

Here are ten modules about two-minute-long tutorials from Microsoft’s Chief Accessibility Officer, Jenny Lay-Flurrie, who kicked off the 12th annual  FREE Ability Summit. These simple step-by-step tutorials target specific flagged items that may need to be remediated as you create your PDF:

The National Clearinghouse of Rehab tutorials are also FREE and available for public access:

Compass Training Modules

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Accessibility and Assistive Technology

Need More Help? 2
Overviews of Accessibility Settings (Windows and Mac) 2
Employee-Facing Support and Services 3
Web Accessibility Testing 5
Accessible Documents and Emails 13
Text-to-Speech Tools 12
Voice and Speech Recognition Software 6
Color and Contrast 8
Keyboard Accessibility 2
Alternative Text 12
Accessible and Inclusive Environments (Virtual or In-person) 20
Accessible Spreadsheets, Tables, and Charts 10
Accessible Audio, Images, and Video 14
Page Structure 4
Vision Settings 2
Hyperlinks 5
Reading Tools 15
Writing Tools 5
Math Tools 6
Logical Reading Order 2
Tasks and Organization 6
Older Operating Systems 6
Creating Accessible Job Aids in Screensteps 6
Creating Accessible Content in Venngage 1

Other Resources

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