Creating Accessible PDFs from Word Files

Transcription

1 Creating Accessible PDFs from Word Files elearning updated: June 2015 QG 0054 This Quick Guide will take you through the process of creating accessible PDFs from Word. The example given here is for a text transcript files for uploading into a FutureLearn MOOC. Step 1 Creating an accessible Word template file In order to create an accessible PDF, the Word document upon which it is based needs to be accessible, i.e. uses styles and has Alternative Text for images (Alt tags). For creating accessible Word files see For the file to be accessible to a screen reader both the Document Language and Proofing Language need to be specified, this can be done under the Review menu see below: Fig 1: To set Document and Proofing Language select the Review tab and go to Language Under Language Preferences ensure that both Display Language and Help Language are set to English (UK) [or the appropriate language if not English] as the 1 st option and toggle as necessary see below: Fig 2: Ensure Display and Help Languages are set to English as the number 1 options

2 Under Set Proofing Language, ensure Language is set to English UK (or appropriate) Fig 3: Under Language, click on Set Proofing Language and ensure English UK (or the appropriate language ) has been selected Step 2 Producing an accessible Word Document The procedure documented below uses an accessible Word template which is then used to create an accessible Word document. The appropriate text is pasted into the document, it is then stripped of all accompanying metadata and XML and converted to PDF using Acrobat Pro. Open the Template Aberdeen_video_transcript_UOA_Template_FinalVersion_15June2015.dotx. This template uses styles, incorporates Alt tags for images and has its Document Language and Proofing Language set to English (UK) Replace the Course Title text with the actual course title Replace the Week Title text with the actual Week title Replace the Name of the Week Step Here with the actual text required Copy the body text from the transcript.txt file by clicking on a portion of the text, pressing Ctrl + A to select all and then Ctrl + C to copy it to the clipboard In the Word document highlight all existing body text and from the home tab select the drop down arrow below Paste and select Paste Special > Unformatted text. The text will then by pasted into the Word document in the appropriate style. Save the document by pressing Ctrl + S with an appropriate file name Strip out hidden XML and personal data by going to the File menu and from Info selecting Check for Issues and Inspect Document- see Fig 1 below: Fig 4: Inspect Document 2

3 On selecting Inspect Document a Document Inspector window opens, click on the Inspect button - see Fig 2 below: Fig 5: Document Inspector The Document Inspector window allows you to remove certain data. For Document Properties and Personal Information and Custom XML Data select Remove All. Do NOT select Remove All for Headers, Footers and Watermarks as the both Headers and Footers are essential elements in the transcript file template. see Fig 3 below: Fig 6: Removing Document Properties, Personal Information and Custom XML Data 3

4 On clicking Remove All buttons the exclamation mark adjacent to the item should turn into a tick click Close and the changes are made. Save the document Check for spelling and grammatical errors if in doubt watch the film and input the actual words spoken or any final corrections made by the narrator. For grammatical errors contact the transcript file creator for advice before making changes. Step 3 Converting to PDF To produce an accessible PDF, Adobe Acrobat needs to be installed from the University s Software Centre. Once installed Word automatically selects Acrobat Pro XI when converting the document. Within the File Menu select Save as PDF The PDF will be saved with the same file name as the Word document, unless specified differently, and open in Adobe Acrobat Pro Step 4 Checking Accessibility From the Tools Menu, Select Accessibility and Full Check see below: Fig 7: Select Tools >Accessibility > Full Check An Accessibility Checker Options window will open leave all the setting at their defaults and click on Start Checking By default the Accessibility check summary report will open, click on the + adjacent to Document to reveal any issues see below: Fig 8: Click on + adjacent to Document to expand accessibility issues that Acrobat has found 4

5 On clicking on the + adjacent to Document the accessibility issues are revealed. The procedures for fixing common errors are detailed below: To fix a Primary Language error If you get a Primary Language error: Right click on Primary Language Failed Left click on Fix see below: Fig 9: To fix a Primary Language error - right click on Failure and select Fix On selecting fix, a set Reading Language window will open Select English (or the appropriate language) Click OK see below: Fig 10: Select English in Set Reading Language window To fix a Title Failed error If you get a Title error: Right click on Title Failed Left click on Fix see Fig 11 below: 5

6 Fig 11: To fix Title error - Right click on Title Failed, left click on Fix a Description window will open Under Title, uncheck the Leave As Is check box Type the Title of the Course, followed by the Step number in the Title box Click OK, see below: Fig 12: Fix the Title by unchecking Leave As Is and typing in the Title box before clicking OK Under File, click Save Click on Tools > Accessibility > Full Check to re-check document For further help or questions contact elearning@abdn.ac.uk 6