Achieving Accessibility with PDF: Getting from Here to There Featuring Adobe Acrobat 8 Pete DeVasto, Andrew Kirkpatrick, Greg Pisocky Adobe Systems CSUN 2007 March 23, 2007 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.
Achieving PDF Accessibility: A Combination of Factors Accessibility of PDF Applications Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader Built in Accessibility Features Compatibility with Conventional Assistive Technology The Origin of the PDF File Word Processing Desktop Publishing Scan Forms Layout and Design Imaging The Purpose of the PDF File Document Form Interactive Content 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 2
The PDF File Format: Characteristics That Support Accessibility You Can Establish Logical Reading Order Content that makes sense when you listen to it You Can Create Alternate Text Descriptions for Non-Text Elements Alternate text descriptions added to graphics help those with visual disabilities You Can Establish a Logical Tab Order (Forms) Navigate PDF forms in a way that makes sense You Can Short Descriptions to Forms Fields Audible short descriptions added to form fields for those with visual disabilities 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 3
Scenarios for Accessible PDF You Intend to Create a PDF File Applications that Create Tagged PDF Adobe Acrobat PDF Maker (for Microsoft Office) Other Applications (OpenOffice) PDF Forms LiveCycle Designer (Application Distributed with Acrobat 8 Professional) You Have a PDF File Scanned PDF PDF Forms Acrobat Forms (Forms Toolbar in Acrobat 8 Professional) Searchable PDF from a Word Processing or Desktop Publishing Application 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 4
Creating an Accessible PDF File Using Word Processing and Desktop Publishing Tools 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.
Select Applications that will Generate Accessible PDF Adobe Products Adobe Acrobat Professional Adobe FrameMaker Adobe InDesign Adobe LiveCycle Designer From Other Vendors Microsoft Office (with Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker) OpenOffice 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 6
In General: Do s and Don ts Do NOT Use Character formatting for Headings, Use the Program s Styles Do Add Alternative Text to Graphics in the Source File Do Use a Table Editor if Available to Create Tables Do NOT Use a Table Editor to Design Layouts Do Set Your PDF Output Preferences option to Tagged PDF Do Generate the PDF file in a Way that Generates Tags Do Check the Results in Adobe Acrobat 8 Advanced > Accessibility > Full Check Alt + A + A + F Do Follow the Suggestions for Repair, Repeat Until No Errors Detected 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 7
Microsoft Word: Use Paragraph Styles Apply Styles Style Drop Down (Ctrl + Shift + 5) Styles and Formatting Task Pane Formatting Shortcuts Title = Alt + Ctrl + 0 Heading 1 = Alt + Ctrl + 1 Heading 2 = Alt + Ctrl + 2 Heading 3 = Alt + Ctrl + 3 Do NOT use Character Formatting Effects using Fonts, Font Size, Bolding, etc. Creates the Illusion of a Style, but it does not make it a Style 8
Microsoft Word: Add Alternative Text to Graphics Reveal the Format Picture Dialog Select the Graphic and Right Mouse Click to Select Format Picture...) Double Click the Graphic Apply the Alternative Text Description in the Text Box Provided Under the Web Tab 9
Microsoft Word: Use the Table Editor Properly Use the Table Editor for Tables Table > Insert ALT + A + I + T Do Not Use Spacing and Tabbing to Display Tabular Information Do Not Use Tables for Creating Multi Column Page Effects Use the Columns Feature for Formatting Page Columns Format > Columns ALT + O + C 10
Microsoft Word: Configure Your PDF Preferences with PDFMaker The Acrobat PDFMaker is Installed When Adobe Acrobat is Installed Adobe PDF > Change Conversion Settings ALT + B + S Settings: Verify 'Enable Accessibility and Reflow with tagged Adobe PDF' is Checked Security (Optional) Word: Select Which Word Elements Get Converted to Their PDF Equivalents Convert Word Headings to PDF Bookmarks, Establish Heading Levels 11
Microsoft Word: Generate a Tagged PDF File with PDFMaker Do Not Print to Adobe PDF Two Options for Generating Tagged PDF with PDFMaker Select Adobe PDF > Convert to Adobe PDF ALT + B + C Generate the PDF Using the Acrobat PDF Maker 8.0 Toolbar Note: If this toolbar is not visible verify that it is active View > Toolbars > Acrobat PDFMaker 8.0 ALT + V + T for Drop Down List of Available and Selected Toolbars 12
OpenOffice.org Writer: Use Paragraph Styles Apply Styles Apply Style Drop Down Styles and Formatting Dialog (F11) Formatting Shortcuts Default Paragraph = Ctrl + 0 Heading 1 = Ctrl + 1 Heading 2 = Ctrl + 2 Heading 3 = Ctrl + 3 Do NOT use Character Formatting Effects using Fonts, Font Size, Bolding, etc. Creates the Illusion of a Style, but it does not make it a Style 13
OpenOffice.org Writer: Add Alternative Text to Graphics Reveal the Picture Dialog Select the Graphic and Right Mouse Click to Select Picture Use the Navigator (F5) to Select the Graphic Double Click the Graphic Apply the Alternative Text Description in the Alternative Text Field Provided Under the Options Tab 14
OpenOffice.org Writer: Use the Table Editor Properly Use the Table Editor for Tables Table > Insert Ctrl + F12 ALT + A + I + T Ensure that the 'Heading' and 'Repeat Heading' checkboxes are checked Do Not Use Spacing and Tabbing to Display Tabular Information Do Not Use Tables for Creating Multi Column Page Effects Use the Format Feature for Formatting Page Columns Format > Page ALT + O + P 15
OpenOffice.org Writer: Configure Your PDF Output Preferences Display the PDF Options Dialog Select File > Export as PDF... ALT + F + D You will be Prompted for the PDF Options After You Pick a Location to Save the File Verify that 'Tagged PDF' Option Located in the General Section of the PDF Options Dialog is Checked 16
OpenOffice.org Writer: Generate a Tagged PDF File Do Not Print to Adobe PDF Three Options for Generating Tagged PDF Select Export Alt + F + T = Export. Select PDF as the export format. Select Export as PDF Alt + F + D = Export to PDF Select Export Directly as PDF Toolbar. If this toolbar is not visible verify it is available on the standard toolbar group First verify the Standard toolbar group is displayed. View > Toolbars > Standard or ALT + V + t Then verify the Export Directly as PDF icon is displayed. View > Toolbars > Customize. Under the Toolbars tab with Standard selected, verify Export Directly as PDF is checked. 17
Repairing an Existing PDF File 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.
A Useful Workflow... Ask Yourself a Series of Questions in this Order Is the PDF a Scanned Image? Is the PDF Intended to be a Form? Is the PDF Tagged? Are the Items Properly Tagged? Verifying read order Verify proper tagging (i.e., figures, tables, etc.) Add alternate text descriptions to graphics Add short descriptions to form fields Have I Missed Something? Run the Accessibility Checker Make recommended and appropriate repairs until no problems found 19
1. Open the PDF File From Acrobat From the Menu File > Open Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl + O Accelerator Keys Alt + F + O From Outside of Acrobat Tab to file and select (begin typing file name) Click on a PDF file Right Mouse Click ( Open With... ) 20
2. Analyze the Content Give Yourself an Idea of What Lies Ahead Determine the Complexity of the Document / Page Short document (a few pages) or a long document (many pages) Single Column / Multi Column? Are there graphics present? Tables? Does it appear to have multiple headings? Does it appear to have form fields Is the layout easy or difficult to follow (side headings for example)? 21
3. Determine if the PDF File is a Scanned Image Verify the presence of searchable text Zoom In, Look for Jaggies Search for Text on the Page (Ctrl F) Run Read Out Loud on the Page (First, Activate Read Out Loud: View > Read Out Loud, or Shift + Ctrl + Y, or Alt + V + A + A) Menu: View > Read Out Loud > Read This Page Only Keyboard: Shift+ Ctrl+V Alt + V + A + P If it is an image, Read Out Loud will prompt you to run the optical character recognition engine, Recognize Text Using OCR (see next slide) Perform the Quick Check Advanced > Accessibility > Quick Check Shift + Ctrl + 6 Alt + A + A + Q Perform the Full Check Advanced > Accessibility > Full Check Alt + A + A + F 22
If it is a Scanned Image... Perform OCR Optical Character Recognition Menu: Document > OCR Text Recognition > Recognize Text Using OCR Formatted Text and Graphics Verify Language Lowest Downsampling (600 dpi) Alt + D + Z + S Search for and Correct Suspects Menu: Document > OCR Text Recognition > Find First OCR Suspect Proofread (Touchup Text Tool) Read Out Loud Can Also Launch OCR 23
4. Determine if the PDF File is Meant to be a Form Visual Inspection Does the Document Appear to be Soliciting Information Name, Address, Social Security Number? Read Out Loud / Screen Reader Also Offer Clues for the Visually Impaired 24
If the PDF File is Intended to be an Interactive Form...Add Form Fields Automatically detect Form Fields Forms > Run Form Field Recognition Alt + O + R or if you prefer Advanced > Accessibility > Run Form Field Recognition Alt + A + A + U Add form fields using the Acrobat Forms Tools (Acroforms) Menu: Tools > Forms> Show Forms Toolbar Alt + T + R + B Add Form Fields to the Tags Add Tags after adding form fields: Advanced > Accessibiltiy > Add Tags to Document Advanced > Accessibility > Add Form Fields to Tags Alt + A + A + D Or Manipulate in the Adobe Designer Menu: Advanced > Forms > Make Form Fillable in Adobe Designer (Alt + A + F + M) Other LiveCycle Designer Options Available by Selecting from the Menu: Advanced > Forms from the Menu > Make Form Fillable in Adobe Designer (Alt + A + F + M) 25
5. Determine if the PDF File is a Searchable PDF If you have performed the previous steps on the other PDF file types, your PDF will be a searchable PDF at this point You Have Ruled Out or Corrected for the Scanned Document You Have Ruled Out or Corrected for the Form Now It Behaves as if it Came from a Word Processing or Desktop Publishing Application (Print > Adobe PDF) 26
6. Determine if the PDF File is Tagged Verify the presence of tags, - add tags if necessary ) Verify in Document Properties (Lower left corner of document properties dialog) Menu: File > Document Properties Keyboard: Ctrl + D Display the Tags Panel and use the Options Menu to verify Document is Tagged PDF Menu: View > Navigation Panels > Tags Run a Quick Check Menu: Advanced > Accessibility > Quick Check Keyboard: Shift + Ctrl + 6 ALT + A + Q Run a Full Check Menu: Advanced > Accessibility > Full Check ALT + A + F 27
If the PDF File is Not Tagged...then add Tags to the File Add Tags to Document Menu: Advanced > Accessibility > Add Tags to Document ALT + A + A + A 28
7. Determine if the Items are Properly Tagged Use thetouchup Reading Order Tool Menu: Advanced > Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order ALT + A + A + T Verifying read order (Follow the Numbers) Show Order Panel Button on TouchUp Reading Order Tool Menu: View > Navigation Panels > Order ALT + V + N + O Add alternate text descriptions to graphics Add short descriptions to form fields Verify proper tagging (i.e., figures, tables, etc.) 29
Product Feature: Acrobat 8 TouchUp Reading Order Tool TouchUp Reading Order Tool in Acrobat 8 Professional for PDF Accessibility Repair Review and correct reading order Review and correct basic tagging issues Add Alternate Text to Figures Add Short Descriptions to Form Fields Tag simple tables quickly and easily Benefits Quick and easy to detect tagging errors Easy to fix most common errors 30
8. Make Sure You Have Not Missed Anything Run the Accessibility Full Check Menu: Advanced > Accessibility > Full Check ALT + A + A + F Make recommended and appropriate repairs Read the Report, Follow the Hyperlinks Repeat this process until No Problems Found 31
For More Information Adobe s Accessibility Website: Your Resource for Accessibility Information for Adobe Products www.adobe.com/accessibility Adobe s Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates (VPATs) http://www.adobe.com/resources/accessibility/tools/vpat/ 2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 32
2007 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. 33