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Content: File Optimization/Accessibility

Making Accessible PDF Documents

PDF documents are not easily accessible to people using adaptive technology like screen readers. If you want to convert your Word documents into PDF files, will need to add "tags" to help the adaptive technology "read" the file, then check your PDF for consistency and accuracy. To convert your Word documents into PDFs, you will need the full version of Adobe Acrobat.

Below are the Basic steps to creating accessible PDFs; please go to http://www.wac.ohio-state.edu/tutorials/design.htm and click on the PDF tab for more help and information. Additionally, you can access full instructions from Adobe at http://www.adobe.com/enterprise/accessibility/pdfs/acro7_pg_ue.pdf.

STEP 1: Create an Accessible Word Document

To make your Word doc more accessible and faster to download, keep formatting simple:

STEP 2: Set Up Conversion Settings

  1. In the Adobe PDF menu in Word, choose Change conversion settings.
  2. Under the Settings tab, make sure the box next to Enable accessibility and reflow with Tagged PDF is checked.

Attention You should only have to change these settings once.

STEP 3: Convert Your Word Document to a PDF

  1. Begin by saving a copy of your Word document (Adobe will prompt you to do this if you forget).
  2. From the ADOBE PDF menu, select Convert to Adobe PDF.
  3. You will be prompted to name your new PDF and select a save location.

Caution! Using the "Print to PDF" method creates an "untagged" PDF that is not accessible to screen reader users. You would need to manually add tags to the document in Acrobat to make it accessible.  This is a time-consuming process that would need to be repeated each time you revise the document.

STEP 4: Check to Ensure PDF Has Been Tagged

  1. Open the Adobe PDF document in Acrobat 7.0
  2. Choose File > Document Properties.
  3. On the Description tab, look for a Yes next to the Tagged PDF entry.

STEP 5: Ensure the Accessibility of a PDF File

  1. Perform an accessibility Full Check by choosing Advanced> Accessibility> Full Check from the menu.
  2. Use the TouchUp Reading Order tool to fix reading order and other problems by choosing Tools > Advanced Editing > TouchUp Reading Order Tool from the menu.

Attention Performing a Full Check on an entire document can be time-consuming. If checking a doc takes too long, stop the process by pressing Esc, then choose a smaller page range in the Accessibility Full Check dialog box.

Optimizing PowerPoint Files

PowerPoint (PPT) files take a long time for students to download, and there is no way to make them truly accessible to people using adaptive technology. Use the following tips to decrease size and increase accessibility:

Tips to Decrease File Size and Increase Accessibility

  1. Use the slide layouts provided by PowerPoint.
  2. Use a sharp color contrast between background and text. Do not use a patterned background behind text.
  3. Consider removing background images. Choose Format > Background from the menu, and check the box to Omit Background Graphics from Master. Click Apply to All.
  4. Consider removing slide transitions and animation
  5. Make sure all images (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.) are compressed for web delivery.
  6. Include descriptive tags for all images.
    • To Tag Images: select an image, then choose Format > Object > Web tab. Also, see Accessibility options under PowerPoint HELP.
      • use a single description of chart or graph, instead of describing each individual element.
      • use descriptive words to describe mathematical equations (e.g., "divide 44 by 9" instead of "44/9."
      • screen readers cannot handle native PowerPoint graphing tools. The user's computer may freeze up or crash.
  7. Disable style checker in PowerPoint 2000; it may cause screen reader software to skip over text boxes.
  8. Provide an alternative way to access other kinds of data (Excel tables, embedded audio or video clips) such as linking directly to these resources as topics in Carmen.

Other Options:

Depending on your goal, here are other options besides uploading PPT files:

If you do decide to share a PPT presentation, you have two options:

1. Post the original PowerPoint (PPT) file, or

2. Convert the original file to HTML and provide this in addition to or instead of the PPT file

Option 1: Post the Original PPT File

Option 2: Convert to HTML

Microsoft has created a simple interface for creating Web pages out of your PPT slides. This works well, but the resulting HTML files are not friendly to screen readers. The older your version of PowerPoint, the less accessible your HTML files will be.

To convert your PowerPoint file to a web page:

  1. Select File > Save as Web Page. Make sure to save the file as Web Page rather than as a Single File Web Page.
  2. You will be prompted to name your HTML presentation and select a save location. The results will be a folder containing a collection of documents.
  3. Refer to Upload Files: Multiple Files for instructions to upload your folder. Create a topic that links to the document called "frame.htm."

Special Problems/Issues: