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:

Use Word's paragraph styles for headings, etc.
Use bullets and numbering to create lists and outlines.
Avoid multi-column layouts, especially ones that rely on tabs.
Use tables only to display data.
Use black & white only, or choose sharp contrasts if you are going to use color.
If your documents include images, be sure they are optimized for the web by adding an ALT tag and adjusting the image resolution to between 75 – 100 dpi.

Select the image and then choose Format > Picture… > from the menu. Use the Picture and Web tabs.

STEP 2: Set Up Conversion Settings

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

You should only have to change these settings once.

STEP 3: Convert Your Word Document to a PDF

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

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

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

STEP 5: Ensure the Accessibility of a PDF File

Perform an accessibility Full Check by choosing Advanced> Accessibility> Full Check from the menu.
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.

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

Use the slide layouts provided by PowerPoint.
Use a sharp color contrast between background and text. Do not use a patterned background behind text.
Consider removing background images. Choose Format > Background from the menu, and check the box to Omit Background Graphics from Master. Click Apply to All.
Consider removing slide transitions and animation
Make sure all images (pictures, graphs, charts, etc.) are compressed for web delivery.

To Compress Images: select an image, then choose Format > Object > Picture tab. Click Compress… and change the resolution to web/screen (dpi should be between 75-100). You should also ensure the options to Compress Pictures and Delete cropped areas are selected. You can apply the same options for all pictures in the presentation, or optimize them individually.

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.

Disable style checker in PowerPoint 2000; it may cause screen reader software to skip over text boxes.
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 your goal is to provide lecture notes:
- Consider making them available in another format (e.g., as an HTML, Word, or PDF document). Note that a PDF document created directly from a PowerPoint may be almost as large as the original and will not be accessible.
If your goal is to share images:

Upload the actual images and link them as topics. (See Creating Multiple Topics within a Single Module.)
Use the MediaManager. (See Working with Other Media Sources.)
Display the images as part of an HTML document.

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

Follow the above tips to decrease size and increase accessibility.
You might find it useful to have two versions of each presentation: the one you use in class and the one you upload for students. This could also allow you to remove information from one version that students could only obtain by attending class.
Tell students that they will be downloading a PowerPoint file. Include "PPT file" or some other indication in the topic title.

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:

Select File > Save as Web Page. Make sure to save the file as Web Page rather than as a Single File Web Page.
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.
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:

This method does not allow someone using a screen reader to navigate with keystrokes through content line by line on main slides.
The slideshow does not loop back to first slide at the end of presentation; the user must manually re-enter slide show at beginning.