Getting Started With Equidox Making PDFs More Accessible

Agenda

• Agenda
• Welcome!
• What is Equidox?
• What Should an Accessible PDF Include?
• Review the Accessibility of the PDF
• When to Pause and Ask for Help
• The Extra Mile: Run External Accessibility Checkers
• Questions?
• Additional Resources

Welcome!

Why Are Accessible PDFs Necessary?

1. We want all students/users to access content without delay and without having to ask.
2. Everyone can benefit from the elements we will discuss through bookmarks.

Notes About What We Will Cover

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Reviewing and remediating PDFs is very challenging, so it is okay if you are overwhelmed. Please keep this resource to review the steps and utilize the additional resources.

We will only cover the beginning elements of fixing a PDF; we will not cover extensive PDF remediation.

There will be review questions! (Like this one!)

How comfortable are you reviewing a PDF for accessibility?

1. Accessibility Ace — I can tag, check, and fix like it’s second nature.
2. Confident-ish — I know the basics, but I double-check... a lot.
3. Learning as I Go — I can spot issues, but fixing them feels like a puzzle.
4. Totally Lost — I thought "tags" were for social media.

What Should an Accessible PDF Include?

Let's review the Equidox Elements we will incorporate into our training.

Additional Definitions to Know

• Alternative Text or Alt-text: Alt-text, also called an image description, is a text you input into the alternative text section that tells a user using assistive technology what the image is describing. Without alt-text, the image will not be shared with someone using assistive technology.

Review the Accessibility of the PDF

Reminder: The following steps are just the basics.

We recommend downloading our Practice Document to follow along in Equidox.

Step 0: Before Uploading to Equidox, Check the Basics

Ideally, you will complete a manual review of basic accessibility elements before you begin the process of remediating your PDF in Equidox. These elements may not be fixable if you don't have the original file. The accessibility basics are:

1. Language, Structure, and Style - Make sure text is a good scan, selectable, and searchable.
2. Color Contrast - If a color combination other than white and black are present, check for color contrast.
3. Hyperlinks - Typically URLs need a descriptive hyperlink saying where the link goes to out of context. Take note of URLs missing a descriptive link.
4. Tables - Fix or take note of blank cells, merged cells, and color contrast.
5. Images - Check color contrast or take note of images with text.
6. Video and Audio - Not typically found in PDFs.

When to Pause and Ask for Help

• Color contrast needs work but you don't have the source file
• Complex tables or forms
• Heavy visual layouts
• Math or scientific notation (PDFs can't read equations)
• Content that would be faster to update in Word or HTML

Step 1: Let's Log-in to Equidox

1. Using Google Chrome, go to the Equidox website.
2. Select "Sign in with Microsoft."
3. When prompted, sign in with your UT San Antonio employee email address and passphrase.
4. After authentication, you will be logged into Equidox.

Step 2: Upload File to Equidox

1. Go to Import Documents.
2. Drag your file into the appropriate space or click to upload file.
3. Wait for progress bar to complete import.
4. Select Documents tab and the file you imported to begin working.

Let's Pause and Look at Our Workspace...

Step 4: Preview the File, Create Zones and Fix Reading Order

Note: We recommend previewing and saving after every element. Use the PDF Remediation Workflow to work through your files.

1. Select the icon that looks like a monitor (Preview this page button) to preview your starting point.
2. Tagging Text and OCR for PDF Accessibility be sure that links are also zoned and have a description.
3. Tagging Headings for PDF Accessibility
4. Tagging Lists for PDF Accessibility
5. Tagging Tables for PDF Accessibility
6. Tagging Images and Adding Alt Text for PDF Accessibility - Stuck on what to write for alt-text? Use the ASU AI Image Generator or Ally Image Generator to get a foundational idea of what to write for alt-text. Edit the output based on the context of your file.
7. Update the reading order if necessary. Do a final preview your file.

Step 5: Update Properties and Export

1. Update the file title so something clear and simple.
2. Update the author, if necessary.
3. Don't forget to save!
4. Generate the PDF. If accessibility errors are identified, return to the workspace to make updates, then generate the PDF again.

The Extra Mile: Run External Accessibility Checkers

Because no PDF checker is perfect, we recommend using multiples and also opening Adobe to do a Reading Order/Tag Check. Try to do one or more of these checks.

In Adobe: Do a manual reading order check

1. Open the Accessibility Tag button on the side panel.
2. Ensure all tags are enclosed in the Document tag.
3. Press the down keyboard arrow to make sure content is read in order and that every piece of content is tagged accurately in the PDF.
4. Press the right keyboard arrow to expand tags.

Tag Types - The essential 6 tag types to review on a basic file:

1. Heading levels hierarchy <H#> - Ensure there is only one H1, and it is used for the title.
2. Images <Figure> or <Artifact> - figure is for images with alternative text and artifact is for images marked as decorative,
3. Paragraphs <P> for all general text,
4. Tables <Table, TR, TH, and TD>,
5. Hyperlinks <Link>, and
6. Lists <L, LI, Lbl, LBody>.

Review Common PDF Tags and Their Usage to learn the many tags used in a PDF and their proper use.

Changing and Moving Tags

• You can change a tag property by selecting the tag, then properties, and changing it under type.
• You can select and drag tags to the appropriate reading order.

In Adobe: Run the Accessibility Checker

1. On the All tools panel, Select Prepare for Accessibility.
2. Select Check for accessibility.
3. Make sure all checking options are selected.
4. Select start checking.
5. Common Document issues: Logical reading order and Color contrast. You have already checked the reading order, and color contrast should be addressed in the source document, so right-click and select pass.
6. Common Page Content issue: Navigation links. You have checked this during the tag review, so right-click and select pass.
7. Alternative text: If you have images, you need alt-text or to mark them as decorative. Right-click the issue and select fix. Complete the elements in the Set Alternative Text window. Then, skim the document and confirm you don't have any additional images (you shouldn't because you reviewed all of your tags).
8. Common Tables Issue: Summary - skipped is only a concern if you don't have a table caption above the table or your table requires specific navigation by a screen reader. Add a table summary if either of these instances is true.
9. Make sure all of your accessibility issues are addressed.

In the Canvas Environment

1. Upload file and wait for accessibility gear to appear.
2. Based on errors, you will want to return to Equidox or open Adobe to fix.
3. Review the HTML version of the file to ensure reading order transferred.

Use the PAC Accessibility Checker

• Run the PAC checker (requires download) and look at the WCAG section for anything missed.
• Review the preview button to ensure reading order transferred.
• Mac users do not have access to PAC but can use a less robust web-based version: axes PDF checker.

Need help fixing issues found in PAC? Use The Accessibility Guy: PAC Checker Playlist. He goes over the most common errors PDFs receive and how to fix them.

You Are Done!

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Questions?

Do you have questions, or have you followed our PDF review process and need additional assistance? Please email DigitalAccessibility@utsa.edu, we are here to help!