Accessible PDFs Check with Siteimprove

Owned by Paul Jackson
Last updated: Feb 26, 2024 by Susan Palmer
2 min read

 

Below you can find detailed instructions on how to check PDFs for accessibility issues using Siteimprove. Also, a few ideas to consider while moving forward with remediating accessible PDFs.

1.Before attempting to remediate PDFs consider the following:

  1. Could this PDF be deleted entirely from the site if no longer relevant?

    1. Web pages are strongly preferred for most content because they are more mobile-friendly, they have better search engine optimization and they are easier to make accessible.

  2. Does the PDF work better as a web page? 


Microsoft Word Documents are the least accessible; therefore, they shouldn't be used as a document to display content on the website. 

How To View PDFs With Accessibility Issues On Siteimprove:


2.Select the Accessibility item from the menu.

Select the PDFs menu link.

3. Now you will see a list of all your current inaccessible PDFs on your department website.

4. Select a link to see a page report of the specific issues with the PDF. 

5. The most common issues with PDFs include: 

  • Document missing language definition.

  • Images with no alt text.

  • Document containing no title.

  • Document missing headings.

  • Tables lacking appropriate headings.

6. If you structure a Microsoft Word document with the above configurations during the creation process you can avoid accessibility remediation later.

7. For instructions on how to resolve PDF accessibility issues see the Wiki article:  Creating Accessible PDFs using Microsoft Word.

8. After you have remediated the PDF, place it back on the website and recheck the PDF with Siteimprove.

9. If you are still having trouble making the PDF accessible please Contact the CIT Help Desk for assistance.

 

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