What is PDF Remediation?
PDF Remediation is the process of modifying a PDF document to make it more accessible for individuals with disabilities. This is accomplished by adding, modifying, or improving various elements of the PDF, such as:
Color and Contrast: The color contrast of the PDF should be sufficient for visually impaired users, and important information should never be conveyed by color alone.
Tagging: This involves adding tags to the PDF, which helps screen readers and other assistive technologies understand the structure and order of the information contained in the document.
Reading Order: The reading order of the PDF content of accessible documents is optimized so that it makes sense when read aloud by assistive technologies.
Links and Bookmarks: Links should be correctly tagged and descriptive, and bookmarks should be used to make longer PDF documents easier to navigate.
Alt Text: Images, graphs, and other non-text elements in the PDF should have alternate text descriptions so that visually impaired users can understand the content of these digital elements.
Data Tables: Data tables are used to organize data with a logical relationship in grids. Accessible tables need markup that indicates header cells and data cells and defines their relationship. Assistive technologies use this information to provide context to users.
Form Fields: If the PDF contains form fields, they should be made accessible by ensuring they are correctly labeled and tabbing order is logical.
OCR: transforms scanned documents into editable digital documents that can be tagged for accessibility.
By remediating a PDF, the document becomes more accessible to a wide range of individuals, including those using assistive technology like screen readers, screen magnification software, and speech recognition software. It also helps organizations comply with legal requirements and accessibility standards, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Why is PDF Accessibility Important?
Non-accessible documents hosted on digital mediums may expose organizations to accessibility-related lawsuits. This risk is especially high in government, healthcare, financial institutions, and education sectors. Thus, PDF accessibility is crucial not only for inclusive user experience but also for legal compliance.