My Role
Duration
Tools
Product Designer
@ COMET Lab
Dec 2023 - May 2024
6 Months
To ensure digital accessibility by auditing and remediating PDF documents across Indiana University’s key websites, making them fully usable for individuals with disabilities, especially those relying on screen readers.
- Conduct a comprehensive audit of PDFs across multiple university platforms.
- Ensure compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
- Make digital content accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities.
- Ensuring consistency in accessibility across diverse PDF formats and platforms.
- Working within a framework that respects confidentiality and compliance requirements.
Due to confidentiality agreements with Indiana University and The Polis Center, I am unable to share the actual university documents. Instead, the screenshots and demonstrations in this case study feature a sample file for illustrative purposes.
Understanding how individuals with disabilities engage with digital content was at the heart of our approach. Many users depend on screen readers, which rely on structured tags within PDFs. Our goal was to remove common barriers that hinder accessibility and ensure a seamless user experience. Below are the key improvements we implemented:
Provide a clear document title: Ensured screen readers can announce a descriptive and relevant document title.
Add descriptive alt text: Included detailed alt text for all images, so screen readers can convey visual content effectively.
Maintain proper heading hierarchy: Used appropriate heading levels (H1, H2, H3) to establish a logical content structure.
Ensure table headers are marked: Applied table headers (TH) to help users understand the context of data within tables.
Establish coherent reading order: Ensured the content flows logically for screen readers to present in the correct sequence.
Use accessible fonts and color contrast: Chose fonts and color schemes that enhance readability for users with visual impairments.
Make interactive elements keyboard accessible: Ensured forms and interactive features could be navigated using only a keyboard.
Add bookmarks for navigation: Implemented bookmarks in longer documents to facilitate easier navigation.
STEP 1 of 6
We begin by running the auto-tagging tool in Adobe Acrobat, which generates an initial structure by assigning tags to elements such as headings, paragraphs, and images. While this creates a solid foundation, a manual review is necessary to ensure accuracy, as elements are occasionally mis-tagged.
STEP 2 of 6
Run a comprehensive accessibility check using the built-in tools. This process identifies missing alt text, untagged elements, and table structure issues, providing a clear overview of areas that need attention to meet accessibility standards.
For example, in the sample document below, the flagged issues include: primary language, document title, alt text for figures, table headers, and a missing table summary.
STEP 3 of 6
Set the primary language of the PDF, as this is crucial for screen readers to accurately interpret and pronounce the text. Without the correct language setting, screen readers might mispronounce words, making the document difficult to understand for users.
STEP 4 of 6
Ensure each PDF has a clear, descriptive title. Since the title is the first thing a screen reader announces, it should give users immediate context about the document's content.
STEP 5 of 6
Make sure every image in the document includes descriptive alt text. Alt text enables screen readers to communicate the content of images to users with visual impairments, ensuring they have full access to the information. The descriptions should be clear, accurate, and provide enough detail to convey the image’s meaning effectively.4o
STEP 6 of 6
Tt's important to verify that the table header tags are correctly applied, as incorrect tags can lead to confusion when interpreting the data.
Additionally, provide table summaries for complex data. A summary gives screen readers an overview of the table’s content, helping users grasp the information without having to go through the entire table.
Explore the sample document I used to illustrate the accessibility solutions shown above!
For a fun and practical demonstration of accessibility in action, I created a sample PDF starring Dexter and Dobbie, my brother’s lovable dogs. This playful document highlights common accessibility issues and solutions, with Dexter and Dobbie leading the way. Click below to see how even these doggos can help make PDFs more accessible!
Click here to check out the Doggo Accessibility Guide!
