PDF Documents: Essential Distinctions between Accessible and Standard Versions, and Their Advantages
In the digital age, the importance of creating accessible documents cannot be overstated. One such format that sees widespread use is the Portable Document Format (PDF), a popular choice for preserving the original format of a document across devices and platforms. However, not all PDFs are accessible to people with disabilities.
The key differences between standard PDFs and accessible PDFs lie in their structure, navigation, interactivity, usability, and compliance with accessibility standards.
Structure
Accessible PDFs have a clear content structure defined by proper tagging of headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, and form fields to support navigation aids like screen readers. Standard PDFs often lack this semantic tagging, making content harder for assistive technologies to interpret. Accessible PDFs require selectable, searchable text rather than text embedded in images.
Navigation
Accessible PDFs include bookmarks, logical reading order, and descriptive links to enable keyboard navigation and screen reader users to move efficiently through the document. Standard PDFs may have arbitrary or no bookmarks or poorly defined reading order.
Interactivity
Accessible PDFs use correctly labeled form fields, captions for videos, and alternative text (alt text) for images to ensure all interactive elements can be understood and used by people with disabilities. Standard PDFs frequently miss these features, limiting usability for those relying on assistive technology.
Usability
Accessibility features improve usability for users with visual, cognitive, or motor impairments by following universal design principles—such as using high contrast colours, dyslexic-friendly fonts, and consistent layout—which standard PDFs typically do not prioritize.
Compliance
Accessible PDFs adhere to legal and technical standards such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 508, and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). They must meet requirements for tagging, metadata, language specification, and absence of barriers to ensure equal access. Standard PDFs generally do not conform to these standards without remediation.
Creating accessible PDFs helps organizations avoid potential lawsuits and fines by ensuring compliance with legal requirements in respective countries. In many countries, it's a legal requirement to ensure all documentation is accessible to create an inclusive environment.
Accessible PDFs promote inclusivity by ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, have equal access to information. Being inclusive is critical for brand reputation as consumers increasingly expect brands to align with their values, including diversity and inclusion.
Prioritizing accessibility by using accessible PDFs showcases an organization's commitment to social responsibility, reflecting a dedication to inclusivity and equality. Using a platform to create accessible PDFs eliminates the need for third-party tools like Adobe for remediation.
PDFs are used in various industries including academia, marketing, finance, and healthcare. By creating accessible PDFs, these industries can ensure that their documents are usable by everyone, fostering a more inclusive environment and demonstrating a commitment to accessibility and equal opportunities.
Inclusive practices, such as creating accessible PDFs, also attract a wider range of customers, which helps your bottom line. After all, a brand that values inclusivity and accessibility is a brand that resonates with a growing number of consumers.
In summary, accessible PDFs are carefully created or remediated to be usable by everyone, including people with disabilities, through explicit semantic structure, proper tagging, navigational aids, alternative text for images, form accessibility, and compliance with accessibility laws and guidelines. Standard PDFs usually lack these features, resulting in poorer support for assistive technologies and non-compliance with accessibility regulations.
- To ensure compliance with accessibility laws and guidelines, organizations should utilize accessible templates when creating PDFs, as these templates can provide a clear content structure with proper tagging, high contrast colors, and dyslexic-friendly fonts.
- By including alt text for images and descriptive links in PDFs, organizations can make their documents more accessible to individuals who rely on assistive technology, such as screen readers.
- Educational institutions and self-development platforms can encourage the use of learning materials in accessible formats, such as PDFs, to create an inclusive environment where all students, regardless of abilities, have equal access to information. This approach reflects a dedication to accessibility and may attract a wider range of learners.
