How to remediate a PDF with accessibility issues

1. Siteimprove

  • Identify PDFs with Issues

    • Go to Siteimprove and review the list of PDFs flagged for accessibility issues. Sitemprove > Accessibility > My Sites > Click the "PDFs with Issues"

2. Adobe Acrobat Pro

  1. Download the PDF, open it in Adobe Acrobat
    • Download the PDF file you need to fix and open it in Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Address the issues noted in Siteimprove by resolving them in Adobe Acrobat. Common issues include:
    • Set the Document Language
      • Go to File > Properties > Advanced tab, then set the language to English.
    • Auto-Tag the Document
      • Click Tools > Accessibility > Autotag Document to generate initial accessibility tags.
    • Check the Tag Structure
      • Go to the Tags panel and review for correct heading levels (e.g., H1, H2) and ensure all meaningful content is tagged properly.
    • Fix Image Tags
      • Select each image tag:
        • If the image is decorative, mark it as artifact (right-click > "Change Tag to Artifact").
        • If it conveys information, ensure it has descriptive alt text in the Object Properties.
  3. After all issues are addressed, save the Remediated PDF as a new document.
    • Use "Save As" to save the updated file with a new name.

3. Drupal

  • Replace the PDF in Drupal

    • Upload the new, accessible version of the PDF in the same object in Drupal by replacing the original one. All Content > All Media > Filter by "File" > Find the PDF

4. Siteimprove

  • Verify document is no longer flagged in Siteimprove
    1. Navigate to list of "PDFs with Issues" (same as step 1)

    2. Click the "Recheck this Document" button to the left of the PDF. When there are no longer any accessibility issues, the PDF will be removed from the list. You may need to refresh to ensure it is removed.