The dictum “ Knowledge is Power” has resonated through the ages. In many ways, the saying still holds water in the digital generation. The more knowledge and education one acquires about a subject, the more accurate and informed the decision one makes.
This phrase has been seen in almost all the educational institutions mindfully plastered in the education corridor.
Accessibility finds a special place in the learning community in today’s context; ignoring it amounts to Himalayan blunders. So, accessibility has always been construed as vital.
It not only rests on business alone but also has immense importance for individuals. It has been gaining ground considerably as we move ahead.
At the same time, we never allow the thoughts that hover in our mind that it is just a trend in eLearning rather than the bedrock in education that requires and considers constant improvement. Therefore, knowledge and education must reach all, irrespective of their abilities. PDF Accessibility is important at this stage.
Why is Digital Accessibility Vital for Education?
With the rise of internet access across the length and breadth of the globe, millions of students often access websites belonging to colleges and universities, download essential study resources, submit papers, and make online payments almost daily.
Furthermore, they contact the professors, administrators, and classmates.
It concludes that educational establishments’ websites are the epicentre of gathering and disseminating information. It can be said that it is the means to connect everyone.
It leaves no doubt that during the pandemic use of digital tools and technologies could be a great help for learners to access information.
However, the same does not hold water for people with disabilities. Disabled people encounter serious barriers to accessing digital content. Therefore, PDF Accessibility Remediation plays a pivotal role here.
Digital Impediments Examples For Learners With Disabilities
Videos that have no captions or inadequate captions
Missing tag in PDF document that virtually renders ineffective in terms of using assistive technology, like a screen reader, to read the text aloud for the benefit of disabled users
PDF documents that do not have alt text for images and other graphic elements present in the PDF document prove inoperable for people with disabilities.
The poor contrast between the text and the background colour is a significant spoiler for users with disabilities.
So, PDF Accessibility is the need of the hour.
Why Should We Care Regarding PDF Accessibility?
PDF document considers the most popular and widely used format across the length and breadth of the world. Several study materials and digital communication that are found on the college and universities website are PDF documents.
The documents are confined to colleges and universities and are hugely used in the commercial and corporate world. The same acronym of PDF is Portable Document Format, and the name is appropriately justified because of its excellent portability. So, PDF Accessibility is indeed strongly recommended.
For this reason, PDF comprises most of our digital documents, like digital books, curricula, forms, guides, bank statements, invoices, etc.
When PDF documents are not accessible to people with disabilities, their importance is severely dwarfed. So, when developing the PDF document, it is imperative to remember the disabled users.
For example, people with visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and hard of hearing may require a special facility, such as using assistive technology to read the content the way people with disabilities intended. So, PDF Accessibility Remediation is a prudent option to be used.
That is why ADA (American Disabilities Act) categorically stated that documents that are hosted on the website should conform to accessibility standards. Failing can invite costly litigation.
It is particularly true in the case of federal government banking, education, and healthcare. It can explain in this way suppose you are working in digital accessibility regarding the educational department.
Your onus under this circumstance to develop the corporate website and content should be accessible to all that, including learners with disabilities.
If you are mindful enough and evaluate the website, you can find many inaccessible PDF documents on your website that need immediate PDF Accessibility.
What are the Challenges In PDF Remediation?
Undoubtedly, many educational organizations face the heat while incorporating PDF remediation. The proper procedure that prioritizes document remediation and provides access for all can enable educational institutions to solve accessibility problems as they evolve.
Poorly scanned documents are the main culprit. It is often seen that professors and educators scan documents for educational purposes, which is helpful for classroom learners. Still, it is not at all helpful for the learners with disabilities.
OCR, or Optical Character Recognition, is the stepping stone for making your scanned documents accessible. You can resort to manual correction, but it always does not meet the requirements. OCR correction is one of the most practical means for educational organizations.
Furthermore, graphics, tables, and charts are part and parcel of the educational world. There are more complex graphics regarding molecular structure in higher studies. Learners with disabilities can use assistive technology that depends on the captions or associating footnotes and alt text to unearth the required information.
The solutions mentioned are undoubtedly a welcome means for any educational institution to comply with PDF Accessibility in their class and, of course, beyond.
Wrapping Up
PDF remediation is undoubtedly vital in the entire gamut of the education world. Knowing the nitty-gritty of PDF accessibility helps not only educational institutions but also provides immense help to a wide array of disabled communities, especially learners with disabilities..
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