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PDF Accessibility Remediation: Why Does It Matter?


In  earlier times, when Government organizations or private agencies wanted to share important information, they usually communicated through periodicals, newsletters, newspapers, radio, and other traditional methods.

Although the mode of communication remains almost the same, the emergence of the digital world has transformed the traditional method significantly and, to some extent, even replacing the traditional mode. 

When COVID-19 wreaked havoc in early 2020, there was unprecedented consumption of digital information documented overnight. Consequently, all governments and private organizations have started communicating through digital media. Here comes the PDF Accessibility Remediation.

What Is PDF Remediation?

  • It is the process of tagging PDF digital elements to documents so they can be read with the help of assistive technologies. The tags the assistive technology regarding the order they are supposed to read.
  • Many organizations use the PDF format—the reason for doing so is that they visually look the same irrespective of the employed platform.
  • For visual users, the format of PDF is consistent and stable across many devices and platforms. It indicates all the documents are to be accessible, even though it is saved as a PDF extension. 
  • Even though you saved the document in PDF format or the documents you create through Google Docs, MS Word, or other authoring tools, that is saved in PDF may not always be accessible. The Document Remediation Services happen to be vital in that case.   
  • It documents that all the existing tags are not saved when the document is converted to PDF. Some tags still need remediation to remain accessible. Similarly, when the documents are partly accessible, it strongly needs PDF Accessibility.

Why Is PDF Document Remediation Vital?

  • A PDF is generally expanded as   Portable Document Format. There is no doubt that PDF is the most used and popular format. You can find all types of documents, including e-books, applications, guides, statements, invoices, etc. 
  • Most organizations have many PDF documents as part of their website, apps, database, servers, etc. All these documents must be accessible to all. Therefore, Document Remediation Services, at this stage, assume significance. 
  • Despite that, all users do have the same pattern of using it. For example, a regular user uses digital assets differently, unlike visually challenged people. 
  • It is to be noted that all PDF documents are not developed in the same way. A PDF document, without accessibility in mind, becomes inaccessible for many. 
  • It signifies a poor user experience and faces the risk of hefty litigation. According to The ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act), everyone should access digital content without any discrimination, including people with varying levels of disabilities. It is true for healthcare, government, education, banking, etc.  

What is PDF Tagging? 

PDF tagging consists of appending metadata and structural information related to a PDF document. In doing so, it becomes more accessible to assistive technology like screen readers. Following are some most used tags of PDF:


  • Header Tags: This tag intends to identify different heading levels related to the document. They permit screen readers to navigate document structure smoothly. As a result, users can find it easy and convenient to navigate different document sections. So, PDF Remediation is well construed. 

  • List Tags: List tags may be unordered or ordered. The list items can also be tagged. It facilitates a great deal for screen readers to read aloud based on the order of the list items. It assists users in comprehending the list structure. 

  • Image Tags:  In the Alt test, the image can be tagged with it; it permits the screen reader to describe the image to the users.

  • Table Tags: A table's headers, rows, and columns can be tagged with it. It permits the screen reader to comprehend the relationships between different cells. After that, the tool can then read aloud the table content in a logical fashion.

  • Metadata Tags: PDFs can also use content metadata to provide information regarding the document, such as keywords, author, and title. Another interesting aspect of metadata is the information contained within it can be used by the SEO, assisting users in finding their desired and relevant content. Document Remediation Services are an important consideration.

Wrapping Up

Attaining and maintaining adherence to compliance with accessibility documents is indeed a challenge. For this reason, organizations and businesses must abide by the accessibility guidelines that help them avoid costly ligation and expand their business horizon.     


                 
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