Creating, Verifying, and Accessing Digital Content that is ADA and Section 508 Compliant

Table of Contents:

• Content Creation Basics

• Content Accessibility Resources from Around the Web

• Resources on Accessibility Standards and Legal Obligations

• Resources for Creating Accessible PDFs

• Accessing PDFs Using Assistive Technology (From the End-User Perspective)

• Using Features of Assistive Technology to Access Inaccessible Documents

The following considerations are the most important to keep in mind when creating content designed to be accessible by individuals with disabilities:

1. Always caption or use Alt Text on images for individuals using screen readers

   • See the Alt Text Page on the WebAIM Site for further information

2. When creating/presenting video content, always verbally describe or read what is being presented visually on the screen.  

   • It need not be a lengthy explanation, just enough to provide context to anyone who can't see the screen.  

3. Use Headings and lists in written content/resources.

   • Use styles from the ribbon/menu area, don't simply change type size or font.

4. Use clean fonts such as Ariel or Verdana and good contrasting colors such as black on white.

   • Avoid using combinations such as navy blue on black or yellow on white.

5. Label links appropriately 

   • Good example: ”Click here for more information about Martin Luther King Jr”

   • Avoid links that say “Click Here” or "More Information"

6. Add captions to any video content.

   • Google Support: Closed Captions can be added to any YouTube content

Content Creation Resources from WCBVI

• Making Presentations Accessible to a Blind or VI Audience: A Guide for Presenters (Google Slides)

• Making Presentations Accessible to a Blind or VI Audience: A Guide for Presenters (Google Doc)

• Making Images Accessible in Word, Google Docs, and Social Media (.docx)

Document Accessibility Resource Modules from Section508.gov

• How to Create an Accessible Document in Microsoft Word (14 Modules)

• How to Author and Test Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations for Accessibility (14 Modules)

• How to Make an Accessible Spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel (11 Modules)

PDF Creation and Remediation Resources

• AccessAbility Officer: How to Make Accessible PDF Forms in Adobe Acrobat (Text Fields, Radio Buttons, Checkboxes)

• Publications Office of the European Union: Introduction to Accessible PDFs 

• Section508.gov: How to Test and Remediate PDFs for Accessibility Using Adobe Acrobat DC (5 Modules)

• The Accessibility Guy: How To Tag A PDF Using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2025 

• The Accessibility Guy: PDF Accessibility Resources and Tools

Resources with General Accessibility Information

The following sites, videos, and pages contain a variety of resources on accessibility and inclusive design. They do not fit into one category.

• • Wisconsin AT Forward Presentation: AT Community of Practice Accessibility 101 Resources

    • • The What and Why of Accessibility - YouTube

      • Making Content Accessible (Colors, Fonts, and Links) - YouTube

      • Making Online Content Accessible and Accessible Text - YouTube

      • Accessing and Creating Speech to Text - YouTube

      • Google Slides Presentation: Accessibility 101

  • AEMcast: Designing for Accessibility 

  • American Anthropological Association Accessibility Page

  • APH Accessibility Hub

  • Axe-Con: Past Accessibility Sessions and Agendas

  • Georga Tech: Center for Inclusive and Design Information Educational Web Series

  • Mississippi State University – Accessibility Resources

  • Web Accessibility Group - List of Free and Paid Accessibility Checking Tools

APH Hive Courses on Creating Accessible Documents

Note: These courses are free of charge, but require an APH Hive account.  To get a Hive account, go to: https://aphhive.org and sign up. Once you have an account, go to Course Catalog, then click “All Courses”. From the “search by subject tag” dropdown menu, choose “Accessibility” and courses will load. Alternatively, enter the course title in the search field. The links below are included for your convenience but please know they may not work unless you are logged into your APH account.

• APH: Building Accessible Power Points

• APH: Building Accessible Word Documents 

• A11y.is: ADA Title II: What the New Digital Accessibility Rule Means for Public Entities

• Section508.gov: IT Accessibility Laws and Policies

• WebAIM: Accessibility by Design Preparing K–12 Schools for What’s Next

Accessibility Testing and Remediation Services

A variety of companies provide accessibility testing and remediation services to ensure that agencies are completely compliant with the ADA and Section 508. Below are only a few examples of agencies providing these services. Please note that there are many more options so an internet search is recommended for additional options and results.

• Access Ingenuity

• Accessible Document Solutions

• Accessible.org Document Accessibility Services

• Damco Document Accessibility Services

• The Accessibility Guy Consulting/Training

• WeCo Document Accessibility and Remediation

General Recommendations Regarding PDFs Using Assistive Technology

Accessing PDFs, whether accessible PDFs or inaccessible documents, can be challenging. Below are some general recommendations for anyone using assistive technology to access a PDF:

• For best results, download the PDF and open in a PDF reader such as Adobe. Microsoft Edge is also a good option, as is Chrome. 

• If using a dedicated PDF reader (such as Adobe or Foxit) configure it for use with assistive technology. Check their user guide for instructions on how to do this. If this information is not available in the user guide, it is likely that PDF reader will not be fully accessible. 

• Accessible PDFs are only as good as the reader being used to access them. If the reader itself is not built to work with a screen reader or other assistive technology, the user will not be able to read the file regardless of whether the document meets accessibility guidelines.

• If the PDF is not readable in one PDF reader, try another one if possible. At times, some PDF readers work better than others under different circumstances. Using Microsoft Edge or Chrome will work, but at times having to navigate the menu area can be a frustration.

• When using a browser to open PDFs, consider using one that is not the browser being used for the majority of tasks. For example, if Safari is the browser used for most internet access, consider using Chrome or another browser to read the document.

Resources on General PDF Access

• APH: Prevent Document Frustration JAWS and PDFs (.pdf download)

• Freedom Scientific: Access PDFs in Adobe Acrobat Reader with JAWS - Webinar and Resources

• Freedom Scientific: Six Ways to Manage PDFs more Efficiently with JAWS (.docx download)

• Open University: How to Access PDFs with a Screen Reader

Resources from Adobe on Accessing PDFs Using Assistive Technology

• Accessing Adobe PDFs with Assistive Technology (.PDF)

• Adobe Accessibility Features

• Keyboard Shortcuts with Adobe

There are many ways to use OCR in JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver to read a document that either has not been correctly tagged or falls short of meeting document accessibility standards. However, this does NOT mean that entities, agencies, or businesses should not create their PDFs to be fully accessible and compliant. They are still legally and ethically responsible to do so. For more information on this topic, please the section on this page titled Resources on Accessibility Standards and Legal Obligations

Accessing Inaccessible Documents with JAWS

• Freedom Scientific: Convenient OCR - MP3 Download

• Freedom Scientific: JAWS OCR, What It Is and How It Works! - Webinar and Resources

• Top Tech Tidbits: How To Use the All-In-One Convenient OCR Keystroke in JAWS

• Top Tech Tidbits: OCR Directly to Microsoft Word in JAWS and Fusion

Using Windows OCR and NVDA

NVDA leverages the built-in OCR capabilities of Windows to assist with processing image-based content. Please see the links below to learn more. In addition, there are some add-ons available in the NVDA Add-On Store that bring OCR functionality into NVDA, however compatibility with the current version varies. Users are encouraged to visit the store site (linked below). Please note that it is recommended to only download and install stable add-ons from NVDA as these have been tested and are securely stored.

• NVDA User Guide: Windows OCR

• NVDA User Guide: Windows OCR Settings

• NVDA User Guide: Add-ons and the Add-on Store

Use VoiceOver OCR Text Recognition

• Apple Support: Use VoiceOver Text Recognition on iPad and iPhone