1. PDF accessibility Tina Ho New Media Improvement Officer

2. Legislation The Council has a statutory duty to make “reasonable adjustments” arising from Part 3 of “The provision of Goods, Facilities, Services and Premises” part of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Accessible documents are a key part of achieving an accessible website. If your website contains PDFs it is probable these will not be accessible to a significant part of your audience. For example, without careful modification blind users will be unable to understand images or differentiate between paragraph text, headings, lists or tables in any of your PDF documents. Quote from www.abilitynet.org.uk

3. Sound familiar? “Our website has so many PDFs …” “I don’t have (the correct) PDF conversion software” “I have no budget to upgrade / buy new PDF software” “I don’t know how to create accessible word documents” “I don’t have time to convert existing PDFs to accessible versions” “Who is responsible for creating accessible Word documents / PDFs?” “Is it really required?” “I don’t have time to create accessible word documents” “How do you train all document authors?”

4. Our first approach Seek help!  Accessibility consultant conducted two half day in-house seminars  Attended by 88 document authors who write committee reports, strategies and plans Good points  Overview of web accessibility  Demonstrated various technologies used e.g. screen readers  How to optimise Word documents using “styles” Not so good points  Many document authors had no idea “styles” exist never mind how to use it!  Detailed demonstration on tagging of PDF’s  Majority of document authors don’t have PDF software

5. Creating an accessible document What’s involved A: Create an accessible Word document (recommended)  Structuring your document using styles  Providing alternative text for non-decorative images  Avoid use of text boxes  Use of simple tables (avoiding nesting / merging of cells)  Meaningful names for hyperlinks  Use of bullets and numbering B:Tagging a PDF (avoid if possible)  Time consuming!!! If created correctly, converts easily and quickly to an accessible PDF

6. Creating accessible documents Identify roles and responsibilities RoleResponsibilities Document authors (Council-wide)  Create accessible Word documents Resource managers (at least one RM in each of our 30 web teams)  Convert (accessible) word documents to accessible PDFs using Adobe Acrobat Pro  Run accessibility checks on PDFs and configure document properties  Add accessible PDFs to the Resource gallery for publishing on PKC website  Forward guidance to document authors if inaccessible word documents continue to be submitted for conversion

7. Resource managers Upgrade software Why upgrade  Adobe Acrobat Professional required to convert to accessible PDF (correct as at March 2008)  Resource Managers used various PDF conversion software, funded from their own budget, including:  Nuance PDF converter  Adobe Acrobat Standard Who we upgraded  Most ‘active’ resource managers - responsible for adding PDF’s and images to the resource gallery  25 new licences / upgrades funded through Equalities budget Preventing old habits  IT Helpdesk used as a buffer to prevent users purchasing different PDF software if main use is to create PDFs for website

8. Managing use of PDFs Extract from our PDF criteria ScenarioExampleAccessibility requirements Document is short (e.g. two pages) Publish as an accessible web page Document is lengthyConvert to an accessible version Document consists of text and inaccessible content ‘Live’ text and a scan of a historical document Convert live text to an accessible version. Add alternative text for inaccessible content Exclusions Document has been designed as a print publication Glossy publications, leaflets Ensure accessible version can be made available on request

9. Raising awareness Guidance developed  Step by step guides  Guide to creating accessible Microsoft Word documents  Guide to creating accessible PDFs  Supported by an e-Learning module Raising awareness AudienceWhat we did Document authors  Two half day in-house seminars Web Moderators  Communicated to web teams via Moderators Forum  Guides published on web team support site Council-wide  Published news bulletin on intranet (alerts sent out)  E-Learning module listed on all employees’ Learning Management System  Reminders in employee magazine

10. E-Learning module Extract from Word Intermediate Course

11. What about our existing PDFs?  4,963 PDFs published on PKC website (86% are committee agendas, minutes and reports!)  Identify and convert important and most commonly viewed PDFs (excludes Committee papers).  Amend accessibility statement to state PKC are making reasonable adjustments and that an accessible version of any PDF can be provided on request.  Provide a link to Adobe’s Online PDF to HTML Conversion.

12. Progress to date Two year on …  PDF accessibility on hold due to other priorities  Effort still made by some document authors and resource managers  Progress further early 2011  More resource managers – no central funding to upgrade software  Committee templates amended to include styles to aid easier conversion to accessible PDF.  Committee papers still an issue as some document authors struggle to format reports using the basic template.