Accessible Files

Why it Matters |   How To... |   Testing |   Guidelines

Why it Matters

One major reason for using the Internet is to find information. This often involves downloading files from web sites. Some common file formats such as PDF (Portable Document Format) files are not always accessible with assistive technology.

Documents created with older versions of PDF writers are not accessible, as screen readers can't read them. Newer versions offer the facility to have accessible content and can include information such as descriptions of images, meta data about the document, and structural information.

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How To...

To ensure all information contained on your website is accessible you need to inform users of the file format so they can be prepared, ensure that any files you have available are in an accessible format and offer alternative file formats if you can't guarantee the accessibility.

Inform users of the format of each file that you provide. They can then choose whether or not to open the file. If the user does not known what file type a file is, they may feel frustrated or disappointed if they open a file they cannot read. It is also useful to inform users of the size of the file - particularly if it is very large.

Create accessible PDF Files

Accessible PDF documents are 'tagged'. This means that they contain information about the structure of the document such as headings, list items and alternative text for images. Adobe provide information on tagging files to make them accessiblehttp://www.adobe.com/enterprise/accessibility/pdfs/acro6_pg_ue.pdf , and on how to test if files are accessible.

Create accessible Microsoft Office Files

IBM provide detailed guides on how to create accessible Power Point presentations and Microsoft Word documents. Tips to help make other file types more accessible such as text, syntax diagrams, Javadoc and JavaHelp can also be found on the IBM website.

Offer alternative Files formats

As a general guideline, PDF files should only be used if a document needs to be printed or displayed exactly as it is viewed. It is also fine to provide a PDF document if it must not be modified or altered. The 'A List Apart' website provides an interesting article which explains all the situations when a PDF document would be reasonable to use.

If the information can be presented in a HTML format, then that is preferable. If you do choose to use a PDF format, consider if an alternative HTML or word-processed document could be provided as well. For example offering both a PDF and a Microsoft Word document will allow the user to choose the format that best suits their needs.

IBM Guidelines provide some guidelines on creating accessible documentation.

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Testing

Check that PDFs are accessible by making use of the Accessibility features provided in Adobe Reader 7 and above. There are instructions on how to do this on the .

Use screen readers, magnifiers and other assistive devices to access files, and test with users.

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Guidelines

No applicable guidelines

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