5 Simple PDF Accessibility Checkers

Creating web content that is accessible to all users is not a simple task. Luckily, several tools are available that make it much easier to ensure that web materials, documents, videos, and courses comply with WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 guidelines. Whether you need an accessibility checker for websites, documents (PDFs), developers, or more general WCAG and Section 508 compliance, pdf accessibility training and pdf training from Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and Common Look PDF are two tools that make the task of remediation for accessibility much simpler. 

With Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, you can add and edit tags for accessibility and complete with CommonLook PDF. Hence, you can create a comprehensive one-stop shop for ensuring documents are fully accessible by completing the adobe pdf accessibility training. In addition to these tools, having people with disabilities test your content reveals the accurate level of accessibility. So let’s ponder more and discover the various free checkers, tools, and comprehensive one-stop-shop software available to make your projects accessible and compliant with the latest industry standards.

Document Accessibility Methodology – Adobe and CommonLook

When it comes to ensuring content is accessible, PDF tagging is an essential first step. It is a cornerstone of the document accessibility methodology defined by leading software companies like Adobe and CommonLook.

Tagging PDFs is the foundation for making content more accessible. With the proper use of tags, a PDF can become easily readable and navigable for screen reader users and other users of assistive technology.

The first step to PDF accessibility is ensuring it is appropriately tagged. Any document can be opened and viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. The Tags panel is located in the View > Show/Hide > Navigation Panel > Tags. It’s a separate document view showing the Tag tree, which identifies content information and attributes. 

The Tag tree includes tags that define the document structure and content, including headings, paragraphs, lists, figures, tables, and other necessary objects. It allows the user to navigate through the document. The purpose of the Tag tree is for screen readers and other assistive technologies to interpret the content accurately and make it more easily accessible.

AChecker

AChecker is a non-profit and open-source web accessibility evaluation tool used to evaluate HTML content for web accessibility problems. With AChecker, you can enter the location of a web page, upload an HTML file, or even paste the complete HTML source codes to a Web page to generate a detailed report of any web accessibility problems your content may have.

Once the evaluation is complete, AChecker will generate an extensive report of potential web accessibility issues according to the selected guidelines. This report is divided into three main categories: known problems, likely problems, and potential problems.

The first category, known problems, are issues that can be identified with certainty as accessibility barriers. It’s essential to fix these problems as soon as possible.

The second category, likely problems, is generally considered a barrier but requires humans to decide their severity or impact. You will want to modify your page to fix these problems to ensure your web page is fully accessible.

The last category, potential problems, are issues that AChecker cannot identify and thus requires a human to make the decision. You may have to modify your page for these problems, or you may need to confirm that the problem does not exist on your page.

UDOIT (Universal Design Online Inspection Tool)

If you’ve ever wondered how to make your website more accessible to people with disabilities, then UDOIT is the perfect accessibility tool for you. UDOIT is a Universal Design Online Inspection Tool that enables faculty to identify web accessibility issues in Webcourses@UCF. With the UDOIT, it’s easier than ever to ensure your course is accessible to users of all abilities.

UDOIT helps faculty make their courses more accessible by scanning the system to generate an accessibility report and provide resources on fixing any problems the tool finds. Even better, since UDOIT is open-source software released under the GPL V3 open-source license, you can download the source code for free and use it at any institution that uses Canvas by Instructure. This makes it easier for faculty to ensure that their courses are accessible to all users. UDOIT’s GitHub page also provides resources to help you fix any accessibility issues the tool finds.

SortSite Accessibility Checker

Accessibility Standards Testing Checks include WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.0, covering A, AA, and AAA guidelines, and Section 508 (2017), covering A and AA guidelines. SortSite offers comprehensive checks of websites against W3 WCAG accessibility standards, as well as compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. These checks help to find and fix issues that may prevent disabled users from effectively using a website hence giving pdf training.

It also checks for accessibility issues in various file formats, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PDF, GIF, Word, and more. While many accessibility issues can be detected through automated testing, some can only be identified by human judgment. 

CommonLook’s PDF Accessibility Software

CommonLook’s PDF Accessibility Software is ideal for ensuring that your documents are accessible to everyone. Whether it’s for businesses, educational institutions, government agencies, or any other organization, CommonLook’s accessibility checking tools and programs guarantee that all documents are up to the highest standards of accessibility.

CommonLook’s PDF Validator is an excellent tool for checking documents against Section 508, WCAG 2.0 AA, PDF/UA, and HHS standards. You can access the tool for free and quickly check the accessibility of your documents. Moreover, CommonLook’s Office GlobalAccess and PDF GlobalAccess make creating accessible PDF documents from Microsoft Word and PowerPoint a breeze.

Conclusion

With plenty of tools in the market, it is essential to draw attention to the most relevant for your work, enhancing efficiency. Hence, we hope that by now, you have got a complete picture of the best PDF Accessibility Checkers that will create an easy reach of web content to your audience.