Can PDF documents be accessible?
For a long time, the rumour has persisted that PDFs cannot be accessible. Unfortunately, this assumption also persists because the possibilities that exist are used far too seldom and are sometimes less well known.
The tags and techniques for making PDFs accessible to all people need to be known and, above all, are simply less well known compared to HTML. Note: HTML not only has more native tags and attributes, but the W3C has introduced the additional ARIA tags on top of HTML to improve accessibility.
However, it must be said that the creators of websites and PDF documents are the ones who make the content accessible. So as long as the creators of websites and PDF documents know what they are doing in this respect, there is also the possibility of optimising both for accessibility.
Once these techniques are known and applied, many possibilities open up. A wide range of tools is available for websites, and tools for PDF files have also become significantly more versatile.
Three parts to accessibility
The topic of PDF and accessibility will be examined in more detail in three different parts. In the first part we will give a general overview, then in part 2 we will show what an accessible PDF actually looks like, and finally in part 3 we will discuss conflicts and give a general conclusion on the myth that PDF documents cannot be accessible.
Part 1: General Overview of Accessibility in the Digital World
In the course of digitisation, universal and unrestricted access to documents has become increasingly important. Since PDF documents can characteristically be created quickly and easily and also always look the same and can be read from any device, they have become more and more irreplaceable. On the one hand, this concerns the digital dispatch of documents, but also the printing of documents or working with forms. In general, it is about making content available.
Accessibility means "unrestricted access for all" and also relates to the German Disability Equality Act (BGG), which aims to prevent discrimination based on disability. A well-known example is that a building should provide not only stairs but also an accessible entrance. Transferred to the digital world, this means information, including PDF documents, must be accessible and usable for all people.
Are PDF documents available to everyone without restriction?
Problems arise whenever people cannot access this content and information is therefore not equally available to everyone. This is the case, for example, when people with disabilities cannot access PDF documents without assistive tools. Blind or visually impaired users often need a screen reader to read or listen to a PDF. Public institutions are therefore legally required to provide accessible digital services.
While a sighted person simply opens and reads a PDF and can visually recognise where in the text there are, for example, headings, other structural or visual references, a blind/visually impaired person has to obtain this information differently. This applies to all text elements of a structural nature, such as paragraphs, lists, references, tables and indexes. As a rule, however, this is only possible if the digital documents are prepared accordingly.
For creating an accessible PDF, the following are important: tags (as a prerequisite for screen readers and speech tools), a document title (for orientation), document language, security settings (assistive technologies must be able to access the document), a consistent structure, bookmarks (for easier navigation), alternative text for graphics, and sufficient color contrast for better readability.
More details on creating low-barrier and accessible PDF documents can be found in part 2.
PDF documents and accessibility
PDF documents are popular because they can be used universally and can be read from any device. Firstly, barriers are overcome and printed matter, forms and other information can thus be used comprehensively. On the other hand, blind/visually impaired people may not be able to use PDF documents if they are not provided barrier-free, i.e. cannot be optimally grasped by a screen reader.
Due to the Disability Equality Act, public institutions must provide accessible digital services. This means PDF documents must be created with accessibility in mind and validated accordingly. Creating and validating accessible PDF files is not always trivial and remains an important field of work. You can read more about conflicts in creating accessible PDF documents in part 3.