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IU x Accessibility
A comprehensive audit and remediation of PDF files across Indiana University websites to make them fully accessible for users with disabilities.
ROLE
Lead Product Designer
DURATION
Dec 2023 - May 2024
6 Months
TOOLS
chatgpt
Ensuring that digital documents are accessible is not just about compliance; it’s about making information available to everyone. At Indiana University, we took on the challenge of fixing accessibility issues in PDFs across key websites, focusing on making them usable for individuals relying on screen readers.
Our goal was to audit and remediate PDFs across multiple platforms to ensure they complied with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), making content accessible to all.

Due to a confidentiality agreement with Indiana University, I cannot share the work done on actual university documents. The screenshots and demonstrations use a sample file for illustration.

Context
Solving Common Accessibility Issues
Understanding how people with disabilities interact with digital content was critical to our approach. Many rely on screen readers, which parse PDFs based on tags and structures. Missing headings, improper alt text for images, and incorrect reading order were common barriers that we tackled.
image/illustration credits @Graceful illustrations
Provide a clear document title that screen readers can announce.
Ensure all images have descriptive alt text for screen readers.
Use correct heading levels (H1, H2, H3) for logical hierarchy.
Include table headers (marked as TH) for all tables to help users understand the content and context within tables.
Ensure that content follows a coherent reading order, so screen readers can present the information in the correct sequence.
Use accessible fonts and sufficient color contrast.
Make forms and interactive elements keyboard accessible.
Add bookmarks in longer documents for easy navigation.
Solution
1/6
Auto-tagging
Start by running the auto-tagging tool in Adobe Acrobat. This action generates an initial structure by tagging elements like headings, paragraphs, and images. While auto-tagging provides a foundation, manual review is essential for accuracy.
Automatically generates tags for headers, paragraphs, and images.

Quick foundation for further accessibility checks and improvements.

2/6
Accessibility check
Perform a full accessibility check using the built-in tools. This will flag missing alt text, untagged content, and issues with table structures. The check highlights what needs to be addressed to meet accessibility guidelines.
Generates an accessibility report outlining areas for improvement.
Highlights issues needing correction, such as missing alt text and reading order
Flags content for manual tagging or adjustment.
3/6
Primary language setting
Verify that the primary language is correctly set for each document. This ensures that screen readers interpret the text correctly based on the language assigned.
Set the document’s primary language to English to ensure screen readers interpret the text correctly.
The reading language initially showed as failed during the accessibility check.
4/6
Title addition
Add a clear, descriptive title to each PDF. The title is the first thing a screen reader will announce, so it needs to provide immediate context for the document.
Add a clear, descriptive title that provides immediate context for users.
The document was missing a title during the accessibility check.
5/6
Color correction
Check for sufficient color contrast between text and background. Adjust colors if needed to ensure that content is easily readable for users with visual impairments.
Check the contrast between text and background to meet accessibility standards.
Adjust colors if necessary to improve legibility for all users.
Color contrast required manual check.
6/6
Alt text
Ensure every image in the document has descriptive alt text. Alt text allows screen readers to convey the content of images to users with visual impairments. It’s crucial that the descriptions are clear and accurate.
Add descriptive alt text to each image.
Ensure the alt text clearly conveys the purpose or context of the image for better understanding.
Color contrast required manual check.
7/6
Table summary
Include table summaries for complex data. A table summary provides an overview for screen readers, making it easier for users to understand the content without needing to navigate through the entire table.
Provide an overview of the table’s content, helping users understand complex data more easily.
Table summaries were missing in the document.
outcome
By the numbers
The following statistics highlight the scale and impact of the accessibility improvements made across three Indiana University websites. These metrics showcase the extensive effort that went into ensuring compliance with accessibility standards.
300+
Files made accessible
3
Websites audited and remediated
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