Develop reusable accessible design templates to reduce the level of effort to create accessible electronic content. Create text that duplicates the meaning of the color. The html validator checks your html code to verify that it is in compliance with the html 4. Under section 508, persons with disabilities, such as the visuallydisabled or print disabled could use assistive technology such as screen readers to access all federal documents. Creating section 508 compliant electronic documents u. This includes website content, emails, computer software, gaming systems, apps, and pdf. Use the correct sequential order for headings and do not skip any, such as do not go from an h2 to an h4.
If it includes lots of colors, fonts, and objects, it will take a lot more time. None of the rules prohibits, for example, the use of markup that screen readers do not recognize. I get questions about how to be 508 compliant in nearly every workshop. All electronic communication and documentation created by cms employees and contractors must be 508 compliant. If using an authoring tool, make sure the tool is capable of generating accessible pdf documents that conform to pdf ua some do not. Create section 508 compliant accessible pdf documents with. Examine items to ensure that there is sufficiently high contrast for elements, e. Making pdfs accessible section 508 compliant beacon blog. Do the tags match the order they should be read in. Content must be properly tagged so that a screen reader can know what kind of information the content. Make sure that were starting off on the right foot. This document serves as a technical white paper showcasing the enhanced capabilities of renderx xep software for creating section 508 compliant pdf documents. The tools pane does not scroll accordion panel headings into view on focus. Well do the remediation to make your pdf section 508 compliant.
Open each individual document in the portfolio and test with the appropriate test process. The checklist below, a series of tables, is based on the content of the pdf. It also impacts any company that does business with a federal agency. Section 508 pdf document accessibility test process. The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported. This includes, but is not limited to, the following. The lightness slider can be used to adjust the selected color. However, for our web sites the maps have to be 508 compliant. Pdf files provide some benefits when used appropriately. This document discusses how techsmith has addressed and is continuing to address section 508 compliance within its software applications. A portable document format pdf is a file format created by adobe to create standard consistency when a document is physically printed from a standard printer. Documents distributed via email includes broadcast messages and any attachments.
Click ok to close the options box and then click save. Select replace document colors, and then select use highcontrast colors. We now have a section 508 compliant document ready to go. If your pdf is fairly simple a basic form then it will be fairly easy to make accessible. How to take a scanned pdf document and make it 508 compliant. How to create a 508 compliant microsoft word document. People who are blind or have low vision can understand your plans, concepts, and ideas more easily if you create your visio diagrams with accessibility in mind. Creating accessible, section 508 compliant pdfs with adobe. I would like to post a trail map to a public web site for the public to down load into phones and gps units. Note, much of this guidance predates the revised 508 standards. Title slide, with thumbnail on slide soutline pane showing title 2 if you want, you can add a subtitle or additional information in the field that says, click to add subtitle. The options below offer color palette combinations that fall within the range of section 508 compliant foregroundbackground color contrast ratios. While remediating an existing pdf document includes several steps previously described, a pdf which has been created from a poorly or unformatted microsoft document requires various and often timeconsuming procedures in order to achieve section 508 compliance. The purpose of the voluntary product accessibility template is to assist federal contracting officials in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial electronic and information technology products and services with features that support accessibility.
Creating section 508 compliant excel spreadsheets u. How to make pdf section 508 compliant agile web development. How to create 508 compliant microsoft powerpoint presentations. In addition to section 508 requirements, hhs has policies, standards, and requirements for electronic documents. School websites are our business, so we have a vested interest in helping you comply.
Pretty simple, but i just want to go over the basic steps to the compliance, one more time. I want my urls to be accessible and compliant with section 508 what is the correct format. Ensuring color and other visual characteristics that convey. Using adobe indesign to create accessible pdf documents.
People with impaired vision, no vision, or colorblindness might miss the meaning conveyed by particular colors. If the pdf document contains 9 or more pages, bookmarks should be added. It is just as easy to build a 508 compliant document as it is to create a non compliant. You can now validate whether a pdf document is section 508. What is the price per page to remediate a document and make it compliant with section 508. Format this tool provides bulleted instruction on how to format documents to. Section 508 rules mean, when considering web pages and web applications, a set of 16 rules in 1194. A portable document format pdf is a file format created by adobe to create standard consistency when a document is physically.
Introduction to section 508 compliance and accessibility hhs. May 06, 2019 making files accessible the checklists are the official hhs accessibility checklists. If youre not sure if you need to be 508 compliant, its best to ask an expert. Documents if documents are posted on the web, do they have to be compliant. This section provides references and guidance toward accomplishing that goal. The text in this graphic above is part of the image itselfits possibly a scanned graphicand cannot be read by an assistive device. Implementing section 508 in xsl fo using renderx xep.
In this document, we will demonstrate how to make a pdf section 508 compliant. It is written for a nontechnical audience and is intended to provide a highlevel overview and roadmap, rather than an indepth technical dissertation. Section 508 overview section 508 passed in 1998 is an amendment to the rehabilitation act of 1973. Or, include a recommendation that the pdf viewer use highcontrast colors. A designers guide to accessibility and 508 compliance viget. By using the builtin features within microsoft office, to include powerpoint, you can avoid many of the most common mistakes related to accessibility.
Is the pdf a pdf portfolio or does the pdf have file attachments. Georeferenced and 508 compliant pdf maps geonet, the. The use of portable document formats pdfs is popular for sharing information. When this check fails, its possible that the document contains content that isnt accessible to people who are color blind. If the current document isnt prepopulated select it, and then select microsoft word.
For accessible pdf files, the recommended format is the pdf ua format which complies with wcag 2. The checklist from section a forward is based on the wcag 2. Adobe acrobat reader dc windows section 508 voluntary. Oct 18, 2017 we now have a section 508 compliant document ready to go. Focus when interacting with pdf portfolio documents can behave in unexpected ways.
Section 508 applies to everything from desktop software being used by a few employees within a lab to a web page accessible to anyone in the world if its been bought with government funds, it must be 508 compliant. Seven steps to creating an accessible powerpoint slideshow. The resources in this section were developed by federal agencies, and shared here for your convenience. While adobe captivate section 508 output is compliant for navigation, make sure that other elements are also compliant in your project. Make sure you dont use color alone to convey meaning. Tags alternative text color contrast screen flicker. Adobe createpdf online section 508 voluntary product. Accessible electronic document community of practice aed cop. The recent section 508 refresh brought harmonization with the wcag 2. There is an extensive list of requirements for section 508 compliant pdf documents.
Creating forms section 508 guidelines stipulate that electronic forms that are designed to be completed online, people using assistive technology need to be able to access the information. This includes sharepoint, diplopedia, html, public or team sites, irregardless of audience. Anytime you are preparing an electronic document that will be posted online or distributed via email, whether its an internal document or an external document, you need to follow the section 508 guidelines. We will provide some guidance on ways to create and structure documents and files so that they are accessible from the outset and you should aim to test every document for section 508 compliance. Dec 11, 2017 how to make a pdf fillable 508 compliant form from a word document. Welcome to the w3cs section 508 and uaag requirements. All the accessibility that was built into the powerpoint slideshow such as alt text, hyperlinks, reading order will be saved in the pdf file. Section 508 of the rehabilitation indicates that any electonic information that the. Section 508 tips for document creation information gatewaycb march 2020 page 2. If no is the answer to any item, then the document is not 508 compliant. How to take a scanned pdf document and make it 508. When the full address shows up in alt text as well, it ensures that the document looks more presentable and you are still able to be 508 compliant. How to make your powerpoint 2010 presentations 508compliant.
Section 508 requires that all graphics in which color is used to convey. The document itself was created using renderxs software and it alone demonstrates much of the capabilities of section 508 compliance. It is just as easy to build a 508 compliant document as it is to create a non compliant one. Wcag web content accessibility guidelines ensure that content is accessible by everyone, regardless of disability or user device. Ensure that color is not the only means of conveying information. Bookmarks allow the reader to quickly navigate to points of interest within a pdf. Nov 12, 20 two of the most widely used things affected by these changes where websites and portable document format pdf files.
Oct 01, 2019 now within the department of interior, we have a section 508 policy, its at 375 departmental manual chapter 8, and it provides bureaus and offices with policy and responsibilities for implementing the requirements of section 508 of the rehabilitation act of 1973. The color contrast ratio between the background and text should be at least 4. Convert to pdf to save the accessible functionality of the powerpoint document that has been created, it can be saved as a pdf. Posted on february 29, 2012 july 2, 2014 by admin every document is unique, and every client has different requirements, so there is no set cost per page. This topic gives you stepbystep instructions to make your visio diagrams accessible to people with disabilities.
It is also used to freeze or lock content that should remain intact or in context with other information. May 26, 2017 section 508 doesnt apply to federal agencies only. How to test and remediate pdfs for accessibility using adobe acrobat dcthe accessible. Use a strong color contrast between text and backgrounds. Sep 09, 2015 508 compliance became a thing to deal with in 2000 and 15 years later people still have questions about how it works.
To make an accessible pdf document, start by creating an accessible document in microsoft word and then use save as to convert it to a pdf. Advocate for the use of authoring tools and document converters that enable users to easily create accessible documents. Enter a foreground and background color in rgb hexadecimal format e. To save as a pdf, choose the save as option, than choose pdf as the file type by keyboard. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, open new opportunities for people with disabilities, and encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. Dec 08, 2016 automated reports will help you identify what needs changed to help make your pdf documents accessible. For ipca which is a webbased application, the portion of section 508.
This tool provides guidance on making various charts and graphs 508 compliant by. Pdf files should not be used for short documents file metadata and meet section 508. To meet these standards, text and interactive elements should have a color contrast ratio of at least 4. Click on the options button, and ensure both boxes in the include nonprinting information section are checked. How to make electronic documents section 508 compliant and accessible for people with disabilities. How to make a pdf fillable 508 compliant form from a word. These tips can be applied to various document formats such as microsoft word, powerpoint, and excel, as well as adobe pdf documents. In order to alleviate this problem, the section 508 rule requires that when repetitive navigational links are used, there must be a mechanism for users to skip repetitive navigational links. The passfail criteria in this document represent an interpretation of section 508 web standards. Print the document in grayscale andor turn down the color on the computer monitor.
Under section 508, persons with disabilities, such as the visuallydisabled or print disabled could use assistive technology such as screen readers to access all federal documents and applications. We will cover the following items in this document. Narrative software uses the information from the accessibility table fields heading rows, columns, caption alignment and summary to produce a tooltip message for each table cell. Any and all digital communications that a company under section 508 jurisdiction creates must be 508 compliant. How to make a pdf fillable 508 compliant form from a word document. This ensures that viewers who cannot see the full color spectrum are able to read the text. Authoring and evaluation features that make it easier to create accessible documents. In the tools pane, one cannot move focus into or out of the accordion panes for export pdf, create pdf, and edit pdf. A document author can specify that no part of an accessible pdf is to be copied. Users with low vision and color blindness may have difficulty reading documents that do not present sufficient contrast and color difference between background and foreground elements. How to create a 508 compliant microsoft word document dau. If your deliverable is to be an accessible pdf you build on. It does not verify section 508 compliance or web accessibility. Create and verify pdf accessibility, acrobat pro adobe support.
A beginners guide to section 508 and accessibility compliance. Two of the most widely used things affected by these changes where websites and portable document format pdf files. Follow responsive design principles that support accessibility on different types of devices. This is a common question, one that is not addressed in section 508. It provides the minimum standards for what is deemed acceptable, and minimum really does not make a site fully accessible.
I read where you can only use system fonts calibri, times, trebushi etc. Please view these video tutorials on creating 508 compliant documents. Feb 23, 2015 section 508 compliance basics nexight group. Thus, the image, including the images text, must be thoroughly described. Nothing in iso 142891 the standard for accessible pdf. Veterans health administrations section 508 team with the intent to serve as a resource and blueprint for project managers and developers as they begin to create apps whereby accessibility and adherence to section 508 policy and compliance.
Note that adobe has a builtin accessibility checker in the tools section. Pdf portfolios are collections of many different documents combined into one pdf figure 1. The current method for making them compliant is to put them in a word document as a jpg and then exporting as a pdf. Following documentation articles demonstrates the usage of feature to create pdf document with tagged image. In addition to section 508 requirements, hhs has policies, standards, and requirements for electronic documents that include but are not limited to the following. By default, pdf documents created with createpdf support this requirement and it is possible for authors to create documents that support this requirement. Accessible urls for 508 compliant documents section 508. How to make your powerpoint 2010 presentations 508. By using the builtin features within word, you can avoid many of the common accessibility mistakes. Unfortunately, persons with disabilities, who utilize screen readers or other assistive technologies to read the content of pdfs, often cannot access the content because the documents are not section 508 compliant. This video looks at how to check the color contrast in a pdf document. This includes private contractors, the financial industry, healthcare, many legal organizations, and others.
What is the standard for handling bolds, italics, and. Open the pdf youd like to make accessible with acrobat pro dc. The pdf ua compliance validation has been implemented in manners similar to pdf a validation. Section 508 frequently asked questions deloitte us. Users with impaired vision can see those tooltips as they hover over the cells. Section 508 compliance accessible document solutions. How to create 508 compliant adobe pdf documents dau. Keep in mind that the complexity of your pdf will determine the challenge of making it compliant. Format this tool provides bulleted instruction on how to format documents. To fix this issue, make sure that the documents content adheres to the guidelines outlined in wcag section 1. Sure, you can make the effort to be 508 compliant, but the wording is very vague.