Getting a Grasp on Document Accessibility

Ensuring document accessibility is essential for universal information access, catering to individuals who are blind, partially sighted or have cognitive impairments. Compliant, accessible document design fosters inclusivity and aligns with legal standards, creating an equitable communication environment. Accessible documents not only broaden audience reach, but also showcase a commitment to ethical practices, ensuring clarity for everyone, not solely those without disabilities. Prioritizing accessibility is fundamental in constructing a just and informed society, where equal access to information becomes a cornerstone for fostering inclusivity and promoting a shared understanding among diverse individuals.

A common misconception is that accessible documents exclusively cater to the blind but, in reality, a wide range of individuals requires alternate formats or accessible digital content. Some individuals find large print more suitable for non-accessible documents. Many people who are proficient in braille find it their only way to communicate. Additionally, some grasp information more effectively through audio files. There are numerous circumstances and variables that can influence how individuals process or consume documents, and recognizing that people learn and absorb information uniquely underscores the importance of providing format options to accommodate individual preferences and needs.

Without document accessibility, people who rely on formats like accessible PDFs, braille or large print face significant barriers. Inaccessible layouts, small fonts or missing image descriptions can exclude visually impaired individuals, forcing them to trust unreliable software or hindering their ability to access information and take actions.

Core Principles

Creating accessible documents goes beyond mere adherence to standard regulations. While compliance with rules like WCAG, PDF/UA, Health and Human Services (HHS) and/or others is essential, the paramount goal is to ensure documents not only are compliant but are also usable, facilitating easy navigation and information absorption for customers and employees. This principle extends to all alternate formats, encompassing digital variations like accessible PDFs and HTML, and traditional formats such as braille, large print and audio. Achieving this requires careful consideration of usability, as well as structure, content and navigation to guarantee an accessible experience that is seamless.

Structure: Clear document organization through headings and bullets facilitates universal understanding. A sequential structure is pivotal for accessibility, ensuring information follows a logical order for easy comprehension and navigation, benefiting all document recipients. Properly labeled tables are crucial, as clear labels and headers assist readers in understanding the table's purpose, making data comprehensible for users with visual impairments.

Content: In accessible document creation, alternative text (alt text) plays a fundamental role by providing textual descriptions for images and other non-text elements, ensuring inclusivity for a diverse audience. Additionally, maintaining high color contrast and employing appropriate font sizes is vital for accessibility, benefiting individuals with visual impairments, cognitive disabilities and the aging population. These considerations collectively contribute to an enhanced readability experience.

Navigation: Keyboard accessibility empowers users with motor disabilities and screen reader users to interact with content seamlessly. Additionally, it aligns with accessibility standards and caters to users who prefer keyboard navigation.

Usability: A truly accessible PDF goes beyond mere technical compliance. While meeting accessibility standards like WCAG, PDF/UA or HHS is paramount, it's just the first step. A truly usable document empowers the user with an experience comparable to that of a sighted individual. Imagine a document with a jumbled reading order. While technically tagged, it renders the story incomprehensible – compliant but not usable, thus not accessible. Similarly, improperly linked table headers or inaccurate alt text may pass accessibility checkers but hinder information delivery.

Implementing Document Accessibility

Various factors should be considered when making information, particularly documents, accessible. The primary focus should always be on the recipient. Therefore, the main objective is to offer these documents in diverse alternate formats that cater to their preferences and requirements.

Digital Alternate Formats: Accessible digital documents, like accessible Word and PDF files, break down communication barriers. They come in various formats, including plain text, HTML and others, providing users the flexibility to choose their preferred method. While HTML and PDF share common features like alt text and clear structure, each format caters to different needs and offers unique strengths:

PDFs are ideal for preserving document formatting and layout, often used for official documents, brochures, transactional documents and reports.
HTML is typically a foundational format for web pages, offering greater flexibility for dynamic content, interactive elements and search engine optimization. In both cases, the above-mentioned core principles are essential and should always be followed, along with full compliance and timely delivery.

Alternate Formats

While digital formats have become increasingly important, there is still a significant need for traditional alternate formats, and they remain crucial for accessibility. Braille, large print and audio are all traditional formats which are still used extensively.

Accessibility Solutions

There are many tools and resources available to aid organizations in delivering accessible documents. Selecting the appropriate solution hinges on understanding the essential features required. Here are some fundamental requirements to look for:

Ensure the solution supports various accessible formats, including digital and alternate formats.
Consider future needs and document volume, delivering scalability.
Confirm that the solution integrates with existing workflows and document management systems to minimize disruption.
Consider a solution which provides automatic accessibility validation to ensure compliance.
Verify compliance with digital accessibility standards such as WCAG, PDF/UA and/or HHS.
Consider a single, robust solution capable of delivering all your document accessibility needs.
As language regulations evolve (as with the recent CMS Final Rule), seek a solution that delivers document accessibility alongside automated language translations.

Accessible documents are vital for creating a truly inclusive society. By prioritizing both usability and compliance, organizations can empower customers with diverse digital and traditional formatting options and foster a seamless experience based on each individual’s preference for information consumption. Achieving accessibility is not just about meeting regulations, it's about fostering inclusivity and breaking down communication barriers for an exceptional customer experience. An electronic document industry pioneer,

Ernie Crawford is the President/CEO and founder of Crawford Technologies. One of only a small number of people worldwide with a Master Electronic Document Professional (M-EDP) designation, Ernie has more than 30 years of senior marketing and management experience in the high-volume electronic printing market. 