Accessibility Checklist For Documents - Title IX and Equity

Quick Accessibility Checklist

Before sharing your a PDF or document:

Text is searchable (not a scanned image)
Headings and structure are properly tagged
Images include alt text
Reading order is logical
Links are descriptive
Color contrast is sufficient
Document title and language are set
The accessibility checker has been run

Why Accessibility Matters

Accessible PDFs:

Ensure all students can access course materials
Support screen readers and assistive technologies
Improve readability and navigation
Reduce the need for remediation later

Start Here: Use Better Source Files

The easiest way to create an accessible PDF is to start with an accessible document.

Create files in Word, Google Docs or similar tools. And if preferred, you may upload Word documents in place of the PDF to the website.
Use built-in styles (headings, lists, etc.)
Add alt text to images before exporting
Export to PDF — do not “Print to PDF”

Pro tip: Exporting preserves accessibility features like headings and structure.

Key Elements of an Accessible PDF

Accessible PDFs should include:

Structured headings and tags for navigation
Searchable text (not scanned images)
Alternative text (alt text) for images
Logical reading order
Descriptive links (avoid “click here”)
Sufficient color contrast
Document language settings

These elements help ensure your content is readable and usable for all users.

Creating an Accessible PDF (or document)

Working with Existing PDFs

Not all PDFs are easy to fix.

If a PDF is difficult to remediate:

Look for an accessible version (HTML, Word, EPUB)
Convert it to an editable format
Provide an alternative resource if needed

There is no one-click solution—each PDF requires review and adjustments.

Step 1: Make Text Searchable

If your PDF is scanned, it may not be readable by assistive technology.

Try highlighting text — if you can’t, it’s likely not accessible.
This may mean going back to the native Microsoft Word file or original document creation software.

Step 2: Add Structure with Tags

Tags tell screen readers how to interpret your document.

Apply headings, paragraphs, lists and figure tags
Ensure content follows a logical order
If you have Adobe Acrobat, you can choose > prepare for accessibility and automatically tag PDF.
In Word, go to Home> and open the Styles pane.
Highlight your top-of-page heading, click the down arrow next to Heading 1 > choose Update to match selection.
Then select other headings as your heading 2 > click the down arrow and choose Update to match selection.

Step 3: Add Alternative Text (alt text) to Images

Images must include descriptions for screen readers.

Describe the purpose of the image
Keep descriptions concise and meaningful
Mark decorative images appropriately

In Adobe Acrobat Pro: To add alt text to a PDF image, open the Accessibility tool > select Add Alternative Text > and enter descriptions for figures.

Ensure you are using the Pro version, as the free Adobe Reader lacks this functionality. Alternatively, right-click an image, choose Properties and enter text in the Alternate Text box under the Tag Tree.

In Microsoft Word, right-click on your image > select View Alt Text. Word can generate a suggested description for you. Toggle on approve alt text or edit the auto description, and then approve the alt text.

Step 4: Check Reading Order

Content should flow in a logical sequence.

Review the reading order in your PDF tool
Ensure headings and content are in the correct order
Fix anything that reads out of sequence

In Adobe Acrobat Pro: Select all tools > prepare for accessibility > fix reading order > show order panel. More in-depth information on reading order.

In Microsoft Word: To check that you have the correct structure, select review > then check accessibility > then select the reading order pane.

Step 5: Review Metadata and Properties

Document properties help identify and organize your file.

Add a clear document title
Confirm language settings
Include relevant author or subject information

In Microsoft Word: Go to file > info > show all properties and add a document title under the summary tab.

To confirm language settings in Microsoft Word: go to file > options > language.

In Adobe Acrobat Pro: go to file > properties > description tab and edit the title field.

To confirm language settings in Acrobat Pro: Go to menu > preferences > language.

Step 6: Run an Accessibility Check

Use built-in tools to identify issues.

Run the accessibility checker
Fix flagged errors
Manually review anything the tool may miss

To check accessibility in Microsoft Word: go to Review > check accessibility

To check accessibility in Adobe Acrobat Pro: Go to all tools > prepare for accessibility, then click accessibility check.