Ideas and suggestions

for making PDFs accessible on university websites, 

with class materials as a priority

 

Discussion facilitator: Joyce Tikalsky

 

BACKGROUND

 

• Accessible PDFs benefit everyone.

 

• Accessible PDFs and video transcripts are an aid to search engines.

 

• Accessible course materials are a campus priority.

 

• No time delays for students. PDFs should be accessible when they're uploaded.

 

• Steps are available in handouts about converting Office documents and checking PDFs.

 

• Adobe will announce Acrobat 9 soon.

 

 

QUESTIONS

 

• Do instructional technology services on campus provide this service?

 

• What other free services for faculty currently exist that fit the 

        "what I need, when I need it" practice mentioned by Carl Berger

        at the April 23 ComETS event?

 

• What services are needed?

 

IDEAS - focused on PDFs

 

1. Add an accessibility note to your email signature:

   "On the web, use text captions for images, text-based PDFs, and closed captioning for videos: I can help with questions anytime."

 

2. Add a place at http://www.doit.wisc.edu/accessibility/ for emailing

    questions to a Web Doctor.

 

3. Start a peer-to-peer review program for PDFs.

 

4. Formulate a comprehensive program that lists tasks for improving 

    the availability of accessible PDFs.

 

5. Work with all the great people supporting Learn@UW, eCOW,

    eTeach, and Moodle to embed information about accessible PDFs:

• Student tab? Instructions for students for converting scans to OCR for screen reader use.
• Instructor tab? Instructions for faculty for making course materials accessible.
   
  Jeff Bohrer suggests the possibility of an "Is my PDF accessible?" feature that
  takes a PDF as input and returns an accessible PDF.

 

6. Work with DoIT's communication team to integrate PDF accessibility 

    into marketing efforts.

 

7. Work with University Communications to integrate PDF accessibility

    into campus templates and style guides.

 

8. Work on a proposal for a Provost's Initiative in cooperation with ComETS.

 

9. Learn more about the new Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act from Jon Gunderson.

 

FUTURE PLAN