Step 2: Analyze the PDF File

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Now that you have opened the PDF file, the next task is to determine its initial accessibility so that you can efficiently improve its initial state to a more accessible version of the file.

Accessibility extends the availability of your document to the broadest possible audience. Knowing the beginning state of your PDF file will help you decide what steps you should take to make the PDF file before you as accessible as it can possibly be. Knowing how to analyze a PDF file for accessibility will also save you time, as you will be able to quickly determine which of the necessary attributes are present in a given file and which need to be added. The remaining steps in this module present a logical approach to help you determine what accessibility attributes are missing or present in individual PDF files. For each step, the techniques for correcting the accessibility issues revealed by your accessibility analysis are described in detail.

Maximum accessibility in a PDF file is achieved with a tagged source file or with tags added to an existing PDF file possessing searchable text. PDF files that are meant to be used as interactive forms have additional accessibilty requirements associated with them. PDF files possessing these characteristics provide the most reliable access for assistive technologies such as screen readers. Unfortunately, many of the PDF files you encounter were authored without regard for their accessibility.

Study the document carefully, scan through the pages. Some things to look for are illustrated in Figure 2 - 4 .

Is the page single column or multi-column - This provides a clue regarding the need to consider establishing a logical read order for the document

Are there graphic elements on the page? Figures, illustrations, photographs? These will require alternative text descriptions

What other kinds of elements appear on the page? Are there tables for example?

What is the purpose of the PDF file, is it meant to be an interactive form for example?

Where did the PDF file originate? Do you have access to the original source file? If so, perhaps you can employ the techniques outlined in Module 2 of this tutorial.

Figure 2 - 4 PDF Document Analysis

Determining the PDF File's Origins

Determining the origin of the PDF file is an essential step in maximizing the accessibility of the file. The reason the quality of PDF files varies so greatly is because they are not "born" in Acrobat. They are created in other applications such as a word processor or desktop publishing program or they were created by placing a paper document in a scanner and opening the resulting TIF file using Adobe Acrobat. Yes, Adobe Acrobat (not Reader) will open a number of image file formats, among them TIF. You can try this yourself in the third step Exercise by using the file 1_scan.tif as your practice file. PDF files are also used with different purposes in mind, such as an interactive form, or an instruction manual. Knowing the intended purpose of the PDF file will also determine what steps should be taken to make the file as accessible as possible (See Figure 2 - 1 The PDF Acrobat 7.0 Accessibility Workflow) .

You may also have access to the original source file from which the PDF was created. This may be a Microsoft Word document, an Adobe InDesign file, or an OpenOffice document. If so, there are techniques you can employ using those applications which will generate a high quality accessible PDF file. These techniques are highlighted in Module 2 of this tutorial for some popular desktop publishing and word processing applications (See Module 2 Working With Popular Applications to Create Accessible PDF Files) .