Accessible digital content

Making content accessible

When sharing content, it is important to follow a few basic steps to assure it is readable and usable by everyone, including persons with disabilities.

Electronic document basics

The most common electronic document file types are PDF files (.pdf) and Microsoft Word files (.docx). PDFs are the least accessible type of document and require additional work to be made accessible.

The following content will guide through some basics in document accessibility:

Canvas

Consider before you upload

Before uploading any electronic document, consider:

  • Does it really need to be a PDF? PDFs are inherently the least accessible type of document
  • Can the content be added onto a regular webpage? A Canvas page?
  • Can the content be uploaded as an Office document?
  • Is the PDF from a Library Database? Provide the article or ebook content permalink so students have more format options. Otherwise, your are responsible for ensuring the PDF is accessible.

Canvas content

Not all students who need disability accommodations or assistance register with the DRS office. This may be related to fear, lack of resources, thinking they can do it on their own, or perhaps they are not aware they have a disability. Making content as accessible as possible from the start benefits all students, including busy students and English as a second language learners.

The Teaching @UW resource, Making course materials accessible, offers guidance to make course content more accessible to all students and comply with the ADA Title II requirements.

Content in Canvas pages or activities can be printed or downloaded as PDFs using a browser. One great advantage about Canvas pages is that when those pages are printed or saved as PDFs by students, all the linked content will have full URLs printed alongside them.

Ally alternate formats in Canvas courses

Ally in Canvas scans all uploaded files to courses and produces alternate formats that can be downloaded by faculty and students. Look for an “A” icon next to a file or within the down arrow next to a file for the option “Alternate Formats”. For more information, access the resource, Ally Accessibility Tool for Canvas.

PDF remediation

Remediate your own PDFs

PDF remediation (process to make a PDF accessible), requires training and the Adobe Acrobat Pro software.

PDF remediation training

Please contact Ana Thompson in UW Bothell IT Academic & Collaborative Technology (ACT) to schedule training.

Requesting Adobe Acrobat Pro

Submit a Software Request to IT with a department/program/school budget number so IT can purchase the license and install the software.

Additional options for PDF remediation

UW free online document conversion service

The UW offers an online Document Conversion Service powereds by SensusAccess to help students, faculty, and staff at the University of Washington to produce alternative versions of documents quickly and easily. The service is free to anyone with a UW NetID, and can be accessed at tinyurl.com/uw-doc-convert.

Please note the following limitations of this service:

  • This service is intended to provide a way for requesting other formats (such as MP3 audio files) or as a starting point for a file that needs remediation. For faculty and staff who are producing documents, please consult information links provided on this page.
  • The source file needs to be of good quality in order to maximize conversion accuracy.
  • Some file outputs may require additional editing after conversion.
  • Students requesting alternate materials as an accommodation, please contact Disability Resources for Students (DRS).

UW Free PDF Remediation Service

Accessible Technology Services (ATS) will remediate a limited number of PDF documents through a service supported by UW-IT. Individuals, departments, and other units at the UW are encouraged to apply to remediate highly visible, high-impact, multiple use, and/or strategic PDF documents. Examples include:

  • PDF documents available to the public on a high-use website
  • PDF documents that will be used multiple times in a course
  • PDF documents developed by several faculty members to be used in several different classes

If you are interested in submitting one or more documents for consideration, please complete the UW PDF Document Remediation Service Application.

Third party PDF remediation

Crawford Technologies provides document remediation services at prices and turnaround times that seem to be a good match for higher education institutions. Contact the vendor for a quote: das-quotes@crawfordtech.com.

Questions about remediation orders:

Web content support

In terms of accessible web content requirements, University of Washington follows the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), version 2.1 AA.

Contact UW Bothell’s Office of Marketing & Communications at uwbweb@uw.edu to get help on creating and editing accessible webpages within the uwb.edu website.