PDF Accessibility Training
An instructor-led training designed to help the University of Florida community create and remediate accessible PDF documents. The training combines demonstrations, guided practice, and real-world application to teach essential PDF accessibility techniques using Adobe Acrobat Pro, followed by accessibility verification with PAC and testing with NVDA. The learning experience is supported by job aids and quick reference videos for continued practice and on-demand support.
Audience
My Role
Tools Used
University of Florida faculty,
staff, and students
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Instructional design, training development, facilitation, and performance support
Adobe Acrobat Pro, PAC, NVDA, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Camtasia, Audiate, Clipchamp,
Adobe Illustrator, Screencast
Project Overview
The Problem
The University of Florida is preparing to meet the new ADA Title II regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice on April 24, 2024. Under the new regulations, web content and mobile applications provided by public entities must generally conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards by April 26, 2027, with limited exceptions. UF’s Electronic Information Technology and Communication Accessibility Policy also requires digital content, including PDFs, to be accessible.
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As faculty, staff, and students work to make their digital content more accessible, they need practical guidance and support for addressing accessibility issues in the documents they create and share. At UF Information Technology Training, accessibility office hours provide an opportunity for the UF community to ask questions and get help with accessibility challenges. One of the most frequent questions is how to fix accessibility issues in PDFs. PDF remediation can be particularly challenging because accessibility issues often require multiple steps and a working knowledge of tools and techniques.
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Although some online tutorials and resources are available, there was a gap in hands-on, instructor-led learning that allowed participants to work through PDF accessibility issues step by step and practice remediation techniques with guidance.
The Solution
To address the need for practical PDF accessibility support, the learning experience was designed around what learners need most: understanding why accessibility matters and how to remediate a PDF. The solution combines a 1.5-hour, hands-on instructor-led training for UF faculty, staff, and students with job aid support that provides step-by-step guidance for applying remediation techniques and quick reference videos that offer just-in-time demonstrations of specific accessibility techniques. Together, these resources provide learners with opportunities to learn, practice, and access support when they need it.
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Live Training
A hands-on instructor-led experience designed around how learners perform PDF remediation in practice. Each step connects accessibility theory with immediate demonstration, while a clear, linear workflow helps the UF community build the knowledge and skills needed to remediate, verify, and test accessible PDFs.
Job Aid Support
Step-by-step job aids designed to support learners beyond the live training. The concise reference materials break the remediation process into actionable steps, giving UF faculty, staff, and students practical guidance they can return to while working on their own PDFs.
Quick Reference Videos
Short, focused videos designed to provide just-in-time support for specific PDF accessibility techniques. By demonstrating individual steps visually, these resources give the UF community a quick way to revisit a technique and apply it when accessibility questions arise.
Design and Development
01 Living Training
Design Approach
The live training was designed to connect theory, demonstration, and practice within a clear, linear remediation workflow. Rather than presenting all accessibility concepts upfront, each concept is introduced immediately before learners see it applied to a real PDF. This approach helps learners understand both why an accessibility requirement matters and how to address it in practice. The learning experience also incorporates verification and screen reader testing so learners understand that effective remediation involves not only fixing issues, but also validating and testing the final document.
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Development Process
The training materials were developed around a repeatable PDF remediation workflow. PowerPoint was used to introduce accessibility concepts and provide visual explanations, while Adobe Acrobat Pro was used for live demonstrations with a real PDF. PAC and NVDA were incorporated to demonstrate PDF validation and screen reader testing. The session was recorded to extend access to the learning experience beyond the live training.
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02 Job Aids
Design Approach
The job aid was designed as performance support of the training. The live remediation process was translated into a concise, task-oriented reference that learners could use while working on their own PDFs. Information was organized around the actions learners need to complete, allowing them to locate a specific remediation technique without revisiting the entire training. This design supports independent application and reinforces the same workflow introduced during the live session.
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Development Process
The job aid was developed by identifying the key actions and techniques demonstrated during the training and reorganizing them into a practical step-by-step reference. The content covers the major stages of the remediation process, including OCR, metadata, accessibility checks, tagging, alt text, reading order, bookmarks, PAC validation, and screen reader testing. Detailed Instructions were streamlined to provide enough guidance for independent use while keeping the resource easy to scan and reference.
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03 Quick Reference Videos
Design Approach
The quick reference videos were designed as just-in-time performance support, focusing on individual PDF accessibility techniques rather than recreating the full training. Each video addresses a specific task so learners can quickly access the instruction they need while working on their own documents. Because PDF remediation is highly procedural, the videos emphasize concise, screen-based demonstrations that show learners exactly how a technique is performed in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
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Development Process
Each video was developed through a structured multimedia production process. Concise scripts were created for individual PDF accessibility techniques, with narration generated using Clipchamp’s text-to-speech feature and demonstrations recorded and edited in Camtasia. Adobe Illustrator was used to create consistent video cover pages. Completed videos were shared with team members through TechSmith Screencast for review, with feedback incorporated through revisions to ensure clarity, accuracy, and usability.
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Developing the quick reference video in Camtasia, with screen recordings, narration, captions, and visual elements edited across multiple tracks.
Gathering team feedback and reviewing the video in Screencast.
Learning Experience
01Â Recording of Live Training
A recorded session of the PDF Accessibility Training, edited in Camtasia to showcase the live learning experience, demonstrations, and instructional approach.
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Part 1 | 0:00–0:20 | Lecture:
Introduces the learning objectives and training method, explains why accessibility matters, and describes what makes a PDF accessible.
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Part 2 | 0:21–1:17 | Live Demonstration:
Shows how to identify and fix PDF accessibility issues using Adobe Acrobat Pro, PAC, and NVDA. This section provides a step-by-step, instructor-led demonstration of the PDF remediation process.
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Part 3 | Final 3 minutes | Wrap-up:
Shares additional resources and closes the session.​
02 Job Aid Support
03 Quick Reference Videos
A selection of three short, focused demonstrations designed to support learners as they apply PDF accessibility techniques. Explore the full collection through the University of Florida Information Technology Training PDF Accessibility Basics offering page.
Results and Takeaways
Results
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The training helped UF faculty, staff, and students build a clearer understanding of PDF accessibility through practical, step-by-step demonstrations and guided application. Learner feedback highlighted the training’s clear structure, accessible explanations, and value in breaking down a complex topic into manageable steps. Participants also appreciated having links, job aids, and quick reference videos they could revisit after the session, supporting continued application of accessibility practices to their own documents.
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Takeaways
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This project reinforced the value of designing accessibility training around practice, demonstration, and performance support. Breaking a complex remediation process into clear, sequential steps helped make the content more manageable, while integrating theory immediately before each demonstration connected the reason behind a technique with how to apply it. The combination of live instruction, a task-focused job aid, and just-in-time video support creates a learning experience that continues beyond the classroom.