Document (PDF) Accessibility

Related Training Guides

Resource List

Acrobat DC training modules provided by Section508.gov
Download Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Pro (which includes Acrobat DC) from the U's software catalog
ADA requirements fact sheet provided by ADA.gov
UMC's Digital team offers document accessibility training through Deque University (see item 2 on this page).

How to check if a PDF is accessible

If you don't already have the PDF saved on your computer, download it.
Open the PDF using accessibility scan software. We recommend using Acrobat DC. The U offers Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Pro which includes Acrobat DC for accessibility review and remediation if you do not already have it on your device. The software will indicate to you what accessibility issues your PDF has.
Refer to these helpful training modules provided by Section508.gov to use Acrobat DC. They walk you through creating new accessible PDFs as well as how to scan and remediate existing PDFs. You may also want to complete training with the UMC Digital team's offering through Deque University (see item 2 on this page).
This fact sheet provided by ADA.gov is also a helpful resource for specifics around accessibility requirements.

How to make a PDF accessible

Use accessibility remediation software to assist you. We recommend using Acrobat DC. The U offers Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Pro which includes Acrobat DC for accessibility review and remediation. You can download it from this link if you do not already have it on your device.
Follow the Acrobat DC training modules provided by Section508.gov to create new accessible PDFs and remediate existing PDFs. Complete training with the UMC Digital team's offering through Deque University (see item 2 on this page) for extra assistance.
This fact sheet provided by ADA.gov is also a helpful resource.

Exceptions regarding April 24th, 2026 Deadline

The following is taken from the ADA.gov 'Fact Sheet' page.

Preexisting PDFs (PDFs uploaded before April 24, 2026)

A document usually does NOT need to meet WCAG 2.1 AA only if BOTH are true:

It’s a “conventional electronic document”
- Word (.doc/.docx), PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx), PDF, or spreadsheet (.xls/.xlsx), etc.
  - **(Please note, only PDFs are allowed to be uploaded into Drupal so any existing document that is Not a PDF will need to be removed regardless due to our Drupal platform policy)
It was already posted before April 24th, 2026
- It was available on the website or mobile app before the April 24th deadline.

If either item is “No”

It must meet WCAG 2.1 AA or be removed from the site (unless another exception applies).

Important: when the exception does NOT apply (even if it’s old)

Even if the document was posted before the compliance date, it still must be accessible if people still or will use it to:

Apply for a service
Access a service
Participate in a program or activity

In other words: if it’s part of doing business with your organization, treat it as in-scope and must-be-accessible.

Quick examples

Usually qualifies for the exception (does not need to be remediated for accessibility):

A PDF flyer posted in 2022 that is just kept online as an old notice.
A PDF posted in 2024 that is no longer used for anything current.
A PDF newsletter or report dated before April 24, 2026 that is Not referenced for current services or current public guidance

Does NOT qualify (must be accessible):

A PDF posted after April 24th, 2026.
An older PDF that gets updated after April 24th, 2026 (e.g., new contact info).
A program application PDF posted previous to April 24th that the public still uses after April 24th.

PDFs that are password-protected (behind a firewall)

PDFs, videos, and web pages behind a password-protected firewall (such as Pulse/SharePoint) are subject to the same accessibility requirements as public-facing PDFs, videos, and web pages. They should be included in remediation efforts. It is recommended they are placed at the bottom of remediation priorities behind public-facing content .

PDF vs web page (HTML)

A Basic Page is always going to be the ADA compliant (Accessible) option. PDFs should really only be used for print-ready items that are static and don't update often, like a flyer or a report. There is a very small use-case for such exceptions on our sites. For these reasons we strongly discourage the use of PDFs. Flipbooks are prohibited.

Default rule

Create a Basic Page by default. Use PDFs only by exception, and only when you can meet accessibility requirements for that PDF (or have a documented technical/legal constraint and you have ensured that PDF meets AA level accessibility requirements).

Use a Basic Page when

Choose a Basic Page when the content is meant to be read, navigated, searched, or updated on screen, including:

Patient instructions, clinic prep, aftercare, FAQs, policy pages, directions, pricing/financial assistance explanations
Anything that changes periodically (hours, eligibility, program details)
Anything that needs to work well on mobile or with large text settings
Anything with multiple related pages/sections where navigation matters
Forms people must complete online (use accessible web forms, not PDF forms, when feasible)

Rationale: Public digital services should be delivered as structured web pages. Major public-sector publishing guidance explicitly discourages PDFs for on-screen reading and favors HTML (basic pages).

Use a PDF when (exception cases)

A WCAG 2.1, AA Level accessible PDF is reasonable when there is a real format need, for example:

Print fidelity is essential (e.g., a poster/flyer meant to be printed as-is)
A document must be distributed as a fixed “record” version (e.g., board packet, formal report snapshot) and you will keep it accessible
A third-party or system-generated document where HTML isn’t feasible right now (must still be AA Level accessible)

Even in these cases, require that the PDF be accessible (tagged, structured, etc.).

A simple decision rubric you can follow

Ask these questions in order:

Is this primarily “web content” (read/scan/use on a phone)?
→ Publish as Basic Page.
Will this change in the next 6–12 months?
→ Publish as Basic Page (PDFs drift out of date quickly and are harder to maintain at scale).
Does it need to be filled out online or interacted with?
→ Use a Basic Page with fillable form (submit a request via our intake form to have this created for you). If a PDF form is unavoidable, it must be an accessible PDF form and tested.
Is there a print/legal record requirement that truly needs fixed layout?
→ PDF is allowed, but only if it’s authored accessibly to WCAG 2.1, AA Level standards.

In order to meet the ADA deadline of April 24th, 2026 certain sacrifices may need to be made. If you can't get content like PDFs, videos, etc. remediated to AA standards by the deadline it would be more prudent to simply archive them from your site.

Or you can use third party assistance with remediation. That will need to be covered by your team's/department's budget.

If you have any questions or run into any issues, please submit a ticket via our intake form.