We have seen businesses heavily focus on making their websites, products and apps accessible, often driven by the need to be legally compliant and create visually appealing platforms. Some even assume accessibility begins and ends with websites. However, in the rush to meet digital accessibility standards, they frequently overlook a crucial element - Document Accessibility! They fail to realize that many users interact with downloadable documents that need to be accessible too.
Documents like PDFs, Word, Excel, PPTs and even InDesign Files are often treated as separate from websites, but they are critical in conveying important information to users with disabilities. And hence, it becomes all the more important to meet PDF/UA, WCAG 2.2 and Section 508 standards.
According to Adobe, “There are trillions of PDFs out in the world and more than 90 percent of those PDFs today are at least partially inaccessible, appearing blank, blurry, or like complex code for individuals with disabilities.”
What is Document Remediation?
You probably might have come across terms like “document remediation” or “make your documents compliant”. What do they actually mean?
Document remediation is the process of making your digital documents, whether it is a PDF, Word, PPT, etc., accessible to people with disabilities. This means that each of your documents are structured in such a way that assistive technologies, like screen reader users, can accurately interpret the content for people with disabilities. Without remediation, documents are not navigable by people who rely on these tools, creating significant barriers to accessibility.
For many organizations, managing thousands of documents, both new and existing, and ensuring they meet accessibility standards can seem overwhelming. That’s where a strategic document accessibility plan comes in. Having a tailored strategy ensures your organization can achieve its accessibility goals in the most cost-effective and efficient way.
Let our experts help you with exactly just that!
How to achieve Document Remediation?
By overlooking document accessibility, businesses risk alienating users, failing to meet legal standards, and ultimately leaving a significant gap in their overall accessibility strategy. Just like any successful initiative, it’s essential to assess what needs to be accomplished and the best way to achieve it. Let’s look at how one can achieve document remediation:
1. Assessing Your Document Landscape
The first crucial step is to identify documents that need to be remediated. One needs to ensure that these documents conform to PDF/UA and WCAG 2.2 standards and are compliant to Section 508. Once identified, a thorough evaluation of each existing document is conducted that identifies accessibility barriers. After evaluation, documents are prioritized based on their importance and severity of accessibility issues.
2. Manual Testing
Organizations rely heavily on automated tools and software to achieve document accessibility. Little do they know many adjustments require a manual touch to ensure that a document is truly accessible. Take the example of an image description. An automated tool might identify that an image description is missing from an image, but it cannot actually write it. Similarly, some automated tools can identify headings, but they may not properly assess the document's logical structure. It is important to manually test your documents to ensure all elements, whether images, heading or tables, are accessible.
3. Partnering with Document Remediation Vendors
A document remediation expert not only helps you streamline the process but also offers expertise that goes beyond what automated tools and internal teams can provide. Their proficiency ensures that your documents are compliant and provide optimal user experience for people with disabilities. Moreover, collaborating with professional remediation vendors helps organizations stay updated with evolving accessibility laws and guidelines, ensuring that their documents are future proofed against any changes in compliance requirements.
Become our partner and show your commitment to accessibility and inclusion by ensuring that everyone can access and enjoy your digital content.
4. Creating a Priority Plan with Legacy Documents
Legacy documents often pose a significant compliance challenge for organizations. Rather than trying to remediate everything at once, organizations need to establish a priority plan to address these documents systematically and efficiently. The first step in creating this priority plan is conducting an audit of all legacy documents to determine their level of accessibility and usage of frequency. Documents that contain critical information, are frequently accessed by the public and are used as reference for years should be prioritized for remediation.
5. Building Accessibility into New Document Workflows
Along with creating a priority plan for legacy documents, organizations should plan to build remediation into their ongoing document creation process, ensuring that these new documents are accessible right from the start to avoid adding it back to the legacy backlog. It is always advisable to implement accessibility right from the beginning instead of retrofitting it afterwards. This proactive approach not only saves time and resources but also guarantees a more seamless and compliant document workflow.
Sign up to our easy-to-use self-service portal for a hassle-free experience. Upload your documents effortlessly, track progress, and download accessible versions—all in one spot.
Why Document Remediation needs to be a part of your compliance strategy?
As there is a major shift towards all things digital, accessibility of documents becomes a core part of any organizations’ compliance strategy. Here’s why:
1. Makes Content Accessible for All
Accessible documents ensure that all users, including people with disabilities, can easily access and interact with your digital content. It ensures that individuals with disabilities have access to the same information as sighted users. Whether it’s a financial report, annual report or an informative pdf, remediating these documents ensures that screen reader users can fully engage with your content. This fosters an inclusive environment where no one is left behind, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of ability, have equal access to your organization’s vital information.
2. Compliance with Global Accessibility Standards
There has been a growing emphasis on making documents accessible for all. Whether it is a PDF, Word, PPT or an InDesign file, aligning them with Global Accessibility Standards of WCAG 2.2 & 2.1, and PDF/UA along with Section 508, ADA & EAA ensures that people with disabilities can access and interact with your content effectively. It safeguards your organization from any risk of legal repercussions and non-compliance.
To know more about the different compliance levels of your documents, read this article.
3. Future-Proofs Your Content
Many businesses commit the mistake of thinking document remediation as a one-time fix rather than an ongoing commitment. Future-proofing your content involves implementing a compliance strategy that ensures documents remain accessible today and in the years to come. It involves adapting to evolving accessibility guidelines, emerging technologies and ever-changing needs of people with disabilities. It also ensures long-term compliance and improves user experience in the long run, saving costs and time over the course of time.
4. Boosts Interoperability
We see different documents formats being created and shared daily. From interactive PDFs to InDesign Files, every organization has their own way of serving their content to their audiences. However, the challenge arises when these documents need to be shared, accessed, or edited across different platforms, devices, or with assistive technologies. That’s where document remediation helps. It ensures interoperability, making documents accessible and functional for all users, regardless of their technology or disability. This simplifies collaboration, automation and compliance with global accessibility standards. This doesn’t just break down barriers. It streamlines your operations and future-proofs your documents in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
5. Strengthens Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
An organization’s commitment to accessibility is a reflection of its dedication to social responsibility. By ensuring your documents are accessible to all, you demonstrate a genuine commitment to accessibility and inclusion, reinforcing your position as a socially responsible business. Just as many websites feature an Accessibility Statement to highlight their dedication to accessibility, document remediation showcases your organization’s focus on making a positive social impact. This not only enhances your reputation but also aligns your brand as a socially responsible and forward-thinking business.
List of Documents that need to be remediated
1. Internal Docs
- Employee Handbooks & Manuals
- Policies & Procedures
- Code of Conduct
- Health & Safety Guidelines
- Training Materials
- Onboarding Guides
- eLearning Modules
- Presentations & Workshops
- HR Documents
- Employee Contracts
- Performance Reviews
- Benefits Information
- Leave Policies & Forms
- Payroll
- Tax Documents
- Meeting Notes & Agendas
- Internal Memos
- Meeting Minutes
- Financial Docs
- Budgets
- Financial Reports
- Invoices & Receipts
- Project Documentation
- Project Plans & Timelines
- Reports & Summaries
- Data Sheets
- Legal & Compliance Documents
- Non-Disclosure (NDAs)
- Contract & Legal Agreements
- Compliance reports & Forms
- Internal Communications
- Internal Company Communications
- Announcements
- Stakeholder Reports
- Accessible PDFs & Forms
- Internal Forms
- Checklists
- Surveys
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Step by Step Guidelines
2. External Docs
- Customer Facing Documents
- Brochures
- Flyers
- Product Catalogs
- User Manuals
- FAQs & Help Guides
- Instructional Documents
- Contracts & Legal Agreements
- Client Agreements
- Licensing Agreements
- Service-Level Agreements (SLAs)
- Financial & Billing Documents
- Invoices
- Statements of Accounts
- Purchase Orders
- Tax Documents
- Receipts and Payment Records
- Marketing & Promotional Materials
- Campaign Materials
- White Papers
- Case Studies
- Press Releases
- Event Invitations
- Newsletters
- Website Content & Downloads
- PDFs & other Downloadable Resources
- Infographics
- Presentations & Webinars
- Customer Service Documents
- Support Guides & Manuals
- Service Instructions
- Troubleshooting Guides
- Reports & Public Statements
- Annual Reports
- Sustainability Reports
- CSR Reports
- Financial Statements
- Market Research Reports
- Compliance & Regulatory Documents
- Environmental Reports
- Compliance Certificates
- Audit Reports
- Job Applications
- Job Application Forms
- Recruitment Materials
Conclusion
Don’t wait till it’s too late! Hit the ground running and start making your documents accessible, one file at a time. Ensure your documents meet WCAG 2.2 and PDF/UA standards, while staying compliant with Section 508, ADA, and EAA.
As experts in document remediation, we help your organization navigate the complexities of accessibility compliance and ensure your digital content is accessible to all. Start uploading your documents on our 247 Portal and take the first step toward full document accessibility. Let’s make it happen!
