Service Overview
Our Document Accessibility Services Include:
- Support for All Document Types: We remediate artifacts, including PDFs, Word documents, Excel sheets, PowerPoint presentations, and other formats to meet accessibility standards.
- Advanced Accessibility Testing: Testing is carried out using automated tools and manual reviews to identify issues, remediate, and verify compliance.
- Complete Tagging: Essential tags such as headings, paragraphs, links, tables, and figures are added to ensure proper navigation and readability.
- Optimized Reading Structure: Your document’s content is properly structured for logical reading flow, enabling effective use of assistive technologies.
- Enhanced Alt Text for All Visual Elements: We identify the document’s original language and any modifications including the natural language of the changes for reading text-to-speech tools.
- Support for Multiple Languages: We ensure accurate remediation for documents in various languages to work seamlessly with text-to-speech tools.
- Interactive Component Remediation: Interactive elements like forms, links, and references are remediated for smooth keyboard navigation.
We Are Here To Assist You
Document Compliance
Why PDFs fail Section 508 and ADA compliance
A PDF meets Section 508 and ADA accessibility requirements when its structure, text, and images can be read by assistive technology. That means proper tags for headings and reading order, alternative text on images, correctly structured tables, complete document metadata, and bookmarks for longer files. Most PDFs fail on at least one of these, often without anyone realizing it.
The issues we find most often when auditing documents
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Missing or incomplete metadata
Every PDF needs a correct title, author, subject, and language. Without them, a screen reader cannot announce what the document is or read it in the right language.
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Untagged or improperly tagged content
Tags let assistive technology understand a document's structure. An untagged PDF is effectively unreadable to a screen reader, and a tagged PDF still isn't compliant if the tags are wrong.
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Incorrect tag structure or reading order
If headings, lists, and paragraphs are tagged out of sequence, the document is read in a nonsensical order even though it looks perfectly fine on screen.
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Missing alternative text on images
Without alt text, a screen reader announces that an image exists but cannot convey what it shows or why it matters. This is one of the most common PDF failures.
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Improperly structured tables
Data tables without proper header associations become an unnavigable grid of numbers for anyone relying on a screen reader to make sense of them.
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No bookmarks in long documents
For documents longer than about nine pages, bookmarks are needed for navigation, and they should match the document's heading structure.
Why It Takes People
Why a checker alone won't make your PDF compliant
Accessibility checkers like Adobe's built-in tool or PAC are useful for flagging obvious problems, and we run them as a first pass. But a checker can't confirm a document is actually compliant. It can tell you an image is missing alt text. It cannot tell you whether the alt text you added accurately describes the image, whether a table's reading order makes sense, or whether a form is genuinely navigable by keyboard.
Whether alt text is present, whether tags exist, whether contrast values meet the threshold. Useful, fast, and the right place to start.
Whether that alt text conveys the right meaning, whether the reading order is logical, whether a form actually works with a keyboard and screen reader.
Automated remediation tools share the same limit. They can generate alt text and apply tags at scale, but they can't evaluate whether the result conveys the right meaning, which is exactly what determines whether a document passes a real accessibility review.
An accessible Word file does not stay accessible as a PDF
Tags, reading order, and alt text are frequently lost or altered when a document is exported to PDF, and different tools (Acrobat, Foxit, PowerPDF) handle the conversion inconsistently. A file that passed every check in Word can arrive as a PDF with broken accessibility, which is why the final PDF always has to be tested on its own.
This is why every document TestPros remediates is validated by a certified specialist using real assistive technology, including NVDA, JAWS, and VoiceOver, not just an automated pass.
Inclusive Solutions For Every Need
Ensuring your documents are fully accessible to all audiences
PDF Documents
Word Documents (DOC/DOCX)
Excel Spreadsheets (XLS/XLSX)
PowerPoint Presentations (PPT/PPTX)
ePub and eBooks
HTML/Web Pages
Interactive Forms (Fillable PDFs)
Scanned Documents (OCR Accessibility)
Multimedia Transcriptions (Video/Audio)
Certified &
Independent
Our Process
1
Document Analysis and Accessibility Audit
Our team begins by performing a thorough audit of your artifacts and documents to identify accessibility issues, such as missing tags, improper reading order, and inaccessible visual elements.
2
Tagging and Structuring
We apply proper tagging to all document elements, including headings, lists, tables, and paragraphs. Reading order is adjusted to ensure logical flow and compatibility with screen readers.
3
Alternative Text and Metadata Integration
Alt text is added to all images, figures, and charts to describe visual content. Metadata, such as titles and document properties, is optimized to align with accessibility standards.
4
Interactive Elements Remediation
We test and remediate interactive features like forms, hyperlinks, and buttons to ensure they are fully navigable using only a keyboard or assistive technologies.
5
Validation Using Assistive Technology
Remediated documents are tested with screen readers (e.g., JAWS, NVDA) and other assistive tools to verify accessibility and compliance with Section 508, WCAG, and PDF/UA standards.
6
Delivery and Accessibility Compliance Report
Once remediation is complete, we deliver the accessible documents along with a detailed compliance report highlighting the changes made and the standards achieved.
Key Compliance Statistics
Over 90% of PDFs are at least partially inaccessible to individuals with disabilities.
The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world population, experience significant disability.
As of 2023, less than 25% of organizations are addressing cognitive disabilities in their documents.
What's Next?
Have questions?
Let us know what you need help with so we can better understand your requirements.
Introductory call
Reserve a call with our team and speak to a specialist. Receive a complimentary scope of work.
Why Choose TestPros for Document Accessibility
Certified Accessibility Experts
Our team includes IAAP-certified Web Accessibility Specialists and DHS Section 508 Trusted Testers, ensuring that every document we remediate meets the highest standards of accuracy and compliance.
Flexible Pricing
Unlike other providers, TestPros does not require monthly subscriptions. We price our services based on your specific document remediation needs, ensuring cost-effective solutions without unnecessary commitments.
Government Compliance
We specialize in supporting federal, state, and local government agencies to meet Section 508 and ADA Title II requirements. We help ensure public-facing documents like forms, policies, and reports are fully accessible.
Business Compliance
For private businesses and organizations operating online, we ensure compliance with ADA Title III, helping entities such as e-commerce platforms, financial institutions, healthcare providers, and SaaS companies, meet requirements.
Proven Testing and Validation
Using tools like JAWS, NVDA, and other assistive technologies, we thoroughly test all remediated documents to verify compliance and usability, providing a complete accessibility report upon project delivery.
Streamlined and Efficient Process
We use a proven workflow that combines automated tools, manual expertise, and rigorous testing to deliver fast, accurate, and fully compliant accessibility solutions, helping you meet compliance deadlines efficiently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is document accessibility?
Document accessibility refers to the practice of designing and formatting documents so that they can be perceived, understood, and navigated by all users, including those with visual, cognitive, and motor impairments.
What is PDF remediation?
PDF remediation is the process of modifying a Portable Document Format (PDF) to ensure it is fully accessible to individuals with disabilities, including those who use screen readers, Braille displays, or other assistive technologies. This process makes PDFs compliant with accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Section 508, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What type of documents can TestPros make accessible?
We remediate PDFs, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, ePub and eBooks, HTML and web pages, interactive forms, scanned documents, and other commonly used document formats.
How long does PDF remediation take?
The time required for PDF remediation depends on several factors, including the document’s length, complexity, and formatting quality. Simple text-based PDFs with proper structure can be remediated in a few hours to a day, while complex documents containing tables, forms, images, and multi-column layouts may take several days to a few weeks.
Estimated turnaround times:- Basic PDFs (few pages, minimal formatting): 1-2 days
- Moderate complexity (tables, images, links, 20+ pages): 3-7 days
- Highly complex PDFs (interactive forms, scanned documents, large reports): 1-3 weeks
How do you make documents accessible?
To make a document accessible, key elements include:
- Proper use of headings and structure for easy navigation.
- Alt text for images to provide context for non-visual users.
- Readable fonts and sufficient color contrast to accommodate users with low vision or color blindness.
- Descriptive hyperlinks instead of vague “click here” text.
- Tagged PDFs and accessible formats (such as HTML and EPUB) to support screen readers.
Is there an accessibility checker for PDFs?
Yes, tools like Adobe Acrobat’s Accessibility Checker and PAC 2024 can help identify and validate accessibility issues in PDF documents.
What Challenges
Are You Facing?