From educational institutions distributing learning materials, the government sharing important public information, insurance companies sharing and settling claims, retailers and e-commerce businesses disclosing important product and service information to financial institutions sharing bank statements—PDFs take the center of how we work and live. Nonetheless, these portable documents haven’t been accessible to everyone alike.
The generalized PDFs cannot be read or accessed using assistive technologies since these documents lack elements that are essential to make them accessible. Think of a world where any student, customer, or employee relying on assistive software for reading documents could access any PDF easily, getting the seamless user experience they deserve!
The (In)Accessibility Problem
According to WHO, 1.3 billion people, which represents 16% of the world’s population, experience significant disabilities. This could be 1 in 6 of us. While inaccessible content affects persons with visual impairments the most, those with hearing or mobile disabilities are also impacted. Take another case in point, as we grow older, our experience with banks, utilities, and stores will change. We might not be able to use them as easily as we can now.
As we pivot from a physical world to a digital-first world today, ensuring digital inclusivity and accessibility should be regarded as a top business priority. Thus, Section 508 accessibility compliance aims to bridge the digital divide using technology. It outlaws federal agencies from buying, developing, maintaining, or using Information and Electronic Technology that is inaccessible to the disabled population. Instead, federal websites have to provide accessible content.
Impact of Section 508 PDF Accessibility
Using accessible PDFs offers a range of benefits that make digital content more inclusive and usable for a diverse audience. Listed below are the top five benefits of using accessible PDFs:
Enhanced Accessibility
Accessible PDFs ensure that individuals with disabilities such as visual impairments or cognitive challenges, can access and comprehend the content. Screen readers, braille displays, and other assistive technologies work effectively with well-structured, accessible PDFs. Besides, creating accessible PDFs is often a pressing legal mandate, especially in sectors like government, education, and business to adhere to regulations like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Section 508.
Broader Audience Reach
People with disabilities are the size of China and the European Union combined. Family and friends of people with disabilities stay loyal to brands and companies supporting accessibility. Thus, by providing accessible PDFs, you accommodate a more extensive audience, including older individuals with changing visual acuity, non-native speakers, and those using older technology. Accessible PDFs are also more compatible with various mobile devices and apps, allowing people to access your content on the go. No business can miss the opportunity to tap into the market of 1.85 billion people with disabilities with $ 1.9 trillion annual disposable income.
Improved User Experience
Properly structured PDFs with headings, lists, and other semantic elements enhance the user experience by making it easier to navigate through the document. Accessible PDFs maintain a consistent and predictable layout, ensuring that all users can understand the content’s organization and flow. It lets you create better experiences for everyone, often known as the ‘curb-cut effect.’
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Structured and tagged documents boost SEO organically. Search engines can better index and rank accessible content, potentially driving more traffic to your website or document. Improved SEO also extends the lifespan of your content, making it relevant for a more extended period and potentially attracting a broader audience.
Reputation and Brand Image
Businesses often use PDFs to include sales and marketing content and for owner’s manuals, product descriptions, and forms. Failing to make the portable documents accessible can be very damaging to your brand. In contrast, publishing accessible content showcases your organization’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and social responsibility. It can positively impact your reputation and brand image. In sectors where accessibility is a crucial factor, such as education and government, having accessible PDFs can give you a competitive edge and open doors to broader partnerships and collaborations.
Challenges and Complexities in PDF Remediation
PDFs can be created using a wide range of software programs. This heterogeneity complicates the task of ensuring accessibility standards across documents. Thus, it’s important to build the source document with accessibility in mind. Additionally, many PDFs are generated through the scanning of paper documents, leading to suboptimal image quality and text that is difficult to read and understand.
Another key challenge in remediating PDFs for accessibility pertains to their frequent use for sharing complex content, including technical and legal documents. The process of making such content accessible can be daunting, especially when it involves mathematical equations, complex diagrams, and other specialized elements.
There are trillions of portable documents out of which only a few documents are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The rest appear distorted and unreadable, more like a complex code. There is a substantial volume of documents to be remediated. Some documents might have inconsistent quality when designed, posing a challenge for most organizations. Besides, not every company has sufficient staffing and budget to remediate at scale. So, a smart way is to go for professional PDF accessibility services.
Outsourcing PDF Remediation as a Strategic Move
Collaborating with PDF accessibility service providers is beneficial for organizations seeking to make their documents more inclusive. They can gain the following advantages:
Expertise and Accessibility Compliance
Outsourced service providers specialize in accessibility compliance and stay up-to-date with the latest standards including WCAG, Section 508, PDF/UA, W3C, and other international guidelines. Their expertise ensures that your PDFs meet the necessary standards. By relying on experts, you can significantly reduce the risk of non-compliance with accessibility laws and regulations, avoiding potential legal issues and penalties.
Time and Resource Savings
508 accessibility service providers have streamlined workflows and take care of the entire remediation process—from balancing out color contrasts to ensuring logical reading order and everything in between. Leveraging the right blend of experience and expertise, they deliver quicker results than in-house teams. Outsourcing frees up your internal resources, allowing your team to focus on core business activities rather than dedicating time and effort to accessibility tasks.
Quality Assurance
Professional accessibility services employ rigorous quality assurance processes to ensure that PDFs are thoroughly tested and meet accessibility standards. This results in consistently high-quality accessible documents. Outsourced providers often offer feedback and insights on how to improve document creation processes, aiding in long-term accessibility enhancement.
Scalability
Outsourcing companies can handle varying document volumes, from complex to simple. Whether you have a small number of PDFs or a large backlog, providers can scale their operations accordingly to meet your needs. The flexibility of outsourced services allows you to adapt to seasonal variations or sudden spikes in document accessibility requirements.
Cost Efficiency
Outsourcing eliminates the need to hire and maintain a dedicated in-house accessibility team, which can be expensive. You pay for services as needed. With a clear pricing structure, you can budget more effectively, knowing the costs associated with accessibility services upfront.
Bottom Line
Creating accessible PDFs isn’t just about compliance; it’s about making information available and understandable to the widest audience possible. The benefits extend beyond legal obligations and touch on improved user experiences, broader reach, and even positive effects on your organization’s reputation. And, outsourcing PDF accessibility tasks offers organizations a cost-effective and efficient solution for meeting accessibility requirements while benefiting from the expertise and quality assurance of dedicated accessibility professionals. It not only ensures compliance but also helps save time and resources, allowing your organization to focus on its core activities.
