Using Adobe tools to make accessible content
Designing accessible content requires authors, designers, and developers to pay attention to the user experience. Since many content producers are not familiar with the capabilities of screen readers and other assistive technologies, these best practices detail several desirable techniques for using Adobe tools to create accessible content.
Choose from these best practice categories:
Acrobat X
To assist authors who use Adobe Acrobat X Pro software to create PDF files that are accessible to people with disabilities, Adobe has created a series of accessibility guides for Acrobat X Pro.
PDF accessibility overview
This guide describes what is meant by accessibility when considering PDF as a file format. It distinguishes between the accessibility features of the file format and the accessibility features of the Acrobat X and Adobe Reader® applications and how the software and the PDF file interact to achieve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Adobe Acrobat X Pro Accessibility Guide: PDF Accessibility Overview (PDF, 71K )
Creating accessible PDF from Word
This guide describes how to use Acrobat’s PDFMaker with Microsoft Word to make accessible PDF files. Some of the techniques apply to the Microsoft Office productivity suite as well, such as the PowerPoint presentation graphics program.
Acrobat X Pro PDF accessibility repair workflow
This guide provides a step-by-step method for analyzing existing PDF files and making them accessible based upon that analysis.
Adobe Acrobat X Pro Accessibility Guide: PDF Accessibility Repair Workflow (PDF, 803K )
Using the Acrobat X Pro accessibility checker
This document describes the accessibility checkers for PDF files that are included in Acrobat 9 Pro. Even if you generate an accessible PDF file from an authoring application, you should still verify the result using an accessibility checker.
Adobe Acrobat X Pro Accessibility Guide: Using the Accessibility Checker (PDF, 153K )
Creating accessible PDF forms and Interactive Documents with Acrobat X Pro
This guide describes how to use Acrobat X Pro to add descriptions to form fields, set the tab order, and perform other accessibility tasks related to PDF forms. These techniques do not apply to PDF forms created with Adobe LiveCycle® Designer.
Adobe Acrobat X Pro Accessibility Guide: Accessible Forms and Interactive Documents (PDF, 220K )
Acrobat X Pro best practices for PDF accessibility
The complete content of the individual guides is also available as a single, comprehensive document.
Adobe Acrobat X Pro Accessibility Guide: Best Practices for PDF Accessibility (PDF, 1.3M )
Acrobat 9
To assist authors who use Adobe® Acrobat® 9 Pro to create PDF files that are accessible to people with disabilities, Adobe Systems has created a series of accessibility guides for Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro.
PDF Accessibility Overview
This guide covers accessibility issues to consider with PDF files.
Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Accessibility Guide: PDF Accessibility Overview (PDF, 71K )
Creating Accessible PDF Files from Microsoft Word
This guide describes how to use the Acrobat PDFMaker with Microsoft Word to make accessible PDF files.
Acrobat 9 Pro PDF Accessibility Repair Workflow
This guide provides a step-by-step method for analyzing existing PDF files and making them accessible based on that analysis.
Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Accessibility Guide: PDF Accessibility Repair Workflow (PDF, 803K )
Using the Accessibility Checker in Acrobat 9 Pro
This document describes the accessibility checkers for PDF files that are included in Acrobat 9 Pro.
Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Accessibility Guide: Using the Accessibility Checker (PDF, 153K )
Creating Accessible PDF Forms with Acrobat 9 Pro
This guide describes how to use Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro to add descriptions to form fields, set the tab order, and perform other accessibility tasks related to PDF forms. These techniques do not apply to PDF forms created with Adobe LiveCycle® Designer.
Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Accessibility Guide: Creating Accessible Forms (PDF, 220K )
Acrobat 9 Pro Complete Best Practices for Accessibility
The complete content of the individual Acrobat 9 Pro best practices guides are available as a single comprehensive document.
Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro Accessibility Guide: Best Practices for Accessibility (PDF, 1.3M )
Captivate
Create accessible demonstrations and simulations with Adobe Captivate® that are consistent with the way end users work with their computers.
Accessibility best practices for Adobe Captivate
ColdFusion
Adobe ColdFusion® 8 software makes it easier than ever to build rich, dynamic, and accessible web applications.
Building accessible web applications with ColdFusion 8
Adobe ColdFusion 8 enables developers to create powerful, accessible, high-quality forms using a familiar set of CFML tags.
Building accessible rich forms with ColdFusion 8
Flash
Adobe Flash® CS4 Professional software enables designers and developers to create powerful web applications that are exciting, engaging, and accessible to all.
Flash accessibility best practices overview
Use the Accessibility panel in Flash CS4 Professional to add text equivalents to elements in a movie.
Optimize accessibility when creating Flash animations.
Find out more about the accessible components available for Flash CS4 Professional.
Determine and control the reading order of a movie created with Flash CS4 Professional.
Create controls that can be manipulated by the keyboard as well as the mouse.
Use Flash to deliver audio and video content that includes a synchronized text equivalent in the form of captions.
Enable users to control when sound is played.
Provide accessible interaction with FLV.
Flex
Adobe Flex® simplifies the process of creating accessible rich Internet applications for the developer.
Flex accessibility best practices
To accelerate the development of accessible applications, Flex includes 28 components with built-in accessibility support.
Accessible Flex components
InDesign CS4
To assist authors using Adobe InDesign CS4 to create PDF files that are accessible to people with disabilities, Adobe Systems has created this guide to Creating Accessible PDF Documents with Adobe InDesign CS 4.
InDesign CS4 best practices for PDF accessibility
This document describes how use Adobe InDesign CS4 with Adobe Acrobat 9 to prepare documents that can be exported to accessible PDF files.
Creating Accessible PDF Documents with InDesign CS4 (PDF, 292K )
LiveCycle
Adobe LiveCycle® ES (Enterprise Suite) software is an integrated server solution that blends data capture, information assurance, document output, process management, and content services. providing everything needed to create accessible, rich customer engagement applications.
Accessibility Best Practices for LiveCycle Designer
Authors and developers use Adobe LiveCycle Designer ES to build intelligent templates that merge with enterprise data to deliver interactive forms or personalized documents in a wide variety of electronic or print formats. LiveCycle Designer ES enables you to build rich form content and comply with Section 508 guidelines. This guide contains an overview of the best practices for creating an accessible form,
LiveCycle Designer accessibility best practices (PDF, 751K )
