Creating ADA-compliant PDFs is easy—the secret is building accessibility into your source document (like Microsoft Word or Google Docs) before you save it as a PDF. When your Word document is accessible, those features automatically “bake” into your final PDF.

Follow these simple rules to ensure your documents are accessible to all students and staff, including those using screen readers.

The 5 Golden Rules of Document Accessibility

1.  Use Real Headings

Screen reader users navigate documents by jumping from heading to heading.

• The Right Way: Use the built-in Styles menu in Word or Google Docs to assign Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3.
• The Wrong Way: Manually making text bigger, bold, or a different color to look like a title. Screen readers do not recognize manual formatting as a heading.
• The Rule: Keep headings in a logical, descending order (H1 >H2>H3). Never skip a level.

2.  Add Alternative Text (Alt Text) to Images

People with visual impairments cannot see images, so screen readers read aloud a description of the graphic.

• Action: Right-click every image, chart, or logo and select View Alt Text (or Alt Text).
• Write: A brief, 1–2 sentence description explaining what the image is communicating (e.g., “LBCC students studying in the library”).
• Decorative Images: If an image is just a background shape, line, or decoration that adds no information, check the box that says “Mark as decorative” so the screen reader skips it.

3.  Write Descriptive Links

Screen reader users often pull up a list of all links on a page to navigate quickly.

• Good Examples: “Download the Fall 2026 Schedule” or “Visit the LBCC Financial Aid Page”.
• Bad Examples: “Click Here”, “Read More”, or pasting the full web link: https://www.lbcc.edu/admissions/apply-now

4.  Keep Tables Simple

Tables should only be used to present organized data, never to create visual page layouts or columns.

• Action: Keep your tables as a simple grid. Do not merge or split cells.
• Crucial Step: Always designate the very top row as the Header Row in your table settings so screen readers know how to read the data columns.

5. Check Font & Color Contrast

• Font: Use highly readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Verdana at a minimum size of 11pt or 12pt for body text.
• Contrast: Ensure text is easy to read against the background (like dark blue text on a white background). Avoid light gray text or colored text on dark backgrounds.
• Meaning: Do not use color alone to convey a message (e.g., instead of just making text red to show it’s overdue, add the word “URGENT:” or “OVERDUE:”).

How to Correctly Save as a PDF

How you save your file determines if your hard work stays accessible. Never choose “Print to PDF,” as this strips away all the hidden accessibility tags.

If using Microsoft Word (Windows):

• Go to File > Save As.
• Choose PDF from the “Save as type” dropdown menu.
• Click the Options… button right below the file type.
• Ensure the checkbox for “Document structure tags for accessibility” is checked.
• Click OK and save.

If using Microsoft Word (Mac):

• Go to File > Save As.
• Change the File Format dropdown to PDF.
• Select the radio button that says: “Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service)”.
• Click Export.

If using Google Docs:

• Go to File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf).

Tip: Because Google Docs’ native PDF exporter can sometimes lose table layouts, consider installing the free Grackle Docs add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace to review your document before exporting.

Pro-Tip before you save

Both Microsoft Word and Google Docs have built-in accessibility checkers! Before you export, go to the Review tab in Word and click Check Accessibility to catch any missed errors.