PDF Accessibility Fundamentals
This session provides a conceptual overview of PDF accessibility requirements. Participants learn how Section 508, PDF/UA, and WCAG apply to PDF documents and why PDFs fail accessibility so often.
Location: Online via Zoom
Duration: 60 min
About the session
This session provides a conceptual overview of PDF accessibility requirements. Participants learn how Section 508, PDF/UA, and WCAG apply to PDF documents and why PDFs fail accessibility so often. The session explains what PDF tags are, how tags are created, and how assistive technologies rely on structure. Participants are introduced to the Accessibility Guy workflow at a high level and learn how to evaluate PDF risk, document types, and remediation feasibility. This session does not include hands-on tagging.
Your Instructor
Shawn Jordison – ‘The Accessibility Guy’
Shawn Jordison is a nationally recognized accessibility consultant with a Master’s degree in Assistive Technology and more than 15 years of experience helping government agencies, higher education institutions, and organizations build accessible digital content. Through hundreds of workshops and consulting engagements, he’s earned a reputation for making complex accessibility topics practical, approachable, and actionable. Shawn’s teaching emphasizes not only how to create accessible documents, but why accessibility matters—equipping participants with the confidence to create more inclusive digital experiences.
Topics Covered
- How Section 508, PDF/UA, and WCAG apply to PDFs
- Why PDFs fail accessibility so often
- What PDF tags are and how tags are created
- How assistive technologies rely on structure
- The Accessibility Guy workflow at a high level
- Evaluating PDF risk
- Understanding PDF document types
- Assessing remediation feasibility
Key Takeaways
- Understand how Section 508, PDF/UA, and WCAG apply to PDFs
- Understand what PDF tags are and why structure matters
- Recognize why PDFs commonly fail accessibility
- Understand the Accessibility Guy workflow at a high level
- Be able to evaluate PDF risk, document type, and remediation feasibility
Logistics
Location: Online via Zoom
Duration: 60 min
Start Time: 12:00 PM PT
Certification: Certificate of Completion issued to attendees who complete the full session
No. This is a conceptual fundamentals session with no hands-on tagging. For hands-on practice, see our PDF Accessibility Applied session.
No. It’s the entry point into the PDF track.
Yes, it establishes the tag and workflow foundation the other PDF courses build on.
Yes, attendees receive a topic-specific PDF accessibility cheat sheet.
The recording isn’t included, but it can be purchased separately for a fee.
Join from any computer with a reliable internet connection. We use Zoom to provide an engaging, interactive learning experience. A microphone is recommended for participating in discussions, and a webcam is optional but encouraged.
As accessibility specialists, we design our training to be inclusive from the start. Sessions include live captions, and if you have accessibility requirements, we’ll work with you before the course to help ensure a successful learning experience.
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