[Practice documents available at the bottom of the page]
As you likely know, Yale uses Canvas as their course administration service. It is through this service that the Technology Division of SAS and Professors collaborate to provide accessible resources to their students.
The general flow of accessible course materials is as follows, starting with courses that have accommodation requests:
Professors upload course materials to Canvas.
GAAs download the files and add them to the appropriate OneDrive Folder, assigning them to an AA.
The AAs work through the files weekly as assigned by the GAA, or by using the syllabus to guide file priority.
The AAs upload the completed files to the correct OneDrive folder, and notify their GAA.
The GAA then returns the files to Canvas as Accessible Documents. (Canvas runs its own check, and documents may be reprocessed as needed).
Making PDFs accessible is the main functionality of the STARS team, and learning how to effectively use the tools in Adobe Acrobat to accomplish document accessibility will make you a vital member of the team. We typically encounter two types of PDFs in our work: scanned documents and digital uploads. In the video, we will explore both types of documents, and dive into what the PDF workflow might look like in different academic subjects. Keep in mind, the accessibility load of a course varies by professor and subject. Some classes require minimal adjustments, while others need a complete accessibility overhaul, and we must be flexible to these variable needs in order to provide excellent services for our peers!
General Workflow for PDFs
Open PDF in Adobe Acrobat
Navigate to Accessibility Tools
Open Accessibility Checker
Run Checker
Navigate Through the Issues, Adjust As Necessary
Save Document After Adjustments
Check Reading Order, Color Contrast
Upload to OneDrive Folder
Microsoft Word is less common in our work, but it appears occasionally (usually in assignments, syllabi, and review documents uploaded by professors). The accessibility tools in Microsoft Word are quite comprehensive, and we will explore these features in the video.
General Workflow for Word Documents
Open file in Word
Navigate to Review >> Accessibility
Open Accessibility Checker
Navigate Through the Issues & Suggestions, Adjust As Necessary
Save Document After Adjustments
Upload to OneDrive Folder
The accessibility tools in Microsoft PowerPoint are very similar to those in Word, with the exception of some of the image and text ordering tools. In our experience, professors tend to upload their slide presentations as PDFs, but remediating PowerPoints is something we need to be able to do when the occasion arises.
General Workflow for PowerPoints
Open file in PowerPoint
Navigate to Review >> Accessibility
Open Accessibility Checker
Navigate Through the Issues & Suggestions, Adjust As Necessary
Check that the Reading Order is appropriately configured
Save Document After Adjustments
Upload to OneDrive Folder
Now that you've gone through the Accessibility Training, it's time to tackle some documents of your own. Please download and try one of the PDF files, and then complete both the Word and the PowerPoint practice files.
You can of course work on all of the practice documents if you would like! Please send a message in the Slack Remediation Methods Channel, ask your GAA, or chat with the Accessibility Assistant Support Team if you have any questions.
Are you a Word Wizard? Try to make this document accessible to find out!
Got PowerPoint prowess? Get this slideshow into tip top shape to prove it!