Start here: the words that matter
Screen reader: software that reads the screen aloud for blind / low-vision users. NVDA is the free Windows one; Mac has VoiceOver. If it can't make sense of your file, the file isn't accessible.
Tag: an invisible label that tells a screen reader what each thing is: a heading, a list, a table, an image. A PDF with no tags is just a picture of text. Getting tags right is most of the job.
Real vs. fake heading: a real heading uses an actual Heading style; a fake one is just big bold text. Screen readers only see real ones. Bold ≠ heading.
Alt text: a short written description of an image so a screen reader can say what it shows. Decorative images get empty alt text so they're skipped.
Contrast ratio: how different two colors are in brightness (like 4.5:1; higher = easier to read). A tool gives you the number; you never do the math.
The manual pass: the part no checker can do: Tab through with the keyboard, then listen with a screen reader. A clean automated scan is necessary but not enough.
⭐ Checking color contrast
Acrobat's checker does NOT test contrast; it says “needs manual check.” A clean report ≠ contrast passed.
| You have… | Use |
|---|---|
| The colors / hex | WebAIM Contrast Checker: paste two colors, get Pass/Fail |
| Only the PDF | Colour Contrast Analyser (CCA) eyedropper; click the text, then the background; zoom ~200%, sample a thick letter |
AA: normal text 4.5:1 · large (18pt / 14pt bold) 3:1 · buttons & icons 3:1.
UCLA colors: Gold #FFD100 on white ≈1.5:1 never for text · Blue #2774AE ≈5:1 passes · body text Gray-80 #333, not pure black.
Word / PowerPoint → accessible PDF
The easiest accessible PDF is one you built right in the source, so the tags carry over.
- Use real heading styles, alt text, link text that says where it goes, real tables with a header row.
- Run the built-in checker: Review → Check Accessibility.
- Export: Save As → PDF → Options → “Document structure tags for accessibility.”
- Never “Print to PDF”: it throws away the tags.
⭐ Complex tables: the one that bites us
Merged cells are 90% of the pain in our reports. A screen reader reads a number together with the headers that own it; merge a header across two columns and it can't tell which one owns which number. The table still looks right; that's why it slips through.
| Instead of… | Do this |
|---|---|
| Two header rows, “Q1” merged across two columns | Flatten to one header row: “Q1 referrals,” “Q1 completed” |
| One clever table with merges everywhere | Split it: several simple tables, one per quarter, each with its own caption |
| A table that runs over a page break | Table Properties → Row → “Repeat as header row” |
| A picture of a table | Never. Can't be read, searched, zoomed, or copied; this is the unfixable version |
| Fighting a table that won't behave | Ship the accessible Excel alongside the PDF · or call DCP |
Run Word's checker before you export (Review → Check Accessibility); it catches merged cells and a missing header row. It can't tell you the table reads correctly; that part is a person.
See it: the Complex tables page on the site.
The 60-second manual test
Keyboard only; put the mouse down:
- Tab reaches every link, button, and field
- You can always see which item is selected (focus outline)
- Tab order matches the visual order; Esc closes menus
Zoom 200% (Ctrl/Cmd +): text reflows, no side-scroll, nothing cut off.
Screen reader (NVDA / VoiceOver): everything read in page order; what you hear matches what you see; headings and buttons announced as such.
NVDA keys: read Caps+↓ · stop Ctrl · headings list Caps+F7 · next heading H
“Is it a real heading?”; 5-sec test
- Word / PowerPoint: click the text; Styles shows Heading 1/2/3, not Normal.
- PDF (Acrobat): the Tags panel shows it labeled a heading, not plain text.
Fix in this order
- Interactive forms people have to submit
- High-traffic pages + shared header / menu / footer templates (fix once, fixes many)
- Documents people are required to use
- The rest; truly archived / unused: consider removing it
Other content types, briefly
- Documents: inventory and prioritize high-use files; build new ones accessibly at the source.
- Video / audio: captions + transcripts; public/required first; caption before you publish.
- Web pages: scan with Siteimprove; fix shared templates first (fix once, fixes many).
- Forms: use approved accessible patterns; test the whole completion flow.
Tools: and what each is
All recommended by UCLA; nothing here is unapproved software.
| Tool | What it is · cost |
|---|---|
| Siteimprove | Site-wide web scanner · free to UCLA. Trust it for pages, not PDFs. |
| WAVE | Browser add-on, flags issues on a page · free |
| axe DevTools | Deeper page testing, for developers · free |
| CCA | Eyedropper contrast on anything on screen · free |
| WebAIM Checker | Paste two colors → Pass/Fail · free |
| Acrobat Pro | Tag PDFs, reading order, OCR · free to UCLA staff |
| NVDA | Windows screen reader (Mac: VoiceOver) · free |
| Ally | In Bruin Learn; scores course files · free |
Where to get them &: get help (UCLA)
Get the tools
Adobe Acrobat Pro (free, staff) ucla.onthehub.com
Siteimprove: enroll; public sites only, no private data dcp.ucla.edu/siteimprove
WAVE wave.webaim.org/extension · axe deque.com/axe/devtools
CCA vispero.com/lp/color-contrast-checker
WebAIM Checker webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker
NVDA nvaccess.org/download
Learn / checklists
DTS Choosing Tools (master list) dts.ucla.edu/digital-accessibility/choosing-tools
DCP Starter Guide (10-step web checklist) dcp.ucla.edu/accessibility-starter-guide
DCP document resources (Word/PPT/PDF/Google) dcp.ucla.edu/helpful-document-accessibility-resources
UCLA-brand web templates (built accessible) brand.ucla.edu/application/web/cms-resources
NVDA User Guide (every key) nvaccess.org → Documentation, or NVDA+N → Help
Get help / go big
Free DCP trainings & consultations: the fastest way to get unstuck
Huge PDF backlog? DCP's vendor Crawford Technologies via BruinBuy+ (code 336510) dcp.ucla.edu/vendor-document-remediation
ADA/504 Compliance Office adaoffice@ucla.edu
The 3 answers people ask for
Contrast in a PDF? → CCA eyedropper (Acrobat doesn't check it).
Word / PPT → PDF? → Save As, tick “Document structure tags,” never Print to PDF.
What reads first on a slide? → the bottom item in the Selection Pane.