Why This Habit Matters<\/h2>\r\n\r\n- PDFs need to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards<\/a>: When PDFs are scanned or untagged, they can create barriers for students using assistive technology and other means to read them. They may not be able to access that content.<\/span><\/li>\r\n
- Model Academic Integrity<\/a>: Stay informed on fair use criteria. Posting a PDF of an article for educational purposes inside a Blackboard course does not always mean it is protected by fair use.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
How to Check Your PDF<\/h2>\r\n
1. Check for copyright.<\/strong><\/p>\r\nAsk: Do I have permission to include this PDF in my course? If you’re not sure, try our flowchart below or Ask a Librarian<\/a>. Learn more about how to protect yourself at OER and Fair Use: Incorporating Affordable Course Materials<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n
![\"copyright](\"http:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/design-center\/files\/2025\/09\/Revised-Should-I-post-an-article-to-Blackboard-1.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n
2. Check if the PDF can be replaced with another format.<\/strong><\/p>\r\nAsk: Do I need to use a PDF? If the source is an article, linking directly to the source (such as a Marshall Library’s permalink or an open education resource) is preferable for both copyright and accessibility purposes. If the source is your own document, Word documents<\/a> can sometimes meet accessibility standards more easily than PDFs because they are editable.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n3. Check if the PDF is accessible<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\nAsk: Is the PDF tagged? Is it scanned? The Ally accessibility tool in Blackboard can check PDFs for accessibility, give suggestions for how to improve accessibility, and offer alternative formats for learners to engage with the PDF. Unless a scanned PDF is remediated for accessibility, screen readers will recognize it as an image or series of images rather than text.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n![\"example](\"http:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/design-center\/files\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-130022-300x216.png\")
Example of a scanned PDF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\u00a0<\/h2>\r\nTools for Creating and Remediating Accessible PDFs<\/h2>\r\n
Note: If a PDF is difficult to remediate or results in only marginal accessibility improvements, replacing it with an accessible Blackboard page, Word document, or web-based resource is often the better option.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\nBlackboard\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n\r\n- Convert a PDF to a Bb Document<\/a>: For PDFs you own, you can convert them into editable Blackboard documents and then use Ally guidance to improve accessibility (alt text, header, and table format).
![\"Convert](\"http:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/design-center\/files\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-09-24-104028.png\")
<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAdobe\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n\r\n- Adobe Auto-tagging<\/a>: Use Adobe’s auto-tagging feature to streamline the process of creating an accessible PDF.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n
- Adobe OCR<\/a>: Learn how to turn a scanned PDF (image) into readable text.<\/li>\r\n
- Adobe Accessible Documents:<\/a> Check PDFs for accessibility or create accessible PDFs with Adobe Acrobat.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n
Best Practices<\/h2>\r\n\r\n- In courses, use Ally’s accessibility report<\/a> to identify and fix PDFs.<\/li>\r\n
- In documents, use Word’s accessibility checker<\/a>. Consider using a Word document instead of a PDF when possible.<\/li>\r\n
- Avoid PDFs when you can use a link to the original source instead.<\/li>\r\n
- Replace scanned PDFs with digital copies when possible.<\/li>\r\n
- If you’re unsure about copyright permissions, Ask a Librarian<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Additional Resources<\/h2>\r\n\r\n- Ally Help for Instructors<\/a>: This page links to multiple Ally resources, including a Quick Start Guide, FAQs, and video demos.<\/li>\r\n
- Adobe Accessibility<\/a>: Learn about Adobe’s approach to accessibility and check out their video tutorials.<\/li>\r\n
- Marshall Online: Digital Accessibility and UDL<\/a>: This page contains accessibility information, resources, and services at Marshall University. You can also explore other habits that support digital accessibility and UDL in our Designing for All, Habit by Habit Series. Since accessibility laws are dynamic and nuanced, these recommendations (updated Aug. 2025) may not reflect the latest updates and should not replace legal advice. For legal questions about accessibility at Marshall University, reach out to the\u00a0Office of Accessibility and Accommodations.<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
<\/p>\r\n
How to Check Your PDF<\/h2>\r\n
1. Check for copyright.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Ask: Do I have permission to include this PDF in my course? If you’re not sure, try our flowchart below or Ask a Librarian<\/a>. Learn more about how to protect yourself at OER and Fair Use: Incorporating Affordable Course Materials<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n 2. Check if the PDF can be replaced with another format.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Ask: Do I need to use a PDF? If the source is an article, linking directly to the source (such as a Marshall Library’s permalink or an open education resource) is preferable for both copyright and accessibility purposes. If the source is your own document, Word documents<\/a> can sometimes meet accessibility standards more easily than PDFs because they are editable.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n 3. Check if the PDF is accessible<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n Ask: Is the PDF tagged? Is it scanned? The Ally accessibility tool in Blackboard can check PDFs for accessibility, give suggestions for how to improve accessibility, and offer alternative formats for learners to engage with the PDF. Unless a scanned PDF is remediated for accessibility, screen readers will recognize it as an image or series of images rather than text.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n Note: If a PDF is difficult to remediate or results in only marginal accessibility improvements, replacing it with an accessible Blackboard page, Word document, or web-based resource is often the better option.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n<\/a><\/p>\r\n\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n
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Tools for Creating and Remediating Accessible PDFs<\/h2>\r\n
Blackboard\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n
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<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAdobe\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n
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Best Practices<\/h2>\r\n
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Additional Resources<\/h2>\r\n
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