Repair - Step 3

After reviewing your document and finding out what accessibility issues are in your PDF document, you are ready for the next stage - to repair these problems with tools provided by Adobe.  Use the accessibility reports generated by Acrobat to begin this process.

"Tools of the Trade"

Before you begin the process of fixing accessibility problems in your PDF, it is helpful to locate a few tools that will enable you to repair your document.

The Tags, Order, and Content Panels

For easy access, the Tags, Order, and Content panels can be docked in the Navigation Panel.

  • Tags panel allows you to view and edit structured PDF information.
  • Order panel allows you to view, re-order, and re-tag structured PDF information.
  • Content panel allows you to view and edit page content information.

To access these tools from the Acrobat menu bar, go to View > Navigation Panels > Tags.  Dock the three panels in the Navigation Panel area on the left by dragging them one at a time over to the left panel (or use the Dock all Panels option from the Navigation Panels menu).  If you already have some of these tools docked on the Navigation Panel, you can simply add the remaining tools by going to View > Navigation Panels and select the name of the tool that you want to add to the panel.  This will add it automatically to the Navigation Panel.

Screenshot of Tags panel in Acrobat. Drag panel over to the Navigation Panel on the left.

Video Tutorial - Tools of the Trade (2:57)

The TouchUp Reading Order Tool

The TouchUp Reading Order tool is located on the Advanced Editing toolbar.  To access the Advanced Editing toolbar, click on Tools > Advanced Editing > Show Advanced Editing Toolbar.

Screenshot of Advanced Editing toolbar in Acrobat. TouchUp Reading Order tool highlighted.
If the TouchUp Reading Order tool is NOT visible on the Advanced Editing toolbar, make it visible by right-clicking (or ctrl-click for Mac users) on the Advanced Editing toolbar, and select TouchUp Reading Order Tool from the menu (see screenshot at right).  You can also access the TouchUp Reading Order Tool from the Advanced menu in Acrobat (Advanced > Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order...).



 

Video Tutorial - The TouchUp Reading Order Tool (1:51)

Using the TouchUp Reading Order Tool Along with the Order Panel

Once you click on the TouchUp Reading Order tool, Acrobat highlights the contents of your PDF file using the underlying structure indicated by the structure tags.  If you open up the Order panel from the Navigation Panel, the two tools can be used together to more effectively edit your document for accessibility (see screenshot below).  Clicking on an item in the Order panel will highlight the contents in the document in light blue.

The Order panel. The TouchUp Reading Order window - content is highlighted in the PDF. Screenshot of these tools displayed in Acrobat.

Video Tutorial - Using the TouchUp Reading Order Tool with the Order Panel (2:37)

Credits

  • This training has been funded in part by the EnACT (Ensuring Access through Collaboration and Technology) grant. 
  • Written and developed by Sacramento State Online Learning professionals, Monica Range and Cryssel Vera and technical crew, Ivan Vajar, Ken Young, and Jennifer Wicks with guidance from the CSU Professional Development Work Group.

Support

If you have difficulty accessing any material on this site or need an alternate format, or you just have questions and want to give feedback, contact the Accessible Technology Initiative.

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