We are all feeling some pressure to ensure compliance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, ADA Title II and ISU’s Digital Accessibility Policy by the April 2026 deadline. Siteimprove reports are regularly received, and for some teams, the daunting list of PDFs the report contains, which need accessibility remediation, is overwhelming. A question our team is repeatedly receiving is, “What are the options for all these PDFs, and which is the best option?”
Answering these questions requires subject matter expertise. While we can’t answer which option is best for presenting the information, we can provide information about potential options.
To keep or not to keep…That is the question
The initial question you may want to answer is: does this list of PDFs contain any duplicates or old versions of files? If so, you can work with our team to ensure users are only viewing the correct version and that duplicates and outdated versions are removed. For sites with a large number of files, this might be the easiest way to reduce overall workload.
Pro tip: You can replace files and use the same file in multiple places to avoid creating duplicate files on your website.
The next question you may want to consider is: Should this information continue to be disseminated as a PDF, or is there a better option?
- Web pages
- Word documents
- PowerPoints
- Other file types
These options can be easier to maintain and keep accessible. However, there are instances when a PDF is the best option. So, again, the decision of how to share information requires your team’s subject-matter expertise.
If your PDF needs to have its formatting preserved, such as a manual or handbook that is intended for printing and reading, then keeping the information as a PDF may be appropriate. If it’s documents, such as official forms, legal documents, or documents with required signatures or seals, then keeping them as a PDF is likely the most appropriate option. Knowing this, you can remediate those PDFs to ensure compliance.
Knowledge-Based Article: Creating Accessible PDFS in Adobe Acrobat Pro
Transition PDFs to other formats
Web pages hosted on ISU Sites+ websites come with built-in accessibility, but the tools must be used appropriately to ensure accessibility is maintained. The same is true for other formats; any built-in tools must be used appropriately to maintain accessibility for Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, Excel spreadsheets, and more. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for what PDFs should be transitioned to.
Web pages
Whenever possible, we recommend converting content into a basic web page. The benefits of converting a PDF into a web page include:
- A better overall user experience
- Easier to update
- Content that is more easily searched
- Content that is more responsive to different screen sizes
Have you ever looked at a PDF on your phone? It’s not typically a smooth experience. Now imagine trying to view that PDF on your phone while requiring a larger font or requiring any sort of assistive technology to access the information within the PDF. These tasks are hard for any user.
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
Finding content made with Microsoft products is common at most universities. Products including Word and PowerPoint have many built-in features that allow for accessible documents to be created from the start, instead of having to remediate everything later in Adobe. Commonly used built-in accessibility tools in Microsoft include:
- Headings
- Alternative text for images
- The ability to create meaningful links
- Ordered and unordered lists that are readable by assistive technology
- Tables with headings, alternative text, and sufficient color contrast
- Document titling and language identification
The list is not an exhaustive list of accessibility tools. There are more, and Microsoft has an Accessibility checker built in to walk you through any additional issues.
When might PowerPoint be a suitable alternative to a PDF?
Content, such as organizational charts, has been developed by administrative teams that, once created and reviewed for accessibility, can be successfully exported as a PDF. Keeping the original PowerPoint file makes it easy to update in the future. The file can then be run through Microsoft and Adobe’s accessibility checkers before replacing the file on your website.
The limiting factor of Microsoft products
While anyone can open a PDF, only those with a Microsoft license can open Word and PDF documents. This likely does not affect internal audiences, since Iowa State has a Microsoft license, but it could affect external audiences, including prospective students and stakeholders.
So, which format should you choose?
As with everything, there are pros and cons to each method of presenting and distributing information. One website’s web page can’t be added to another website in the same way that a PDF can be attached to multiple websites, but you can link web pages between websites. Word documents can be altered after they are downloaded. PowerPoints can be challenging to set up initially when creating complex content.
Ultimately, the choice is up to your team. The important thing is that whichever method of distribution you decide on, the accessibility tools are used appropriately to save you from remediation once Siteimprove scans the pages or documents.
Resources
Check out the ISU Digital Accessibility Toolkit for Resources by Content Type, to see their guidance on creating accessible documents.
Turning PDFs into web pages? Check out our Pages tutorial and Editor Toolbar tutorial for a refresher on the tools available to you during page development.
Questions?
Questions specific to the content on your website regarding digital accessibility compliance should be directed to the ISU ITS Digital Accessibility Team at digitalaccess@iastate.edu.
Questions regarding auditing your files for outdated or duplicated content, reach out to the ITS CALS/LAS Web Team at websupport@iastate.edu.