Accessible Adobe InDesign Layouts to Produce Accessible PDFs (2021)

Presented at 10:30am in Gov Square 14 (Lab) on Monday, November 15, 2021.

#34063

Speaker(s)

  • Bevi Chagnon

Session Details

  • Length of Session: 5-6-hr
  • Format: Lab
  • Expertise Level: Intermediate
  • Type of session: Pre-conference

Summary

Day-long pre-conference hands-on workshop teaches how to construct Adobe InDesign files that export "graciously" to accessible PDFs with minimal remediation afterwards. We expect new InDesign features in the fall, so this workshop will incorporate them into a doable workflow for graphic design and publishing. Lots of tricks, tips, and strategies.

Abstract

From start to finish, this hands-on workshop covers each step of the publishing workflow for any type of Adobe InDesign project — books, long documents, academic research, classroom materials, campus/administrative items, public-facing materials. Focus: creating InDesign layouts that convert to accessible PDFs with minimal remediation in Acrobat…that is, PDFs that are nearly 100% accessible right from InDesign with the right tags, correct reading orders, and Alt-text. Added discussions: Accessible InDesign templates for recurring publications; Do's and dont's that minimize the gotchas; Using OpenType/Unicode fonts to meet Sec. 508. Workshop demonstrates the use of the latest versions of Adobe InDesign and Acrobat Pro because they have the latest tools for accessible publications as well as make the most accurate, accessible PDFs and EPUBs. Before the workshop, make sure your laptop is updated with the latest Creative Cloud releases if you'll be using your own laptop at the conference.

Keypoints

  1. Includes checking and testing PDFs for compliance.
  2. Covers how to make InDesign layouts that comply with WCAG and PDF/UA, and work with non-compliant AT.
  3. Includes step-by-step instructions and handouts.

Disability Areas

All Areas

Topic Areas

Accessible Educational Materials, Other, Uncategorized

Speaker Bio(s)

Bevi Chagnon

Bevi Chagnon is half geek, half designer, and 100% teacher. She has several decades of experience in publishing and academia, as well as being an InDesign ACE (Adobe Certified Expert) and accessibility specialist. Her firm, PubCom.com, works with government, commercial, and STEM publishers to improve their overall publishing workflow for cross-media publishing and to build accessible features into all their publications and media. She is the senior trainer for her firm which teaches publishing technologies and accessibility, and is the author of the firm’s acclaimed series of step-by-step books for creating accessible publications and digital media. During her career, Chagnon has been an award-winning commercial magazine art director; adjunct faculty member at several colleges for graphic design, digital media, and computer technologies; managing editor; director of publications and outreach; and software beta tester/advisor to many technology companies.