From PDF to Pedagogy: Designing Accessible Digital Content That Matter

Have you ever completed that lecture or finished creating that flyer and thought, “Should I just upload this as a PDF?" Perhaps the first question to ask is, "What is the purpose of this content for my audience and will this format allow them to reach it?" 

While PDFs are a staple of higher education for their ease and familiarity, they only function as effective communication and teaching tools when everyone can perceive and navigate them. Simply sharing a file isn’t enough. Without proper structure, a PDF becomes an invisible barrier, remaining unreadable for screen readers, impossible for keyboard navigation, and inaccessible to those with low vision or cognitive differences.

This hands-on workshop shifts the focus from simple file management to intentional design. We will start by asking the foundational or pedagogical question: "What is the delivery goal, and how does this format support it?" Once the purpose is clear, we will move to the next step: strategies of how to structure a PDF, such as through a heading hierarchy, reading order, and alt text, to ensure that your content is accessible to every reader.

Instead of treating accessibility as a checklist, we will explore the PDF as a format with unique instructional strengths and limitations, helping you decide when it serves your pedagogy or when an alternative is better. Participants will engage in a breakout activity to evaluate different learning outcomes and determine which formats best support them.

Session Objectives

By the end of this hands-on workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Reframe accessibility as an intentional design decision that improves the experience for every learner or audience member.

2. Evaluate if a PDF is the optimal choice for your specific purpose through a collaborative analysis of learning outcomes and accessibility barriers.

3. Identify structural elements that ensure a PDF is navigable for all, including users of assistive technology.

4. Apply design techniques such as heading structures, reading order, alt text, accessible tables, and color contrast with peers to evaluate formats and refine your own digital materials.

Using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as our framework, we will connect document design to principles of representation and perception, asking not just “Can a screen reader process this?” but “Can every audience member learn from this?” 

Who should attend?
No prior technical experience is needed. Faculty and staff who create or share PDFs and want to ensure they are inclusive, accessible, and effective are welcome.

Come prepared to work on your digital file. Bring a PDF you currently use for this dedicated session of active design and remediation. You will collaborate with peers to discuss your specific course objectives and evaluate whether a PDF or an alternative format best supports your intended learning outcomes. You will leave having reviewed your content through an instructional lens with a concrete update you can implement immediately.

Prepare in Advance

To make the most of your hands-on time, we recommend reviewing these accessible-first resources before the session:

• PDFs That Work: Remediation Tools and Techniques Video or presentation

• Rethinking PDFs - The Accessibility Shortcut You Need recording or presentation. Both are available from the Kirwan Center's Digital Accessibility Training & Professional Development site. 

This session will be facilitated by Ada Crutchfield, Instructional Design Specialist, and Dr. Josh Abrams, Manager, Instructional Technology. Open to all faculty and instructional staff.

RSVP

To RSVP for this workshop, click "Sign Up" in the myUMBC event and be sure to add it to your calendar! Registered participants will receive a calendar invitation from the event host at least one week before the event.

At least 5 registrations are needed for this session to proceed as scheduled. The session will be recorded if 5 or more people attend and the link will be distributed to everyone who registered.

JOINING THE SESSION

This workshop will take place in a Google Meet virtual conference room. Enter the workshop up to 15 minutes before the start time. Visit the myUMBC Event post and select the "Join Online Event" button to join the Google Meet session.

Prior to the Event

1. For the best viewing experience, we recommend using Chrome, Brave, or Firefox, preferably the most recent updates to those browsers. Closing any unnecessary browser tabs will help conserve your bandwidth. 
2. If this is your first time joining one of our webinars, please review the requirements to use Google Meet. Learn how to connect your audio & video,change/blur your background, and use reactions. You can also review the accessibility support including live captions.