The Three-Step Framework for Accessible Documents: Reduce, Remake, Remediate
If you can click it, you can fix it.
When it comes to improving digital accessibility, documents and PDFs are often the biggest barrier -- and the biggest opportunity. Whether you're uploading files to Blackboard, sharing materials with students, or distributing resources across campus, the accessibility of your documents directly affects usability, searchability, and equity.
That's where the Reduce → Remake → Remediate framework comes in. Think of it as a decision tree that helps you choose the right action for each file. Before you jump into fixing a stubborn PDF, start with the step that saves the most time and delivers the greatest impact.
Image 1: This infographic shows an inverted triangle divided into three levels to guide accessibility document fixes. The graphic visually emphasizes prioritizing reduction (top) and rebuilding (middle) over remediation (bottom) when addressing digital accessibility issues.
Here's how to use this approach in your everyday work.
1. Reduce: Remove What No Longer Serves Your Students
Before investing time in editing or remaking an inaccessible file, ask the simplest question: Do I still need this document?
- Has the content been replaced elsewhere in your course?
- Is it redundant with materials already in Blackboard?
- Is it outdated, duplicated, or no longer aligned to your learning goals?
If the answer is "no, I don't need it," the most accessible document is the one that no longer exists. Reducing cuts clutter, improves course navigation, and lowers your remediation workload immediately.
2. Remake: Start Fresh When You Have the Original Source
If the content is still important, your next question should be: Do I have the source file? If you do -- great! Remaking the document is usually the fastest and cleanest path to accessibility.
- Replace scanned PDFs with a properly structured Word or Google doc.
- Rebuild documents that contain inaccessible tables, images without alt text, or outdated formatting.
- Use your original PowerPoint instead of trying to fix a PDF export.
Why this matters: Rebuilt documents contain real headings, lists, reading order, alt text, and searchable text -- making them inherently more accessible (and easier to maintain in the future). Tools like Ally, Acrobat, or Microsoft Word and PowerPoint can validate your work, but starting with a clean source file does most of the heavy lifting.
3. Remediate: Fix Only When You Must
If you don't have the source file, or it cannot be recreated, then remediation is your last resort. Remediation involves correcting accessibility issues inside an existing document or PDF, which can be time-consuming and technically challenging. This may include:
- Adding tags or reading order to untagged PDFs
- Repairing scanned images of text
- Rebuilding inaccessible tables
- Fixing complex layouts or poorly embedded images
This step is sometimes unavoidable, especially for archived materials or documents that cannot be altered due to copyright ownership, accreditation, or historical requirements. But it should never be your first step.
This decision path ensures your time is spent where it creates the most value for students and reduces the long-term burden of maintaining inaccessible materials.
Ready to take the first step? Visit UMBC's Digital Accessibility site or run an Ally course report today. Support is also available from Student Disability Services and Instructional Technology.
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The 3-R Framework was adapted from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Posted: December 4, 2025, 3:42 PM
