convert PDF to html for screen reader

Question

A variety of websites I've recently visited suggest that Adobe offers free software which will convert PDFs to html so that they can be used with screen reader technology for the visually impaired. They don't specify the name of that software. I'm guessing it might be Adobe Reader, but I can't see any way of doing this task with it. Can anyone enlighten me?

Test Screen Name · Accepted Answer

Actually, like a lot of misinformation, there is a germ of truth. At one time Adobe offered "access.adobe.com" - a web site with an ONLINE converter for accessibility. Not something that could be downloaded but of course its results could. 10 years ago it was still around but you had to answer a questionnaire about why you weren't able to use Reader. By 2010 it was gone.

Test Screen Name · Answer

I think the wording might be based on a misunderstanding. Acrobat Reader certainly supports screen reading technology: a huge amount of work has been done on this (though its success depends on the document creator doing work). Perhaps the author wrongly assumed that screen readers all work by stuff converting to HTML. Then it only takes one person quoting a mistake with confidence and you'll find it all over the web. I looked at a couple of sites quoting this and they seem blissfully unaware that accessible PDF even exists.

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