WCGA 4.1 Compatible error

[DaveyGee60]

Hi fairly new to the whole accessibility world but pretty well well versed in indesign.

When I make an interactive PDF and then Preflight in Acrobat to make it PDF/UA I still PAC online checker at Axes I get one warning in the PDF/UA tab ISO 32000-1 see screen shot  and in the WCGA it says 4.1 compatible any ideas what I can do.

On a Mac so I know PAC 2024 desktop is not available.

Any help would be graetly appreciated

[S. S]

Hi @DaveyGee60,

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for writing in!

The warning you're seeing in the PDF/UA tab is likely related to compliance with the PDF/UA standard. PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility) is a standard that ensures PDFs are accessible to users with disabilities. The warning you're encountering could be indicating that some aspect of your PDF does not fully comply with the PDF/UA requirements. This could relate to issues such as:

• Missing tagging (structure tags like headings, lists, links, etc.),
• Issues with form field accessibility,
• Alternative text (missing descriptions for images, graphics, etc.),
• Navigation issues (like lack of a proper reading order or bookmarks).

The WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 4.1 deals with accessibility in terms of making content usable by people with disabilities, including issues around user interface components such as forms, interactive content, and navigation.

The specific guideline 4.1.2 requires that interactive components (like buttons, form fields, etc.) must be compatible with assistive technologies (like screen readers). If PAC reports that your PDF is "4.1 compatible," it suggests that your interactive elements may not be fully accessible or properly marked up:

• Ensure form field labels are correctly associated with form elements. You can do this in Acrobat by selecting the form fields and checking that each one has a clear label and a proper name in the field properties.
• Make sure all interactive elements are properly tagged in the Tags panel (like buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, etc.).
• Add appropriate alt text to interactive elements. This is particularly important for form fields, buttons, and any graphics used in the interactive content. Alt text ensures that screen readers can read the information aloud to users who cannot see the content.
• Keyboard navigation: Ensure that the form is navigable via keyboard (using Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, etc.). This is critical for WCAG compliance.

You can also manually test the interactive fields with a screen reader to ensure they behave correctly. Since you're on a Mac, VoiceOver is a built-in screen reader that you can use to test how accessible your PDF is.

Hope this clarifies your question.

-Souvik

[DaveyGee60]

Hi Souvik

Thanks for your reply looks like there is a lot I dont know about accessibility and PDF preperation. I will have do alot of research and learning.

Thank you

David 

[S. S · Accepted solution]

@DaveyGee60, You're welcome!

Please feel free to write back whenever you have any questions.

-Souvik