It is not that PDF files are meant to be troubling, it is that they were just not made to be accessible in the beginning.
- Originally developed (early 1990’s) as an export option, just like a printer
- Most times, created by scanning a paper document and saving it as an image file
- Never meant as an editing environment
- When introduced, the use of Assistive Technology to read a PDF was not widely available
Today, most people who are working with a PDF have received the PDF file directly and face stumbling blocks:
- They do not have access to the native (pre-PDF) document
- Unlike HTML, there are no tools that truly report if a PDF document is functionally accessible
- Most accessibility checkers give you an overview
This area will give you some quick tips in regards to PDF, including some quick-tips when it comes to remediation, and links to resources.