Creating and Appending a Long Description Addition to a PDF

Introduction

When remediating PDFs (meaning the original document source is unavailable for editing and converting), some diagrams might require more description than is recommended for Alt-Text (best practice guides recommend around 125 characters). There are two methods we currently recommend for adding long description to diagrams. In both cases, links should be added in the original PDF to the long descriptions.

Add and link to a Canvas page with the long descriptions

The most straightforward way to provide long descriptions for images and diagrams is to create another page in your Canvas course with the long descriptions and add links to the PDF to link to the Canvas page.

1. Ensure that each image or diagram has a label within the PDF such as Figure 1 and the Alt-Text notes that the Long Description is on a Canvas Page.
2. Create a Canvas page with all the long descriptions. Be sure to follow structure best practice and use headings by using the blocks dropdown; make the figure labels headings for ease of navigation.
3. Create links from the graphics to the descriptions.
   1. Navigate to the page that contains the graphic. Select the label/caption name.
   2. Right-click/alt-click the highlighted name and then select Create Link to open the Create Link box.
   3. The Link Type should be Invisible Rectangle, and the Link Action should be Open a web page. Select the Next button.
   4. Enter the web address for the Canvas page and select OK. The address should look like https://msudenver.instructure.com/courses/#####/modules/items/####### but with numbers in the pound symbols.
   5. Repeat these steps for each graphic.
4. Be sure to test at least some of the links to ensure that they work correctly.
5. Be sure to provide both the PDF and the link to the Long Descriptions page everywhere that the PDF is presented.

Create and Append a Long Descriptions PDF to the original file

We recommend ensuring the rest of your PDF is properly remediated with tags and reading order before doing this part.

Part 1: Create and Append.

1. Ensure that each image or diagram has a label within the PDF such as Figure 1.
2. Create a Word document with all the long descriptions. Use the Styles bar to make the figure labels headings for ease of navigation. After each description, add a paragraph with text similar to “Return to Figure 1 location page” as appropriate for the relevant graphic.
3. Export the Word document to an accessible PDF.
4. Open the PDF.
5. Select Organize Pages in the Tools pane, which is usually on the right side of the screen.
6. There are two methods to append a PDF to another PDF. One method is here within step 6, the other is within step 7.
   1. On the Organize Pages toolbar near the top of the screen, select Insert, select From File.
   2. Locate and select the long description PDF.
   3. On the pop-up window, be sure that the Location is set to After and then that the Page is set to Last. Your long description pages should now be at the end of the document.
7. The second method to append a PDF is by using drag-and-drop.
   1. Using your computer file browser, open the folder containing the Long Description PDF.
   2. Drag the Long Description PDF into the Adobe Acrobat Organize Pages window after all the original document pages. If you drop it into the wrong location, you can click and drag it to the end.
8. Close the Organizing Pages toolbar using the Close button on the right side of the toolbar.

Part 2: Add document destinations and links.

1. On the left side of the screen there will be either another vertical toolbar, or a vertical button with a right arrow on it. Click the button with the right arrow to expand out the toolbar.
2. Select the Destinations button on the left toolbar (the icon looks like a target) to open up the Destinations pane on the left. If Destinations is not visible on this toolbar, right-click/alt-click in empty space in this toolbar and then select Destinations.
3. Create destinations for each description.
   1. On the Long Descriptions page(s), use the cursor to Select the text for the graphic name (for example, select “Figure 1”).
   2. With the text selected, select the Create new destination button in the Destinations pane (the icon looks like a target with a large asterisk symbol in the lower right).
   3. Name your destination, probably with the graphic name and “description” (for example: “Figure 1 Description”).
   4. Repeat these steps for each description heading.
4. Create links from the graphics to the descriptions.
   1. Navigate to the page that contains the graphic. Select the label/caption name.
   2. With the text selected, create a new destination for the graphic.
   3. The text should still be selected, but if not, select the label/caption name again.
   4. Right-click/alt-click the highlighted name and then select Create Link to open the Create Link box.
   5. The Link Type should be Invisible Rectangle, and the Link Action should be Go to a page view. Select the Next button.
   6. Double-click the description destination in the Destinations pane.
   7. Repeat these steps for each graphic.
5. Finally, create links from the descriptions page back to the pages containing the graphics. Navigate to the descriptions page.
   1. For each description, select the “Return to Figure [#] page” text.
   2. Right-click/alt-click the highlighted text and then select Create Link.
   3. The Link Type should be Invisible Rectangle, and the Link Action should be Go to a page view. Select the Next
   4. Double-click the appropriate figure destination in the Destinations
   5. Repeat these steps for each description.
6. Test out your links to make sure they go to the descriptions and back to the content pages.
7. If this was your last process before saving for distribution, double check your tags, reading order, and then save as an accessible PDF/A.