Accessible Document Remediation Services Including PDF Remediation Services

Inaccessible documents expose federal agencies, government contractors, and private organizations to legal risk under Section 508 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Microassist’s document remediation team remediates files using a combination of manual and automated methods, scoped by page count, file complexity, and your deadline.

What We Remediate

Microassist remediates the following document formats to meet Section 508, WCAG 2.1 AA, and PDF/UA requirements:

PDF documents — the most common remediation request. We correct tag structure, reading order, alt text, form fields, links, bookmarks, color contrast, and document metadata.

Microsoft Word documents — heading styles, table structure, alt text for images, and reading order are corrected so the document converts cleanly to accessible PDF or is usable directly in Word.

Excel spreadsheets — table headers, merged cell resolution, chart alt text, and sheet navigation are addressed so screen readers can interpret the data correctly.

PowerPoint presentations — slide titles, reading order, alt text, and layout structure are corrected so assistive technology reads each slide in the intended sequence.

Industries We Serve

Document accessibility requirements apply across sectors. Federal agencies and their contractors must meet Section 508. State and local government entities face compliance deadlines under ADA Title II. Healthcare, financial services, and education organizations face increasing legal exposure under ADA Title III and sector-specific regulations.

Microassist has remediated documents for federal agencies, defense contractors, state education departments, universities, financial institutions, and enterprise technology companies.

---

Do you need to discuss making your documents Section 508—or WCAG-compliant ASAP? Contact us. We’d be glad to discuss your file formats, requirements, deadlines, and how we can help.

---

How a Document Remediation Engagement Is Scoped

Every remediation project starts with a file review. Page count, file complexity, source format, and deadline all affect scope — and none of those variables can be assessed from a description alone. We review a sample of your files before providing a quote

Most PDF remediation projects are priced by page and complexity tier. A straightforward text-heavy PDF remediates faster than a form-heavy document with tables, charts, and scanned images. We assess each file type separately and provide a scope that reflects the actual work required.

Engagements take two forms. A backlog project addresses an existing inventory of files that need remediation before a compliance deadline. We partner with you to integrate Microassist into your document production process, ensuring files are remediated before publication. Both are available. Many organizations start with a backlog project and move to an ongoing arrangement once the immediate deadline is met.

What Gets Remediated on a PDF

A PDF is accessible when assistive technology can read it correctly, in the right order, with the right context, with no information conveyed by visual formatting alone. Seven elements are addressed in every remediation.

Tagging. PDF tags define the document structure for screen readers. Headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, and figures each require the correct tag type. An untagged or incorrectly tagged PDF is unreadable by assistive technology regardless of how it looks on screen.

Reading order. The order in which a screen reader encounters content is determined by the tag tree, not the visual layout. Multi-column documents, sidebars, and complex layouts frequently have reading order that does not match the author’s intent. We correct the tag tree to reflect the intended sequence.

Alt text. Images, charts, diagrams, and decorative graphics each require different treatment. Informational images need descriptive alt text that conveys the content and purpose of the image. Decorative images need to be marked as artifacts so screen readers skip them.

Form fields. Interactive PDF forms require labeled fields, logical tab order, and error identification. We test each form with a screen reader to confirm it is operable without a mouse.

Links and bookmarks. Hyperlinks require descriptive link text. “Click here” and bare URLs are not accessible. Bookmarks provide navigation structure for long documents and are required under PDF/UA.

Color and contrast. Text and meaningful graphics must meet WCAG 2.1 AA contrast ratios. We flag contrast failures and work with your design team to correct them in the source file where possible.

Document metadata. Title, author, language, and document properties are read by screen readers before the document content. If the Title metadata field is empty, screen readers fall back to the filename. We set document language, title, and properties correctly so the document is identified accurately when opened.

For a detailed explanation of how each of these is handled in practice, see the Document Remediation Buyer’s Guide.

Our Process: Manual and Automated Document Remediation

Automated remediation tools can accelerate a project and catch structural issues early. They cannot reliably verify reading order, assess alt text in context, correct form field logic, or confirm that a remediated document works correctly with a screen reader. Every file Microassist delivers has been manually tested.

Our team uses automated tools to establish a baseline and identify issues at scale. Manual review follows for every file. We add appropriate alt text to images, verify that reading order reflects the author’s intent, work with your design team to address color contrast issues in the source file, and test forms and interactive elements with assistive technology before delivery.

Building document accessibility into your production process from the start is significantly less costly than remediating a backlog. We can help with both.

Document Accessibility Beyond PDF: Word, Excel, PowerPoint

PDF is the most common remediation request, but compliance requirements apply to all document formats your organization publishes or distributes.

Microsoft Word documents. Word documents are often the source file for PDFs, and accessibility built into the Word file carries through to the exported PDF. We correct heading styles, table structure, alt text for images, and reading order. A properly structured Word document also meets accessibility requirements when distributed directly without conversion to PDF.

Excel spreadsheets. Screen readers navigate spreadsheets differently than sighted users. We address table headers, merged cell resolution, chart alt text, and sheet navigation so assistive technology can interpret the data correctly. Spreadsheets distributed to the public or used in federal reporting are subject to Section 508 requirements regardless of format.

PowerPoint presentations. Slide titles, reading order, alt text, and layout structure are corrected so assistive technology reads each slide in the intended sequence. Presentations posted online or distributed digitally to the public require the same level of accessibility as PDFs under Section 508 and ADA Title II.

Document accessibility requirements under Section 508, WCAG 2.1 AA, and ADA Title II apply to all digital file formats an organization publishes, not PDFs alone. If your organization distributes Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files to the public or to employees, those files are in scope.

For an explanation of the standards that govern each format, see the Document Remediation Buyer’s Guide.

Organizations We Have Remediated Documents For

Microassist has remediated documents for federal agencies, state and local government, higher education, financial services, nonprofit organizations, and enterprise technology companies including Check Point Software Technologies.

Federal agencies Defense Health Agency, US Food and Drug Administration, Veterans Administration, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board

State and local government New Jersey Department of Education, Capital Metro

Higher education Texas A&M University, University of Texas

Financial services VISA, Washington Trust Bank

Nonprofit Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

Corporate Carnival Cruise, Check Point Software Technologies, Versacom

Frequently Asked Questions