Can Your Document be a Webpage Instead?

In many cases, your document should be made into a webpage. Webpages are generally more accessible than documents and are often a better viewing experience especially for visitors accessing the information on a smartphone. 

REMEMBER webpages can be shared on social media and sent in email (via a link).

If you have any questions regarding them please contact the Digital Strategy team via email at: webcontent@uml.edu or phone: 978-934-3875.

Making Your Document Accessible

Review These Steps BEFORE Submitting Your Document for Remediation

The document remediation process can make basic design and technical changes (color contrast of graphs, etc.), but does not change the content within the document as that would impact the overall length and layout of the document. Here are  content changes that the content owner should review before submitting a pdf or document for review for remediation/accessibility.

  1. Always review the format and confirm if a pdf is the best format going forward. Turning the information into web content may be a better option. To discuss other solutions, email webcontent@uml.edu.
  2. Review all links in the document. Fix any broken links and ensure all links are descriptive. Descriptive links should describe where the person will land when they activate the link, such as "FY26 Annual Report" or "Inclusive by Design website." You should never include full urls  or non-descriptive links, such as click here, this link, or here.
  3. Review document to ensure all design elements (logo, colors, etc.) align with brand guidelines.
  4. Ensure that no content is out of date (for example, job aid steps that haven't been updated in years).
  5. Review the font size and type to confirm readability. If the font size is too small or the font being used is not a familiar and readable font, the content owner needs to adjust the font size and type as that can significantly impact document length and layout.
  6. Review and update the file name to a readable file name.
  7. Change any italics text to bold text for emphasis.
  8. Ensure all content is left-aligned.
  9. Add a chart description or data table below a chart or graph to provide a text-based interpretation of that content for blind, low vision, and neurodivergent users.
  10. Change any underlined content that is not a link to bold for emphasis.

After you have reviewed your document, run it through the accessibility checker in the tool you are using (Word, Adobe, etc.) and correct those issues. Once you have ensured the CONTENT is accessible, please submit a web ticket to have the document itself checked for remediation by our team.

Once you have ensure THE CONTENT of your document is accessible, submit a UMass Lowell web support ticket and follow these steps:

  1. Enter a title for your ticket. (Please try to be specific about the document's title and not just "document accessibility").
  2. Select "Document (pdf, doc, ppt) remediation" from the dropdown menu.
  3. Using the choose files button upload your document(s) to the ticket. Make sure they are the final version of the document(s) before submitting as any changes mean starting over.
  4. Enter a description and make sure to include:
    • Website (page url) where document will be uploaded.
    • Is it new or replacing an existing document?
    • Whether you will add it yourself or whether you'd like the Web Strategy and Communications team to do so. If the latter, provide what text should be used to link to the document. 
  5. Click the submit ticket button to finish the process.

Note: Longer and more complicated documents (images, tables and more) will take more time to be made accessible.

The Short Version

  1. Consider making your document a webpage instead.
  2. Review the Document Accessibility Checklist.
  3. All documents of any kind need to be accessible before they are shared with anyone or anywhere.
  4. Submit a UMass Lowell web support ticket to get your document remediated.
  5. Any revisions require the same process (so look for any typos before you submit)

Web Accessibility Resources

Whether you’re building or updating a webpage, adding an image, uploading and linking a document or video to a website or email the content must be accessible to users with disabilities. See specific guidelines: