Master the fundamentals of creating accessible documents in Adobe InDesign and Acrobat. Learn step-by-step how to apply accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2, PDF/UA) to make your designs inclusive and compliant with global accessibility laws.
Accessible design isn’t just about compliance — it’s about inclusion.
In this 7-week hands-on course, you’ll learn how to use Adobe InDesign to design, structure, and export accessible documents that meet international standards such as WCAG 2.2 and PDF/UA.
You’ll understand how to make documents readable for everyone — including users who rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, and assistive technologies.
By the end, you’ll be able to produce fully tagged PDFs that pass accessibility checks and deliver a professional, inclusive experience to all users.
Assignments & Practical Exercises
Each week includes a practical assignment where you will:
- Format a real InDesign document with accessibility in mind
- Add and tag alt text for images and tables
- Create a fully accessible PDF with correct reading order and tagging
Final project: Export a complete accessible PDF that meets PDF/UA standards.
Who Should Enroll
This course is ideal for:
- Graphic Designers & Publishers
- Marketing and Communications Teams
- Content Creators & Editors
- Accessibility Consultants
- Anyone creating PDFs or digital documents for public use
Curriculum
- 7 Sections
- 35 Lessons
- 7 Weeks
- Week 1: Introduction to Accessible InDesignLearn the importance of accessibility, WCAG/PDF-UA standards, and InDesign tools for accessible content creation.5
- Week 2: Text Formatting for AccessibilityApply paragraph and character styles, headings, and color contrast to improve readability and compliance.6
- Week 3: Working with Images, Graphics, and TablesAdd alt text, tag decorative vs. informational images, and structure tables for accessibility.6
- Week 4: Cross-References and HyperlinksCreate descriptive, accessible links and tables of contents to improve navigation.6
- Week 5: Managing Layers for AccessibilityOrganize content layers logically for screen readers and structure complex layouts for inclusive navigation.6
- Week 6: Adding Accessible Form Fields and ButtonsDesign and tag interactive form fields and buttons with accessible labels and logical tab order.7
- Week 7: Organizing Reading Order and Exporting Accessible PDFsSet up the reading order, add metadata, and export a fully tagged PDF that passes accessibility checks.6
Requirements
- Basic familiarity with Adobe InDesign — You should know how to create and format simple layouts (e.g., text boxes, images, and basic page setup).
- Access to Adobe InDesign and Acrobat Pro DC — These tools are required to complete weekly exercises and assignments
- A working computer (Windows or macOS) capable of running Adobe Creative Cloud applications smoothly
- Basic understanding of digital documents — Prior experience creating reports, brochures, or PDFs is helpful but not mandatory.
- Interest in accessibility or inclusive design — No prior accessibility experience is required; the course starts from foundational principles.
Features
- Understand accessibility laws and standards (WCAG, PDF/UA, ADA, AODA)
- Use paragraph and character styles for accessible text structure
- Add and tag alt text for images and graphics
- Create accessible tables, lists, and hyperlinks
- Organize reading order and layers for assistive technologies
- Add accessible forms and buttons
- Export fully tagged, compliant PDFs