{"id":1683,"date":"2025-03-14T11:19:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T16:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/web-redesign\/?p=1683"},"modified":"2025-09-09T09:03:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:03:09","slug":"extreme-makeover-pdf-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.und.edu\/web-redesign\/2025\/03\/extreme-makeover-pdf-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"Extreme Makeover: PDF Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re launching Extreme Makeover: PDF Edition<\/em> to ensure web PDFs comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards by April 2026, as required by the Department of Justice (DOJ)<\/a>. There are no proposed changes to this regulation and UND is proceeding with the April 2026 deadline.<\/p>\n

Scope<\/h2>\n

This project is focused on PDFs hosted within the Modern Campus (Omni) CMS. It does not include content from Blackboard, WordPress, library systems, social media or other platforms. However, this exclusion does not mean that such content is exempt from accessibility requirements.<\/p>\n

According to the DOJ, all online content accessible through a web browser, including text, images, videos and conventional electronic documents such as PDFs and Word documents, must comply regardless of where they are hosted.<\/p>\n

Web Content Editor Role<\/h2>\n

UND currently hosts 6,600 PDFs in its CMS, yet only two meet accessibility standards according to Siteimprove\u2019s automated testing.<\/p>\n

As a web content editor, one of your responsibilities is ensuring all PDFs on your website meet accessibility standards. PDF remediation can be a complex and time-consuming task. To assist you with this process, UND Marketing & Communications (M&C) has secured five concurrent licenses for Equidox<\/a>, a software designed to simplify PDF remediation. Trial licenses will be available in waves over the course of the next year, providing you with the opportunity to test the software for a limited time.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to start familiarizing yourself with PDF remediation now and begin reviewing your PDFs to identify which ones may need remediation and which could be more effectively converted to web content. Getting a head start will help ensure a smooth process moving forward.<\/p>\n

Equidox Access for Content Editors<\/h3>\n

Since we cannot provide Equidox access to all web content editors at once, we\u2019ve developed a phased access plan<\/a> that organizes PDFs into manageable batches based on volume, number of content editors and domain (URL) to streamline reporting and tracking. Equidox believes this approach will be manageable, but we may need to adjust it if it isn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n

Here’s how your Equidox account will be managed:<\/p>\n

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  1. Your access will be limited to a 55-day trial. Access will be shut off after your timeslot ends.<\/li>\n
  2. Once your account is entered into Equidox by M&C, you have 24 hours to claim it<\/strong>.\n
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    1. You will receive an email from support@equidox.co.<\/li>\n
    2. Check your inbox for the email. If you don\u2019t see it, check your junk and clutter folders.<\/li>\n
    3. Open the email and click the activation link.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
    4. Follow the prompts to set up your password. Your @UND.edu email is your username.<\/li>\n
    5. You’ll be logged out after one hour of inactivity. Save your work as you go.<\/li>\n
    6. If you aren\u2019t actively using Equidox, please log out so others can get in.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Step 1: Prioritize Web Content vs. PDFs<\/h2>\n

      Whenever possible, avoid using PDFs and opt for web content instead. PDFs should only be used when a document must be printed or when web content is not a viable option such as a graphic intense brochure, form requiring signature<\/a> or geographic map.<\/p>\n

      Switching PDFs to image formats like WebP or JPEG is not an accessible alternative. Additionally, transferring PDFs from the CMS to Teams or Google Drive is not a sufficient solution, as publicly shared PDFs on shared drives must also meet accessibility standards. However, moving files to a shared drive may be reasonable for files that only need to be accessed by faculty and staff.<\/p>\n

      The preferred method of presenting information online is through web content. Web content is:<\/p>\n