Hello we use MS Word Templates with xml data to mail merge using Aspose Words and finally create pdfs. We use DotNet 8 platform with C#
My question is regarding accessibility.
What care should we take to ensure that the pdfs generated are accessible for disabled people?
Are there things in MS Word template to care for?
Are there fixes in the Aspose Dotnet code to implement?
Any other insights?
thank you
Mathew
To ensure that PDFs generated from Word templates using Aspose.Words are accessible to people with disabilities, consider the following:
Design Accessible Word Templates:
Use well-structured Microsoft Word templates with built-in heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) to define document structure. Add alternative text (alt text) for images and non-text elements, use proper lists instead of manual numbering, and avoid using tables for layout. These semantic choices help preserve logical reading order and assist screen reader navigation in the resulting PDF.
Generate PDF/UA-Compliant PDFs Using Aspose.Words:
Aspose.Words supports the creation of tagged, accessible PDFs by converting documents to the PDF/UA-1 standard. In your .NET code, use the PdfFormat.PDF_UA_1 option during export:
Document doc = new Document("template.docx");
doc.MailMerge.Execute(data); // Perform mail merge if needed
doc.Save("output.pdf", PdfFormat.PDF_UA_1);
This enables tagging of content such as headings, paragraphs, and lists, which is essential for assistive technology support .
Be Aware of Table Accessibility Behavior:
While Aspose.Words generates structurally correct tagged tables, some screen readers (e.g., NVDA) may not consistently read table content when the PDF is viewed in Adobe Acrobat [3, 5]. Testing has shown more reliable table reading in browsers like Chrome , indicating that viewer-dependent behavior can impact accessibility.
Test Across Viewers and Assistive Technologies:
Since accessibility support varies between PDF viewers, test your output in multiple environments—especially Adobe Acrobat and web browsers—using screen readers such as NVDA or JAWS. This helps identify rendering inconsistencies and ensures a better experience for end users.
Validate Accessibility Compliance:
Use accessibility validation tools (e.g., PAC or Adobe Acrobat’s Full Check) to verify conformance with standards like PDF/UA and WCAG. Combine automated checks with manual testing to ensure robust accessibility.
In summary: start with accessible Word templates, use PdfFormat.PDF_UA_1 in your Aspose code , and thoroughly test the output across different viewers and assistive technologies. While Aspose generates tagged PDFs, real-world accessibility depends on how viewers interpret those tags—particularly for tables [3, 5].