File Remediation - Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated by chelsea.christiansen 2 months agoFrequently Asked Questions
ABBYY OCR
How do I save my progress in ABBYY?
If that fails, save to your desktop, then drag & drop your project into that folder via File Explorer.
Or , choose a cloud‑storage location—like Box or OneDrive —and save there so you can access it from any device.
What front matter do I need to recognize in a document?
ABBYY alerts “Not enough memory.” What should I do?
Press Ctrl + A, then Ctrl + Del to clear ABBYY’s automatic OCR buffer, then manually recognize text.
My scanned document has dark shading or creases. What should I do?
How do I recognize a table that has images in it?
Do I need to remediate every page of a very long document (e.g. a textbook)?
It depends on the case. In most cases, we will recognize abstract, titles, journal citation information, but not page numbers or author information or headings/footers.
How do I recognize math documents?
Can I recognize a small portion of the document that might overlap another?
How do I set the reading order when figures or tables interrupt paragraphs?
Do not split paragraphs if a table/figure interrupts them. Recognize all of the text in a section, and then recognize the figure.
If the figure or table is unreferenced, order it after the most logical complete paragraph.
If a page break complicates placement, recognize text first, then the figure/table as seems appropriate.
If a page break complicates placement, recognize text first, then the figure/table as seems appropriate.
Acrobat
How do I edit tags in a PDF?
How do I change the PDF’s title?
What if a document has no headings?
For long text: mark the first paragraph as a header (this won’t change read‑aloud but boosts accessibility score).
I recognized a document in ABBYY, but when I put it in Acrobat it came out blurry. How do I fix this?
(It’s a really good practice to not close ABBYY until after remediation is completely finished and uploaded so that you don’t lose progress in case you need to do something over again in ABBYY, so remember to keep it open.)
Alt Text
Where can I find general Alt Text guidance?
See the Alt Text Documentation , which applies to all types of files we will work on (Word Docs, PPTXs, PDFS, JPEGS, etc.).
Do PowerPoint videos need alt text?
No— DAS (Digital Accessibility Services) will add captions to those videos in place of alt text. Please leave those sections blank, regardless of the accessibility score.
How do I add alt text to old .ppt files?
What alt text should I add for a QR code?
Check that the description is objective, and doesn’t give away any answers, especially in documents that are used in quizzes/exams. Use your best judgment.
Be concise yet descriptive when writing alt text. Make sure that the alt text is appropriate for the context of the document you’re working on.
Be wise in your usage of AI. We have a limited amount of AI prompts to use, so if there is an image that you could reasonably create alt text for, please write that alt text manually. If it is a complex image with necessary information such as a map, chart, graph, artwork, etc. please feel free to use AI and let us know if you have any questions.
What if my alt text is too long?
What are some AI guidelines for alt text?
For simple images, manually write alt text. This will help us preserve AI prompts for more difficult images.
For more complex images like diagrams, charts, maps, art pieces, etc., use AI and check that the information matches the context of the document you’re working on. Always check for accuracy.
Remember that alt text gives equity in education and allows students access to the same information as their classmates. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you’re unsure about your alt text; we are happy to help.
What should I do if ChatGPT has hit its prompt limit?
Uploading and Replacing Files
I uploaded the wrong file—what now?
The f ile is too large (>50 MB) to upload to the accessibility gauge
Use TidyUp to find the document’s location or search for the file’s location using the search bar in the Files Page.
Miscellaneous
A PDF is password-protected —how do I remediate it?
The accessibility score dropped in Canvas after remediation—what do I do?
Sometimes Canvas will mark scanned PDFs as inaccessible. If you have successfully OCR’ed the document, added headings, alt text, table headers, etc., then it is accessible, and you can leave it.
How do I remediate complex documents such as aviation maps, blueprints, music, etc.?
Because each of these documents is unique, we want to give students the information they need without extra steps. Please consult with Rifat—he’ll contact the professor or student and guide us on the right accommodations for that course.
Monday
Should I approach “Screen-Reader,” “Magnification,” and “Audio” accommodations differently?
Yes. For screen-reader accommodations, ensure that all headings are marked appropriately and consistently (this helps the student navigate through the document with ease).
Make sure that alt text is compatible with a screen reader by specifying that your alt text needs to be screen-reader-friendly in your AI prompts. For example, make your alt text screen‑reader‑friendly by spelling out words instead of using symbols —for example, write “and” instead of “&.” In math, render equations as they’re read aloud (e.g., “8 times 10” rather than “8 ⋅ 10”).
The file link on Monday is broken—what should I do?
What does “Recursive Check” mean?
Terms Frequently Used
Ally - Software that checks the accessibility of documents in Canvas. Ally is the software that displays accessibility gauges in Canvas.
OCR - Optimal Character Recognition. This is the task that ABBYY performs to ensure that the correct characters will be read in a PDF.
Tags - Hidden structural information in a PDF, which makes it more accessible with assistive technology like screen readers. This helps ensure proper reading order and allows readers to navigate through the document with ease. (Headings allow readers to skip to a certain section of a document, which is why it is important to always recognize them.)
Keyboard Shortcuts
General (Windows / macOS)
Text navigation & editing
Browser productivity
Switch tabs — Ctrl + Tab (forward), Ctrl + Shift + Tab (back) / Command + Option + → (forward), Command + Option + ← (back)
