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Dallas College PEGASUS
Updated: Jan. 21, 2024
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PDFs, Word Docs and Accessibility

New Process for PDFs

Because of our Accessibility mandate and to ensure a better experience for all users, the new PDF process, as it applies to the flagship Dallas College website (www.dallascollege.edu), is as follows:

Requirements for Submission

The client must provide:

  • the PDF file
  • a Word document file that contains all the text/copy of the PDF file. Word doc must be accessible with headings and basic styling. See Accessibility Guidelines.
  • a ZIP file containing any and all source graphics/images (with the exception of Dallas College logos) used in the PDF file.

If the document is a form:

  • If the form requires a physical signature or asks for Category 3 information:
    • Make PDF a fillable, accessible document via Adobe Acrobat (Turnaround time: approx. 10 days)
  • If the form only asks for Category 1 or Category 2 information:
    • Convert PDF to an online form via MS Forms through our Forms Process (Turnaround time: approx. 10 days)

If the document is simply a means of delivering content:

  • Use Word doc and attached images to convert/reconstruct document as an accessible web page and include a link to the PDF for printing purposes only (Turnaround time: approx. 5 days)

We prioritize PDF requests that:

  • Come from the Chancellor, Executive Vice Chancellor of Operations or the Chief Marketing Officer.
  • Are critical to student admission, registration or financial aid.

We will not post PDFs that:

  • Have been created by third parties or entites outside of Dallas College

Naming PDF or Word Documents

We have developed a naming convention (in addition to our guidelines for naming pages/sites/files) to help us easily identify PDF or Word documents:

  • If the document has been made accessible, append the filename with -ada before the extension
  • If the document is an approved printable alternative to other content that is already accessible (like a web page), append the filename with -print before the extension

Storing PDF and Word Documents

We are storing approved and accessible PDF and Word documents in a single directory (as opposed to different subsites in different areas). The storage place for these files is:

https://wwws.dallascollege.edu/sitecollectiondocuments/docs/

From there, the folder structure follows the structure of the site as a whole. For example:

  • For pages under /about/legal/, the corresponding PDF storage directory would be /sitecollectiondocuments/docs/about/legal/. And so forth.