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This article was originally published by the VCCS at this link.
This guide walks you through finding PDFs with accessibility issues in your Canvas course and fixing them using a free online tool called PAVE. Each step includes exactly what to click and where to find it.
Part 1: Find the Problem File in UDOIT
1] Open UDOIT in your Canvas course
Go to your Canvas course and click on UDOIT in the left menu.
Can't find UDOIT? Look in your course navigation menu on the left side of the screen. If you don't see it, contact your Canvas administrator.
2] Find the High Impact section
Wait for UDOIT to finish scanning your course. When the results appear, look for High Impact and click on it.
What you'll see: UDOIT organizes issues by importance. High Impact issues are the most serious and should be fixed first.
3] Open the PDF or Files category
Inside the High Impact section, find the option that says PDF or Files. Click on it to expand the list.
4] Click on a file with issues
Look for a file that shows File Issues. Click on that file to select it.
5] Download the file
A new window will open. Look for a download option and click it to save the file to your computer.
6] Save to your Downloads folder
A "Save" window will appear. On the left side, click Downloads. Then click the Save button.
Why Downloads? Saving to the Downloads folder makes the file easy to find in the next steps.
Part 2: Find Your Downloaded File
7] Open File Explorer
Click the folder icon in your taskbar at the bottom of your screen. This opens File Explorer.
On a Mac? Open Finder instead (the smiling face icon in your dock).
8] Go to Downloads
In File Explorer, look at the left side panel. Click on Downloads.
9] Find the Sort option
At the top of the File Explorer window, look for Sort. Click on it.
10] Choose Date modified
From the dropdown menu, select Date modified.
11] Sort newest first
Choose Descending so the newest files appear at the top of the list.
What you'll see: Your most recently downloaded file should now be at the very top of the list.
Part 3: Fix the File in PAVE
📘 Need more detail? For comprehensive step-by-step instructions on using PAVE, including screenshots for every step, see our complete PAVE User Guide.
Open PAVE User Guide
Important: Never enter confidential information into PAVE. Use your .edu email address to create an account.
12] Go to the PAVE website
Open your web browser and go to: https://pave.pdfua.foundation
13] Create an account or log in
Click Sign Up to create a new account using your .edu email address and a password. If you already have an account, click Log In.
Do not use Google sign-in. Create a standard account with your .edu email and password for best results.
14] Upload your PDF
Once logged in, click the Upload button to select your PDF file. After selecting, click the UPLOAD button to complete the upload.
15] Open your file from Old Files
Your uploaded PDF will appear in the Old Files section. Click on the file name to begin the remediation process.
16] Step 1: Define Regions
At the top of the screen, you'll see the page number, how many elements are detected, and how many annotations are not tagged.
- Click the AI wand button and select "Detect Regions"
- Use the Pages button to navigate to each page
- Repeat the detection process for each page
When finished: Click the button at the bottom left to move to the next step.
17] Step 2: Define Reading Order
On each page, you'll need to:
- Decide if images need alt text
- Drag and drop elements to correct the reading order
- Navigate through all pages to verify order
Reading order matters: Screen readers follow this order, so make sure content flows logically from top to bottom, left to right.
18] Step 3: Organize Heading Levels
Use the dropdown menu in the right pane to assign the correct heading level to each heading.
Note: If something is incorrectly marked as a heading and shouldn't be, you may not be able to fix it on this screen. Make a note to address it later if needed.
19] Step 4: Define Table Structure
For each table in your document:
- Click to detect table structure
- Define the header row and column headers
- Review any merged cells (these will be flagged as accessibility issues)
Merged cells: PAVE will tag merged cells as not accessible. Consider simplifying tables in your source document if possible.
20] Step 5: Define List Structure
For each list in your document, define how the list should be read by assistive technology.
21] Step 6: Edit Alternative Text of Figures
For each image or figure:
- Use the wand icon to have AI recognize charts automatically
- Or type your own alt text in the empty box (up to 50 words)
Alt text tip: Describe what the image conveys in context. For charts, include the key data point or trend.
22] Step 7: Accessible Mathematical Formulas
If your document contains mathematical formulas, click the "How to do that?" link under the Step 7 title for helper text on fixing math accessibility.
23] Step 8: Check Meta Information and Final Results
This is the final step:
- Enter a descriptive Title in the metadata field
- Select the correct Language if it's missing
- Review the final accessibility results
- Click Download to save your corrected PDF
What you'll see: PAVE adds a suffix to the filename so you can tell it apart from the original file.
Part 4: Replace the File in Canvas
25] Go back to UDOIT in Canvas
Return to your browser tab with UDOIT open. You should still be on the same file you were working with.
26] Click "Replace file with an uploaded file"
Look for the option that says Replace file with an uploaded file and click it.
27] Choose your fixed file
You'll see a box that says Drag a file here. Click inside this box to open the file picker.
28] Select the new accessible PDF
Go to your Downloads folder and select the newly downloaded file from PAVE (it should be at the top of your list). Click Open.
29] Submit the replacement
Click the Submit button to replace the old file with your new accessible version.
Important: Your UDOIT score will not update right away. You must run a new UDOIT scan of your course to see the improved score.
Need help? If you get stuck or have questions, contact your college's accessibility coordinator or instructional designer.