CIF Tip Sheet - Text-Based Content in PDF Format

CIF Requirement - 5.2 Text

a) All text-based content must be displayed primarily in (X)HTML format.

Note: Text-based content can additionally be developed in a proprietary format, for viewing or printing, with the use of a freely available and platform-independent plug-in or software (e.g., Adobe's PDF[1], which requires the use of the Adobe PDF viewer, Adobe Reader[2]).

Text-based content can also be delivered in formats such as RTF or ASCII, or as a delimited text file. Content produced in such formats is acceptable if the files are intended for download, or for storage or manipulation by users outside of the browser environment, and if they are not meant to be a substitute for content created in (X)HTML.

Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF), for example, is a popular format for getting documents online in a way that retains their formatting. Unfortunately, PDFs, depending on how you create them, may not be accessible.

It is perfectly acceptable to include PDF content in your site as long as the content has been presented primarily in (X)HTML format. Text-based content in PDF or another proprietary format must only be provided as a secondary or alternate version.

Care should also be taken to make every PDF accessible, that is, a "tagged" PDF, to allow users of assistive technologies to view or read the document. For more on accessible or "tagged" PDFs, view the Adobe Acrobat help file.

Note that fund recipients are also required to include, on the page where the plug-in is needed to view the content, a link to the Web site where users can download the necessary software.

Example - Below is one method of presenting both HTML and PDF versions of the same content, as well as the required link to Adobe Reader:

Lesson Plan

HTML version | PDF version

To view PDF files, you need to install Adobe Reader on your system.

Note that the link to Adobe Reader in the example above directs users to a page where they can download the software.



Note:

To access the Portable Document Format (PDF) version you must have a PDF reader installed. If you do not already have such a reader, there are numerous PDF readers available for free download or for purchase on the Internet:     

Please note that all saveable and fillable PDF forms require Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8.1 or higher.