Accessibility Services and Compliance made simple: WCAG-Compliant files and Websites

Yes, absolutely - but they require OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to convert the scanned images into readable, selectable text, followed by thorough tagging and testing

Accessibility remediation is the process of identifying and correcting accessibility barriers in digital content.

This includes updating PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, and websites to meet standards such as WCAG 2.2 AA so they are usable by people with disabilities, including screen reader users.

According to WCAG, information that is presented digitally should be based on four main guiding principles of accessibility known by the acronym POUR: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

Real Nation have developed a step-by-step process for remediating PDFs for accessibility:

1. Initial Audit: We assess the file for accessibility barriers.
2. OCR (if needed): Scanned documents are converted into readable text.
3. Tagging: We apply semantic structure to headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables.
4. Alt Text: Descriptive alternative text is added to images and icons.
5. Colour: Run colour contrast checker test.
6. Reading Order: Logical reading order is defined to suit screen reader flow.
7. Navigation: We add bookmarks and ensure links/forms are accessible.
8. Testing: We test using screen readers like NVDA and VoiceOver. We do manual checking and testing to ensure reading order and tags are set up correctly and in logical order.
9. Compliance Report: A final check is done and a remediation report is provided.

This involves improving a website’s code, structure, and content to ensure compliance with accessibility standards. This includes adding alt text, improving keyboard navigation, fixing heading structure, and ensuring colour contrast.

Born-accessible content is created from the outset with accessibility features built in, ensuring it meets accessibility standards without needing significant remediation. This is best practice for all digital content going forward.

Creating accessible content isn't just the right thing to do, it also reduces legal risk, improves user experience, enhances search engine visibility, and ensures your business meets Irish and EU regulatory requirements. Failure to comply may result in legal challenges, reputational damage, and exclusion from public tenders or funding opportunities.

In Ireland, digital accessibility is governed by national and EU legislation:

The European Accessibility Act (EAA): This EU directive mandates that, by 28 June 2025, many digital products and services, including websites, mobile apps, e-commerce platforms, and banking services, must meet accessibility standards. Read more about the European Accessibility Act.

Find out more information about Irish Government Guidance on Accessibility.

View W3C Web Accessibility Policies for Ireland.

All public bodies, and private businesses that offer essential services such as financial services, transport, healthcare, education, and more must comply.

SMEs and other businesses whose services are publicly procured are also included.

WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

These guidelines provide a framework for making digital content more accessible to users with disabilities. Find out more about the latest WCAG 2.2 guidelines.

WCAG 2.2 builds upon WCAG 2.1 by adding nine new success criteria, primarily focusing on improving accessibility for users with cognitive and learning disabilities, those with low vision, and those using mobile devices.

While WCAG 2.1 already addressed these areas, 2.2 offers more specific and detailed guidelines, making it a more comprehensive standard.

Essentially, if a website or application meets WCAG 2.2, it automatically meets WCAG 2.1 as well.

Yes. We specialise in born-accessible website design and development, building inclusivity into the layout, navigation, content structure, and codebase from day one.

There are several tools to test accessibility:

• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool.
• Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Checker.
• PAC 2024 – PDF Accessibility Checker.

Test your content with assistive technologies to ensure usability:

NVDA Screen Reader.

Apple VoiceOver.

These organisations offer training and certification in accessibility:

International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

AHEAD (Ireland).

Real Nation specialises in designing and remediating digital content that is fully accessible and compliant with European accessibility regulations. Our work is guided by the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and the EU Web Accessibility Directive.

We create born-accessible documents from the ground up, we also remediate existing content to meet WCAG 2.2 AA and PDF/UA standards. Our design team follows best practices for accessible layout, structure, and navigation – ensuring your digital materials are useable by everyone, including people using screen readers or other assisted technologies.

Whether you’re a public sector body or a private organisation, since the introduction of the EAA on June 28th 2025 you will be required to make your documents accessible.

We can ensure your digital materials meet all legal obligations while remaining user-friendly and professionally crafted.

Talk to Real Nation's accessible design team and get started on your accessibility journey today.

Yes. Real Nation work with public and private sector clients across Ireland on large and high-impact remediation projects.

We also manage phased remediation plans for long-term compliance.