CL PDF & CL Office: Self-Paced Training

In-depth, self-paced tutorials specific to Allyant’s revolutionary CL PDF and CL Office software to make your user experience all that it can be.

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Learn at Your Own Pace.

Welcome to the best way to becoming a CL PDF and CL Office expert. Master your PDF accessibility skills through self-paced modules that you can access at your convenience. You’ll be able to rewind and revisit all of the highly organized content to accommodate your specific learning style. And, of course, all of our content is fully accessible, complete with captioning and more.

If you want access to our Self-Paced Training Modules, simply speak to one of our experts. With each license of CL PDF, you have the option to purchase our module package—a cost of 10% of your software purchase price.

Our training modules.

Your Education Specialist Awaits!

You’ve invested time, money and energy into your journey to accessibility—so let’s keep up the great work! If you have a question regarding any of our training modules, or simply need a little help choosing the right one, drop us a line. We’ll make your accessibility education seamless.

Training Modules

CL PDF Modules

Intro to PDF Accessibility, Laws, and Standards

Module A

This module provides foundational knowledge about document accessibility, including applicable laws, standards, and a basic overview of PDF tagging and other functionality.Introduction to PDF, including its background, purpose, and use.

Introduction to accessibility and why it’s important.
Introduction to accessibility laws including Section 508.
Understanding the four Principles of Accessibility.
Introduction to accessibility standards – WCAG, PDF/UA, and HHS.
Introduction to tagging and tagged PDF.

Navigating CL PDF

Module B

This module provides foundational knowledge of the interface and recommended settings to increase accuracy and efficiency while using the software.

An in-depth tour of CL PDF including panels, ribbons, and functionality.
Keyboard functionality in CL PDF.
Recommended Selection Settings – for increased speed and accuracy while tagging.
Highlight color.
Recommended User Preferences.
Resizing panels.
Resetting panels to their default.

Recommended Workflow

Module C

This module provides users with a solid, proven, efficient workflow for remediation projects. Following this simple process will dramatically increase the speed and accuracy of remediation work and help eliminate false negatives or false positives that are common when using other approaches.

Approaching PDF remediation as a step-by-step process.
Document considerations to address at the source.
Document considerations to address in Acrobat prior to opening CL PDF.
A methodical approach to remediation while using CL PDF.
Optional considerations to further increase the speed and efficiency while using CL PDF.
Handling “Grouping” tags.
Dealing with custom, or role-mapped, tags.
Adding the Document tag.
Overview of the Structural verification.
Overview of the Accessibility standards verification.

Reading Order, Creating and Converting Tags, and Verification

Module D

This module teaches users how to create tags, convert tags, fix reading order, and verify a document for compliance with accessibility standards.

Navigating through the tags.
Verification of accurate tagging.
Paragraph and Heading tags explained.
Creating tags.
Converting tags.
Merging tags.
Cleanup options for empty tags.
Pagination artifacts.
Working with untagged content.
Fixing the reading order.
Selecting the standard(s) for verification.
Testing document compliance.
Running a Full or Incremental verification.
Using the Fix Wizard to address failures.
Edit Checkpoint Status for User, Verifications and Warnings.
Generating a compliance report.

CL PDF – Images and Graphical Elements in PDFs

Module E

This module teaches users how to work with images and other graphical elements using CL PDF.

Identifying types of graphical elements.
Determining when to tag or untag graphical elements.
Figure tags.
Determining the reading order for graphics and other content.
Alternative text – how, when, how much.
Actual text and Expansion text.
Tagging captions.
Watermarks.
Working with redacted text.
Tagging formulas.
Verification results specific to graphical elements.
Using the Fix Wizard.
User Verification and Warning checkpoints.
Using “Artifact all images.”
Options in the Selection settings to improve accuracy and efficiency.

Tables in PDFs

Module F

This module provides users with foundational knowledge about working with tables of all types, sizes, and complexities. Additionally, students will explore creative options for using tables to present content.

Identifying types of tables.
Determining when to use a table tag.
Possible reasons for incorrectly tagged tables.
Table tag structure.
Presentation tables, simple tables, and complex tables: functionality and differences.
Table linearization – horizontal and vertical.
Generating Table tags from selection.
Helpful keyboard shortcuts.
Fixing Table formatting.
Assigning header cell scopes.
Merging cells.
Deleting empty cells and rows.
Linking data and header cells.
Adjusting cell spans.
Multi-page tables – adding columns and rows.
Table captions.
Charts that can be tagged as Tables.
Failure, Warning, and User Verification checkpoints.
Redrawing or redesigning tables.

Lists in PDFs

Module G

This module provides users with foundational knowledge about lists of all types and complexities. Additionally, students will explore how to creatively use lists to present content that might not, at first, be interpreted as a list.

Identifying types of lists.
List tag structure.
Simple lists.
List numbering values.
Multi-page lists.
Lists that span multiple columns.
Nested lists.
Fixing lists that do not generate properly.
When *not* to use a list.
Helpful keyboard shortcuts.
“Other” content that can be tagged as Lists.
“Failure,” “Warning,” and “User Verification” checkpoints.

Links in PDFs

Module H

This module provides users with foundational knowledge about working with and tagging links.

Authoring considerations when creating forms.
Accessibility terminology of forms.
Required fields.
Labeling forms.
Validation rules.
Proper form structure.
“Standalone” questions and “grouped” questions.
Annotation types – checkboxes, radio buttons, text fields, etc.
Tooltips.
Efficient form remediation with the Fix Wizard.
Radio button considerations.
JavaScript.
Tab order.
“Failure”, “Warning,” and “User Verification” checkpoints

Fillable Forms in PDFs

Module I

This module provides users with foundational knowledge about tagging and verifying fillable forms. Additionally, students will explore how to use basic JavaScript to ensure the accessibility of some form annotation types.

Authoring considerations when creating forms.
Accessibility terminology of forms.
Required fields.
Labeling forms.
Validation rules.
Proper form structure.
“Standalone” questions and “grouped” questions.
Annotation types – checkboxes, radio buttons, text fields, etc.
Tooltips.
Efficient form remediation with the Fix Wizard.
Radio button considerations.
JavaScript.
Tab order.
“Failure,” “Warning,” and “User Verification” checkpoints.

Tables of Contents in PDFs

Module J

This module provides foundational knowledge about tagging Tables of Contents. Additionally, students will explore how to creatively use Tables of Contents to present content that might not, at first, be interpreted as a Table of Contents.

Authoring considerations of Tables of Contents.
Linked TOCs.
Proper TOC tag structure.
Generating TOCs from selection.
Correcting issues with TOC tagging.
Artifacting leaders.
Nested TOCs.
Multi-page or multi-column TOCs.
“Failure,” “Warning,” and “User Verification” checkpoints.
Other uses of TOC tags

Footnotes and Endnotes In PDFs

Module K

This module is designed to give users of CL PDF foundational knowledge about Footnotes and Endnotes. Additionally, students will explore the components of these tags and how to effectively handle them during remediation.

Proper footnote tag structure.
Pages with one footnote.
Pages with multiple footnotes.
Linked footnotes.
Reading order considerations.
Assistive technology shortcomings and workarounds.
Footnote limitations.
Endnotes.

CL Office Modules

Intro to PDF Accessibility, Laws, and Standards

Module 1

While the content of this module may seem very similar to Module A, in this module we take a more author-centric approach, dealing with accessibility from a document design standpoint as opposed to focusing on remediation as we do with CL PDF.

Introduction to accessibility: Principles and Standards.
The pros and cons of the Microsoft accessibility checkers.
Introduction to PDF, including its background, purpose, and use.
Why convert to PDF and not just keep your content in the source format.
Introduction to tagging and tagged PDF.
Compliant and accessible authoring – where to begin

Basics of Accessible Design in Word and PowerPoint

Module 2

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, the basics of accessible design that will, most likely, be incorporated into each document they create.

Writing tips and rules.
Fonts and styling.
Font Substitution.
Text Alignment.
Spacing and formatting.
Reading order.

Advanced Formatting and Templates in Word and PowerPoint

Module 3

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, the more advanced concepts of accessible design that may be incorporated into documents they create.

Text boxes and sidebars.
Page borders.
Formatting content into columns.
“What slide layout to choose” (PowerPoint).
Headers and footers.
Slide Masters (PowerPoint).
Templates.

Color, Contrast, Metadata, and Using CL Office

Module 4

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, on accessibility considerations that center around color use, contrast, and a file’s Metadata. In addition, you’ll gain familiarity with the CL Office interface and use it to generate the first PDFs in this module-based training curriculum.

Color use.
Other design choices to consider under the color umbrella.
Contrast requirements.
Metadata requirements.
Settings and preferences prior to running CL Office.
Opening the software.
Choosing the compliance standard.
Using CL Office to generate PDFs from Word and PowerPoint.

Headings, Styles, and Tables of Content

Module 5

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, on the accessibility of heading styles and Tables of Contents. You’ll learn how to work with heading styles in Word and PowerPoint, in addition to working through those relevant checkpoints in CL Office.

The importance of headings in documents.
How to organize your headings.
Clarification on headings, including the “Title” style in Word.
Editing headings.
Creating custom headings.
Using numbered headings.
Creating accessible Tables of Contents.
Checkpoints related to headings in CL Office.

Images, Graphics, and Math

Module 6

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, on the accessibility considerations of images and graphics, including making math accessible in PDFs. You’ll learn how to work with these elements in Word and PowerPoint, in addition to working through the relevant checkpoints in CL Office.

Inserting graphics, including charts, graphs, etc., in Word and PowerPoint documents.
Grouping graphical elements.
Alternate text.
Working with decorative graphics.
Captions.
Mathematical formulas.
Working through the relevant checkpoints in CL Office.
Creating Accessible PDFs Using CL Office.

Lists

Module 7

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, on the accessibility considerations that center around the use lists. You’ll learn how to work with lists in Word and PowerPoint, in addition to working through the relevant checkpoints in CL Office.

List structure – why it’s important for accessibility.
When to use, and not use, lists.
Creating lists in Word and PowerPoint.
Nested lists.
Multi-column lists.
Additional List formatting considerations.
Creating accessible PDFs using CL Office.

Footnotes, Links, and Other Linked Content

Module 8

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, on the accessibility considerations that center around using footnotes (or endnotes), hyperlinks, and other linked content. You’ll learn how to work with these elements in Word and PowerPoint and work through the relevant checkpoints in CL Office.

Creating links in documents.
Accessible link design considerations.
Dealing with the URL.
Tables of Contents, Table of Figures, and Table of Tables (as they relate to links).
Creating footnotes and endnotes.
Cross-reference links.
Linked images.
Link checkpoints in CL Office.
Creating accessible PDFs Using CL Office.

Tables

Module 9

Instructs content authors, using Word and PowerPoint, on the accessibility considerations that center around the use tables. You’ll learn how to work with tables in Word and PowerPoint, in addition to working through the relevant checkpoints in CL Office.

Decision making: When to use tables
Creating simple tables in Word and PowerPoint
Formatting complex tables
Working with merged cells
Table captions and summaries
Tables spanning multiple pages
Working with tables in CL Office
Creating accessible PDFs Using CL Office
And Much More!

Fillable Forms

Module 10

Instructs content authors using Word on the accessibility considerations for fillable forms. You’ll learn how to work with forms in Word in addition to working through the relevant checkpoints in CommonLook Office.

Fundamentals of form design in Word
Accessibility considerations pertaining to form design
Creating form fields in Word
Content Controls, ActiveX Controls, and Legacy Forms
Making sure forms are accessible in the PDF
Creating Accessible PDFs Using CommonLook Office
And Much More!