Understanding and complying with accessibility regulations can be complex. Add in translation and multilingual websites and it can feel even more challenging. Alboum can help.
At Alboum, we believe everyone should have access to information, regardless of their physical abilities or primary language, and regardless of legal mandate or enforcement. That’s why we make every effort to support organizations’ accessibility needs and help with compliance with applicable Federal laws, including Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Sections 508 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. We want to be clear in stating that we do not provide accessibility compliance services for the documents we translate, nor do we certify files as compliant (including ones we produce).
The Alboum production team works to keep existing accessibility features intact when processing your files, translates all text that supports accessibility, and applies all structural elements present in your source materials to translations. This is possible for both Latin script and character-based fonts.
Here are some things to keep in mind about how the translation process impacts accessibility.
Accessibility During the Design Process
Accessibility should be addressed before translation occurs. When organizations provide structured, remediated, and fully accessible source files (including features such as tagged tables, reading order, and alt text) Alboum’s standard workflow is to:
- Keep existing styles and document structure
- Maintain correct reading order
- Preserve alternative text and table layouts
- Avoid visual formatting that removes or replaces styles
We work to make sure that accessibility features already included in the source files are maintained during our translation and layout work.
Design features often considered include:
- Font
- Font size
- Formatting and color
- Leading and kerning
- How content interacts with assistive technologies, such as screen readers.
Client‑Provided Source Files
We often receive native files such as Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, or InDesign files that already include structured elements as dictated by accessibility laws. PDF files can also contain these essential elements when created and exported appropriately. For example:
- Clear heading levels (H1, H2, etc.)
- Defined paragraph and list styles
- Structured tables
- Alternative text for images
When these elements are present, they support accessibility and allow our team to format the content without changing its structure. Alboum welcomes client-provided checklists that are used with their in-house design teams. We are happy to work to these common standards.
Non-editable PDFs or Non‑Compliant Files
Many organizations are moving away from linking legacy PDF files in websites and are instead moving toward on-page content to improve accessibility.
If the source material is not designed for accessibility, or if only a non-editable PDF is available, Alboum focuses on layout and visual consistency. While design structure may be recreated for formatting reasons, this does not mean the file automatically becomes accessible or Section 508 compliant.
Risk Areas in the Workflow
Certain steps can affect accessibility if not handled carefully, such as:
- Converting non-editable PDFs to editable formats
- Recreating files from scratch
- Applying manual formatting without styles
When accessible native files are provided, our team takes care to avoid changes that could remove or damage existing accessibility features.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about how we can help your team ensure accessibility across languages.
