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Re: convert PDF to HTML in bulk

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From: Joe Chidzik
Date: Apr 18, 2012 4:33AM

I'm not aware of a service for bulk conversion of PDF to HTML, but I would just make a few comments:

These PDFs may not be currently inaccessible; a PDF with a non-complex layout, consisting of purely, or mainly, text, may be completely accessible, regardless of whether it is tagged or not. Of course, there is accessibility from the perspective of assistive technology, which can struggle with complex, untagged PDFs, but there is also accessibility for users who may not have access to a PDF reader, perhaps on their smartphone. In the former case, a tagged PDF can help, in the latter, however, a HTML alternative may be more beneficial.

When we've worked with clients who have similar numbers of PDFs archived on their website, we have advised that they do not need to make all the PDFs accessible at the same time. One strategy has been to convert the top 100 PDFs, for instance, and then display some clear text on the website so that users wishing to access accessible versions of older PDFs can contact the company and request them. The company could then source an accessible version, forward it to the user, and also make it available on their website.

This was a relevant approach because many of the thousands of PDFs in question were several years old. It was not expected that many users would be wanting to access them, and so it did not make sense, either financially, or practically, to convert them all to accessible alternatives, HTML or otherwise. For future PDF creation, however, a system was put in place to ensure that they were created with accessibility in mind, helping to prevent this problem re-occuring.

These points may not apply in the case you mention, but thought I'd mention them for another viewpoint.

Regards
Joe