{"id":315,"date":"2025-08-29T10:30:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T14:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/?page_id=315"},"modified":"2025-08-29T10:54:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T14:54:51","slug":"rethinking-pdfs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/","title":{"rendered":"Rethinking PDFs: Building a Better Learning Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-umflint-templates umflint-template-default\"><div class=\"wp-block-umflint-jumbotron jumbotron jumbotron-fluid jumbotron-page mb-3\" style=\"background-color: rgb(255,255,255);\">\n    <div class=\"container\">\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-secondary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-cf8b52b3265a39bf0ee651c9abc6de79\">Rethinking PDFs: Building a Better Learning Environment<\/h1>\n\n<\/div>\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jumbotron-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-300x234.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-1024x800.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-768x600.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-1536x1200.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www-s3.umflint.edu\/wp\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Blue.UCEN_-2048x1600.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" alt=\"\" \/>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2\">\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-row row\">\n\t\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-3\">\n\t\t\t\n<button class=\"btn btn-section w-100 px-0 wp-menu-block-toggle mobile-nav-toggle d-none\" data-target=\"wp-menu-block-secondary-menu\">\n          <span class=\"h-100 mr-3 mt-1 d-block mobile-nav-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"mb-1 transition bg-dark d-block mobile-nav-icon-line\"><\/span>\n\t\t  <\/span>\n          Accessibility<\/button><nav id=\"wp-menu-block-secondary-menu\" class=\"wp-menu-block sidebar-nav wp-block-umflint-menu-block\"><div class=\"nav-sidebar-title-container\">\n                <div class=\"nav-sidebar-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\">Accessibility<\/a><\/div>\n                <a class=\"nav-sidebar-title-close\" href=\"#\" data-target=\"secondary-menu\" aria-label=\"Close\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"100%\" height=\"50\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n                        <title>close<\/title><path d=\"M19,6.41L17.59,5L12,10.59L6.41,5L5,6.41L10.59,12L5,17.59L6.41,19L12,13.41L17.59,19L19,17.59L13.41,12L19,6.41Z\" \/>\n                    <\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n            <\/div><ul id=\"menu-secondary-menu\" class=\"menu nav nav-sidebar flex-column\"><li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-499\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-499 nav-item\"><a title=\"Accessibility Tools\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/tools\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Accessibility Tools<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-500\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-500 nav-item\"><a title=\"Grackle\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/tools\/grackle\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Grackle<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-501\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-501 nav-item\"><a title=\"Panorama\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/tools\/panorama\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Panorama<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-502\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-502 nav-item\"><a title=\"Accessibility Guides\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Accessibility Guides<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-503\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-503 nav-item\"><a title=\"Adding Alt Text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/alt-text\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Adding Alt Text<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-504\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-504 nav-item\"><a title=\"Checking Captions for Kaltura Videos\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/kaltura-videos\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Checking Captions for Kaltura Videos<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-505\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-505 nav-item\"><a title=\"Creating Accessible Descriptive Links\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-descriptive-links\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Creating Accessible Descriptive Links<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-506\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-506 nav-item\"><a title=\"Creating Accessible Presentations\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-presentations\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Creating Accessible Presentations<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-507\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-507 nav-item\"><a title=\"Creating Accessible Tables\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/creating-accessible-tables\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Creating Accessible Tables<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-508\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-508 nav-item\"><a title=\"Ensuring Basic Color Contrast for Accessibility\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/basic-color-contrast\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Ensuring Basic Color Contrast for Accessibility<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-509\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-509 nav-item\"><a title=\"Removing Redundant Links\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/removing-redundant-links\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Removing Redundant Links<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-510\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-510 nav-item\"><a title=\"Structuring Your Documents and Pages for Accessibility\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/guides\/structuring-your-documents\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Structuring Your Documents and Pages for Accessibility<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-511\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-511 nav-item\"><a title=\"Recent Email News\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/recent-email-news\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Recent Email News<\/a><\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-512\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-512 nav-item\"><a title=\"Rethinking PDFs\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Rethinking PDFs<\/a>\n<ul class=\"subitems-menu\" >\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-513\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-513 nav-item\"><a title=\"Converting a PDF to Word\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/converting\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Converting a PDF to Word<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-514\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-514 nav-item\"><a title=\"Myths and Paths Forward\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/myths-paths-forward\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Myths and Paths Forward<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-515\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-515 nav-item\"><a title=\"PDF Alternatives\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/alternatives\/\" class=\"nav-link\">PDF Alternatives<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-516\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-516 nav-item\"><a title=\"Sharing Read-Only Files\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/sharing-read-only-files\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Sharing Read-Only Files<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-517\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-517 nav-item\"><a title=\"Shortcomings and Frustrations of PDFs\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/shortcomings-frustrations\/\" class=\"nav-link\">Shortcomings and Frustrations of PDFs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/www.schema.org\/SiteNavigationElement\" id=\"menu-item-548\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-548 nav-item\"><a title=\"Accessibility Standard Practice Guide (SPG)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/spg.umich.edu\/policy\/601.20\" class=\"nav-link\">Accessibility Standard Practice Guide (SPG)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/nav>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-9\">\n\t\t\t\n<nav aria-label=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb mb-3\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\">Accessibility<\/a><\/li><li class=\"breadcrumb-item active\" aria-current=\"page\">Rethinking PDFs: Building a Better Learning Environment<\/li><\/ol><\/nav>\n\n\n<p>Faculty and staff often rely on PDFs to share syllabi, readings, and course materials. But convenience for the creator often means barriers for the learner. When we rely too heavily on PDFs, we create unnecessary obstacles that limit access and flexibility for our students. We can do better, and the alternatives are already available to us. These alternatives are also more intuitive to use, with accessibility features built directly into the product.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/shortcomings-frustrations\/\">Shortcomings and Frustrations of PDFs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/myths-paths-forward\/\">Myths and Paths Forward<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/sharing-read-only-files\/\">Sharing Read-Only Files<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/converting\/\">Converting a PDF to Word<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/alternatives\/\">PDF Alternatives<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/rethinking-pdfs\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-315","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/58"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=315"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/315\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":346,"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/315\/revisions\/346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.umflint.edu\/accessibility\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}