Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being  Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics

Publications in Portable Document Format (PDF)

Some publications are long and have complex formatting (e.g., with graphical charts) which makes them more difficult to convert to the standard "html" file which your browser usually displays. As a result, web sites sometimes offer these publications in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).

What Are PDF Files?

The software maker Adobe has created a type of file (Portable Document Format or "PDF") that looks and prints the same on any computer when opened with the Adobe Acrobat Reader. These files allow for special tables, charts, graphics, and typefaces that cannot be exactly duplicated in html.  For example, many government statistical documents are offered in PDF format because of the complex tables or charts (graphs) included.  Similarly, brochure and flyers can be displayed as intended and printed out by the user for redistribution.

Do I Need Special Software?

Yes. You need free Adobe Acrobat Reader to use these files. You can download this software from Adobe's WWW site. To get the software, click on the link below. It will take take you to the Adobe Acrobat Reader download site which includes instructions about installing the Reader software.

• Download Adobe Acrobat Reader NOW!

OK. I'm All Set Up and Ready To Go. Now Can I Just Click On A PDF Link?

You are now ready to download PDF files for viewing; just click on the link and your browser will open a window for the Acrobat Reader to display the PDF file.

PDF Files and Accessibility

Adobe has made progress in making pdf files accessible to the computer users who have vision impairments and who browse the web using screen reader software. Adobe currently offers two options:

1. Adobe offers a service whereby users may submit a url of a pdf file and Adobe will convert it to text and email it back to the user.   Multiple urls or individual files may also be emailed to Adobe.
2. If the pdf file is not on the web or cannot be emailed to Adobe, Acrobat Acrobat Reader version 4.05, when used together with the Adobe Access 4.0 add-on software can read much of the text of pdf files. However, Adobe recommends use of the url submission alternative whenever possible. 

Adobe states that the next version of Adobe's Acrobat pdf file creation software will have additional features which will allow the creator of the pdf files to imbed much more information for blind users.

See: http://access.adobe.com for additional information and links to the software.

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