About this tool

The USC Accessibility Suite is a collection of software for Mac computers that allows the user to quickly make documents accessible. It is ideal for updating batches of files to quicly apply common accessibility fixes.

It currently works on PowerPoint PPTX files and PDFs. The software generates alternative text for images and tags headings where possible. Support for additional file formats and features may be added later.

The accessibility suite was developed to speed up the process of updating large numbers of files to meet accessibility mandate deadlines. However, it does not take the place of integrating accessibility as you create future documents. Learn more about making documents accessible. 

Disclaimers

• Because AI can make mistakes, you should review the automatically generated alt text for accuracy or to remove extraneous details.
• A document may have other accessibility errors that need to be addressed. A user should still check for accessibility after using the software to update a file.
• For files that have to be updated occasionally — such as a syllabus or CV — it may be easier to update the source file once to reduce the need for future remediation.
• The USC accessibility suite uses the Ollama App with the AI model MiniCPM-V.

How this saves time

Even though files remediated by the Accessibility Suite still require review to confirm accessibility, the software can save significant time by automatically attaching alternative text to images and tagging headings. Each image and heading would require several clicks in a manual remediation process.

How to access the accessibility suite

Faculty and staff in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences can submit an IT help request to ask for the software to be installed on a Mac computer. The IT staff member who installs the software can give a brief introduction to its use.

Alternatively, you can use the app in a college computer lab. It is installed on computers in Jones 102 and Gambrell 003. Contact IT staff at these locations to learn how to access and use the app.