ClearLayer Access, home

How we work

A documented quality process for every file

Six steps and two kinds of testing, machine and screen reader, on every delivery, so you know exactly what was checked and how.

From your files to tested deliverables

The same process for one PDF or a thousand.

  1. Step 1

    Scope and quote

    You send the files or URLs and your requirements. We confirm the standard (usually WCAG 2.2 AA, PDF/UA-1 for PDFs), page count, deadline and price in writing before any work starts.

  2. Step 2

    Intake check

    Every file is opened and checked first: scanned pages, forms, complex tables, languages and anything that changes the effort. Surprises are raised before work starts, not on the invoice.

  3. Step 3

    Hands-on remediation

    Specialists tag, order and describe each document by hand in Adobe Acrobat Pro: headings, reading order, alt text, table headers, lists, form fields, language and metadata. Software helps with first drafts; people make every decision.

  4. Step 4

    Machine testing

    Each file is run through PAC (the free PDF Accessibility Checker that tests PDF/UA machine-checkable rules) and Acrobat’s checker. Every failure is fixed or documented with a reason.

  5. Step 5

    Screen reader testing

    The document is read with the NVDA screen reader, checking reading order, alt text, tables and forms the way a blind user would meet them.

  6. Step 6

    Report and delivery

    You receive the fixed files, the test results and a plain-English report, under your agency’s brand if you work white-label. Questions about the delivery go to the same team that did the work.

Quality rules we hold ourselves to

  • Reviewed before delivery

    Every file is reviewed against our checklist before it is delivered, never sent straight from a tool.

  • Tools named, results kept

    PAC and NVDA results are kept with the project so you can see what was tested.

  • Standards stated, not implied

    Reports name the standard and version tested (for example WCAG 2.2 AA) and list anything out of scope.

  • No overlays

    We fix the source files and code. We do not sell accessibility overlay widgets.

Standards we work to

Named precisely, with the official source. See Standards for detail.

Who you work with

A small, specialist team. No invented names, stock photos or borrowed logos.

Founder and accessibility lead

Founder profile

Leads every project and reviews deliveries. More than five years of daily work in Adobe Acrobat Pro: tagging, forms, OCR and document preparation. Personal profile coming soon.

Remediation team

Document specialists

Trained in-house on our tagging and alt-text standards. Work in shifts for overnight delivery of up to 200 pages, depending on complexity.

Quality review

Testing before delivery

Every file is tested with PAC and the NVDA screen reader before it is delivered.

Questions about our process

Not yet, and we won’t claim any we don’t hold. When a team member earns a credential such as IAAP CPACC or the DHS Trusted Tester certification, we will show it here with a way to verify it.

Our in-house team does the remediation and testing, working in shifts so overnight delivery is possible.

Yes. Each delivery includes the test results for the files, and your report states what was tested, with which tools and against which standard.

Software helps with first drafts, such as suggested tags or OCR. A person reviews and decides every tag, reading order and alt text before delivery.

See the process on your own file.

Try the free in-browser checker, or send up to 10 pages for a free remediation test.

Request a Free PDF TestTry the free checker