Your Guide to Adobe at GGC – IT Service Catalog

Information Technology (IT) supports and provides access to Adobe applications via a license request process. License cleanups are conducted annually and at the end of the semester to assist with responsible budget planning and ensure that licenses are available for active users.

While licenses for most Adobe applications are available by request only, Adobe Express is available to all GGC students and employees. Adobe Express combines features from popular Adobe applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign in a convenient service available via web browser and mobile app through your GGC account.

Continue reading to learn about all available Adobe applications and which license best suits your needs.

License Types

Adobe Creative Cloud

Available to: Faculty and staff by request. Faculty may request Class Access for their students for one semester at a time.

Adobe Creative Cloud is a collection of programs that include specialized and industry-standard software used in graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, and more. Users with Adobe Creative Cloud licenses have access to all associated applications, including but not limited to:

Acrobat Pro
Photoshop
Illustrator
Premiere Pro
InDesign
Audition

Students without Class Access from their instructors may still use Adobe Creative Cloud applications on campus in open computer labs.

Adobe Express

Available to: All students, faculty, and staff. Premium access is provided.

Adobe Express is a lightweight, web-based graphic design platform. Because it is an Adobe application, it supports some features from Adobe’s most popular software. It allows users to combine PDFs, create graphics for social media, collaborate on video and slideshow assignments, and even build resumes. No download is required because Adobe Express is accessible via the web or mobile app.

All accounts have full access to premium templates, basic PDF features, Adobe Fonts and Stock, and more.

Review instructions for accessing Adobe Express with your GGC account.

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Available to: Faculty and staff with business justification by request.

Adobe Acrobat Pro, formerly Acrobat DC or Acrobat Pro CC, is the standard application for creating and editing PDF files and forms. Acrobat Pro has advanced accessibility features that allow users to have granular control over their documents. Additionally, Acrobat Pro supports Fill & Sign for PDFs requiring digital signatures.

Acrobat Pro is included in Adobe Creative Cloud. Employees with Creative Cloud licenses already have Acrobat Pro and will not be granted a second license.

Employees interested in requesting an Adobe Acrobat Pro license can review additional considerations and find the service request form at Digital Signature Options: Using Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Adobe Sign

Available to: Faculty, staff, and student assistants with business justification by request.

Adobe Sign is a web application that supports building and managing workflows for requesting digital signatures. Document creators can create templates, assign fields, invite all participants with a single request, and track the entire process.

Employees interested in requesting an Adobe Sign license can review additional details, considerations, and find the service request form at Digital Signature Options: Using Adobe Sign.

What Application Do I Need?

Scenario 1: I want to design event flyers to put around campus. I need flashy graphics and illustrations to make them look eye-catching.

You should use Adobe Express. All GGC accounts have access automatically, so you can get started at any time. Keep in mind that all event flyers shared digitally must be accessible.

Scenario 2: I need to edit some PDFs to make them accessible for my students.

If you authored the PDF, you should return to the original document (Word, Google Docs, etc.), fix any accessibility issues, and export the edited document as a PDF.

If you are not the author of the PDF, consider one of the following options:

Try to contact the publisher for an accessible version, which could be an HTML or ePUB version.
Remediate the PDF through Panorama’s Structural Remediation Max.

Scenario 3: I am offering a course on graphic design next semester.

You can request Class Access to Adobe Creative Cloud for your students for the duration of the semester. If you don’t have access already, request employee access to Adobe Creative Cloud as well.

Scenario 4: I frequently request digital signatures from employees across campus.

You should request access to Adobe Sign with business justification and supervisor approval.

Scenario 5: I need to create fillable forms, but I’m not sure who will be signing them or when.

Since you don’t need the workflow features of Adobe Sign, it sounds like you need to request Acrobat Pro to create fillable PDFs.

Workshops and Resources

Related Workshops

Through the course of the next two weeks, IT will host three distinct Adobe-centered workshops:

Adobe Information Session will be held online on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, from 10 – 11 a.m.
Introduction to Adobe Express will be held online on Monday, November 16, 2026, from 1 – 2 p.m.
Creating Accessible Documents: Flyers will be held online on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 10 – 11 a.m.

For more information, see upcoming Adobe workshops on the GGC Events calendar.

Self-Guided Training

LinkedIn Learning is an asset for learning how to use all Adobe applications. After setting up your LinkedIn Learning account with GGC, search for topics or applications that you want to learn to get started. Video courses offer a great learning experience complete with exercise files, interactive transcripts and captioning, translated audio, and a certificate of completion.

For a more guided experience, IT has compiled several relevant course collections to help you get started. Videos and courses in a collection can be completed in any order, but they are arranged to progress from introductory to more advanced topics. Each course completion comes with a unique certificate, but the collection itself does not have an associated certificate.

Available Adobe collections include:

Resources

Need to learn more?

Need to learn more about MyCourses, Zoom, Microsoft software, Accessibility, or Classroom Technology?

Check the IT Workshop Schedule – OR- Schedule a 1-1 Consultation