Documentation:Equivalence of Links
How can we ensure that all document (or documentation) formats are presented in equivalent ways?
As an example, if there are two formats, one accessible and one not (or accessible for different disabilities), links or other commands to access them should be presented
A draft "best practice" was added to the April Working drafts page
Comments and discussion
March 19 - Debbie Cook
I have always preferred to require an accessible electronic format which can be converted to other alternative formats on demand as an accommodation. That electronic format is dictated by the audience. If it's federal employees, it's reasonable to assume that they have provided applications for reading it. If it's the public, then there are fewer options. Doesn't preclude someone from still requesting an accommodation of the material in a particular format because they cannot use the accessible one. If I create an accessible PDF but lots of users can't use it because they don't have enough PC power to run theaccess tools etc. then I'll get more requests for alternative formats and I might want to reconsider in the future.
March 19 - Gregg Vanderheiden
In WCAG we also talk about the accessible format being findable from the inaccessible one. Often you just get a link to one format. If it isn't accessible there needs to be some mechanism to find one that is or it doesn't help you much.
March 19 - Robert Baker
Greg raises a good point. Accessible formats of non-accessible content should be readily accessible within close proximity of the original content when published on a web page.
March 19 - Whitney Quesenbery
Another point we might want to make (which might also be a general requirement on alternate formats) is that when there are several alternative formats offered, they should be close together. I'm not sure how to say this clearly, but it would mean (for example) having the two links side by side ("Download as a [PDF] [RTF] file"), rather than grouping all of the accessible versions in one (separate) place.
Hmm. Doesn't this sound just like the discussion on documenting keyboard shortcuts? Don't make people go hunting for the "alternate" - put it with the "default" mode.
