WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Automated Checking of PDF Documents?

for

From: Sean Keegan
Date: Jul 11, 2007 3:30PM

> I can't seem to get the radio buttons in Adobe to act like html.
> It appears to read each with the group name.

The way I generally set-up my radio buttons in HTML is by using the
<fieldset> and <legend> combination - this allows the question to be read as
the user moves from radio button to radio button. So, when I have created
radio buttons in PDF forms I follow a similar strategy where the question is
read as the user moves from radio button to radio button. Here is a sample
form that we currently have - warning PDF link:
http://www.htctu.net/trainings/information/reimbform.pdf

In the PDF, there is a question with a radio button Yes / No response (it
looks like a checkbox, but it is really a set of radio buttons). A
screen-reader in forms mode will read the question of "DSPS staff/faculty
member?" and then the current focus of the reader, either "Yes" or "No".

I originally set this up back in Acrobat Pro, and used the Tooltip field for
the question and then the Export Value field for the Yes / No response (the
Export Value is under the Options tab in the Radio Button Properties menu).

If you are using LiveCycle Designer - which is much easier to work with -
then it works in a similar manner. When you add a group of radio buttons,
the tooltip should be the question and the individual radio button labels
are the answers. I go into more detail about working with LiveCycle
Designer in my training manual (warning PDF link):
http://www.htctu.net/trainings/manuals/web/CreatingAccessibleAA8.pdf

I am not sure if this is the *exact* method that should be used, but I have
found it to work with JAWS, Supernova, and Window-Eyes.

sean

-----Original Message-----
From: smithj7 [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 3:15 AM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED> ; 'WebAIM Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Automated Checking of PDF Documents?

I can't seem to get the radio buttons in Adobe to act like html. It appears
to read each with the group name. Is there a page you send me to for this
one issue?

Note: I usually am asked to help fix files and rarely set up any adobe
files. I could not get the radio buttons to read individual buttons.
The few I do straight for a clean word code - check good in 7, good in the
first adobe check 8, but always bad in 508 adobe 8.

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Sean Keegan
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 5:16 PM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Automated Checking of PDF Documents?


> In Adobe radio buttons seem to only read the RANGE, can't find a way
> to have it read individual (e.g. reads "colors" for each item rather
> than red, blue, pink).

Not exactly sure what you mean - I can create PDF forms that include radio
buttons where both the question and answer can be read with AT. I have been
able to do this with both Acrobat Pro and/or LiveCycle Designer.

How are you authoring your documents? Can you provide a URL to a PDF
sample?

sean