WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Forms in WORD format

for

From: Mills, Teresa
Date: Jan 6, 2010 1:12PM

Hi Mike,

This is a loaded question. If designed properly, Word forms can be very accessible to screen reader users. However, there are some differences between JAWS and Window-Eyes, which can make a real difference in accessibility/usability. The real problem is that there are no clear cut standards as to how 508 actually applies to documents--so at our agency we do our best at tweaking the HTML and software standards to cover the accessibility issues encountered in documents. We also look for things such as keyboard accessibility, visual focus (for example on forms), and reading order, and other well documented issues pertinent to document types. For example there is a way to add status text to each form field that can be read with screen readers once the form is protected (which is necessary to fill out the form) so you could apply 1194.22 N and/or 1194.21 L (depending upon how your agency covers documents). I think that documents do not neatly fall in 1194.21 or 1194.22 so so
me agencies come up with their own policies and standards for determining the accessibility documents (whether they call this 508 compliant or not). Also important to note the Access Board has not definitive guidance (or at best inconsistent guidance)on whether (and how) documents are covered under Section 508.

From a practical standpoint, if you properly design the form and your audience uses JAWS (and possibly Window-Eyes), it is very possible to design an accessible and easy to use form using Word. For others, the same form may not be accessible or meet their needs. For example, I am having some problems with a form that is very accessible with JAWS when using ZoomText. I am not sure how other assistive technology, such as Dragon Naturally Speaking or Magic for example, interact with Word forms--I would like to hear others thoughts.

See tutorial at http://www.freedomscientific.com/Training/accessible-forms-in-word.htm on Making Word forms accessible (but it is geared toward making forms accessible so they work with JAWS). Important to note: some of the newer form controls in Office 2007 may not be accessible, so you would have to thoroughly test before distributing the form.

Hope this helps,

Teresa