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Re: PDFs that read one word per line

for

From: Karlen Communications
Date: Jan 27, 2010 5:42PM

I agree, accessibility is built into the source document and that structure
is converted to tagged PDF using the MakeAccessible plug-in through the menu
bar and Ribbons in Office applications. It is more time consuming when you
have to add the Tags to an untagged PDF and make repairs to unstructured
documents.

For Microsoft Office 2010 there is an accessibility checker for Word,
PowerPoint and Excel:
http://blogs.technet.com/office2010/archive/2010/01/07/office-2010-accessibi
lity-investments-document-accessibility.aspx Microsoft also has a Save as
PDF or XPS plug-in to generate tagged PDF from Word, PowerPoint or Excel -
not sure of 2003 compatibility as I use Office 2007.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4d951911-3e7e-4ae6-
b059-a2e79ed87041&displaylang=en

We are moving toward better designed documents in general and the draft
refresh of Section 508 does include documents from word processing,
presentation and spreadsheet applications so we will get better at creating
documents with structure.

There are some "missing pieces" in Office for Mac 2004 and 2008. Primarily
you can't add Alt text to images in Word. You will need to do this in
Acrobat. I haven't worked in the Mac environment with tagging PDF but it
should come across my plate this year.

BTW if you Print to Adobe PDF you will get an untagged PDF. You will need to
add the Tags in Acrobat.

We are on a learning curve to unlearn those bad habits we developed from
"Just in Time" training that had us creating things that looked good but
fell apart easily. As we learn, we'll get better at it and will have more
tools as we recognize what we need to create more accessible documents.

I guess the key is that there are people, at Adobe and Microsoft and other
companies, who are working toward the same goals we are.

Cheers, Karen