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Re: PDFs that read one word per line

for

From: Mark Magennis
Date: Jan 28, 2010 7:42AM

> I guess Adobe
> and some screen tool vendors have more work to do to provide better
> "accessibility support".

Adobe are doing their bit and so are vendors of screen readers and
other assistive technologies. For example, PDFs produced with the
latest Adobe Acrobat and read using the latest JAWS are accessible for
most types of content, although, as Michael points out, there are some
unexplained inconsistencies in behaviour. For the most part, the
responsibility now lies with the producers of PDF documents to do two
things:

1. Make new PDFs as accessible as possible using these latest tools.
2. Make alternative and equitable arrangements for people who will
still not be able to access these new PDFs, on account of not having
access to the latest assistive technologies.

Of course users themselves have a responsibility to acquire and learn
to use the latest technologies if they are available and affordable.
The problem is affordability. These assistive technologies cost a lot
and many people with disabilities are unemployed or on very low
incomes and do not have grant assistance. There's not a lot that
Adobe, the assistive technology vendors or PDF authors can do about
that.

Mark

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