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Re: PDF/A accessibility

for

From: Ron Stewart
Date: Aug 9, 2011 2:48PM

My apologies, but to purport a standard to be accessible when basic elements
of accessibility are not present is to be disingenuous. I think I have
presented the issues clearly, what about reading order in PDF documents and
the presentation of proper pagination is not understood.

I think I have been very clear, what is it that you do not understand about
these accessibility requirements?

Ron Stewart

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Duff Johnson
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 1:36 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] PDF/A accessibility

On Aug 9, 2011, at 4:29 PM, Ron Stewart wrote:

> Duff, actually this is not true as you and I have discussed previously!

Um... what isn't true?

> There are some shortcomings in regards to accessibility in PDF/UA as
> it is currently structured.

Ok, maybe (I'd like to hear more about that)... but the question was about
PDF/A, not PDF/UA....

> Those are retention of reading order and pagination which are
> necessary components for producing accessible PDF documents.

I guess I'm not clear on what you mean. Could you please explain further?

> I
> find it to be continually problematic that the spokespeople for PDF
> accessibility to continue to ignore these inherent flaws in what is
> purported to be an "accessible" implementation.

I look forward to learning what - in particular - you find so problematic.

Thanks,

Duff Johnson

US Committee for ISO/DIS 14289 (PDF/UA), Chair

p +1.617.283.4226
e <EMAIL REMOVED>
t http://www.twitter.com/duffjohnson
w http://www.duff-johnson.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Duff
> Johnson
> Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 1:09 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] PDF/A accessibility
>
> Jon,
>
>> Does anyone know if there are any particular accessibility
>> limitations to PDF/A documents compared with standard PDF documents
>
> There are none... unless you are relying on JavaScript to enhance
> accessibility in a PDF form, for example. (PDF/A prohibits JavaScript).
>
>> , and/or if there are
>> any special steps that should be taken to ensure PDF/A documents are
>> accessible?
>
> There are no "special" steps other than those steps required to make
> any PDF accessible (tagging). That said, a good workflow for
> accessible PDF/A documents would start with ensuring that you can
> readily convert the PDF to PDF/A before investing significant time/effort
into tagging.
>
>> The specific situation we're facing is converting fairly simple Word
>> docs (no images, no tables, no multiple columns) to PDF/A, but any
>> experience anyone has with this would be very helpful.
>
>
> 1) Ensure the files are properly structured prior to conversion (ie,
> focus on accessibility in the source document)
>
> 2) Convert to PDF using software that preserves that structure,
> converting it into tags in the PDF. Both Adobe Acrobat's "PDFMaker"
> plugin for Word
> (Windows) and Microsoft Office itself can do this.
>
> 3) Validate the tags, etc. per normal.
>
> 4) Convert to PDF/A once the file is otherwise finalized.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Duff Johnson
>
> US Committee for ISO/DIS 14289 (PDF/UA), Chair
>
> p +1.617.283.4226
> e <EMAIL REMOVED>
> t http://www.twitter.com/duffjohnson
> w http://www.duff-johnson.com
>
>