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Re: PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) vs. Adobe Acrobat ProXI full check

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From: Lynn Wehrman
Date: Apr 3, 2014 12:05PM

From the standpoint of our testers who live with sight-related disabilities, we're finding that properly structured PDF's don't create significant accessibility issues anymore. There used to be a time when the technology that most nonvisual users could afford wasn't keeping up with PDFs, even those that were structured for access, but that is changing as more affordable technology, and savvier users emerge.

The neat trick for the future is going to be getting PDF's structured for access but the tech you're discussing on this thread is part of making that a viable reality.

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Monir ElRayes
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2014 12:55 PM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) vs. Adobe Acrobat Pro XI full check

I think it is important to realize that PDF is here to stay for a variety of reasons, not the least of which the fact that PDF typically represents a "document" as opposed to an html "page" which usually represents an information fragment.

In any case, using the right tools, PDF can easily be made as accessible as HTML. Accessibility technology should accommodate all popular formats as long as these formats are inherently capable of being accessible.

Best Regards,
Monir ElRayes
Founder / Director
NetCentric Technologies
Creator of the CommonLook Suite of Tools Email : <EMAIL REMOVED> www.commonlook.com Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Lucy Greco
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 12:00 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) vs. Adobe Acrobat Pro XI full check

I say go the html way. Really it's a better format to read and in the end easier for all

Lucia Greco
Web Accessibility Evangelist
IST - Architecture, Platforms, and Integration University of California, Berkeley
(510) 289-6008 skype: lucia1-greco
http://webaccess.berkeley.edu
follow me on twitter @accessaces

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Liko, Todd
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 5:13 AM
To: ' <EMAIL REMOVED> '
Subject: [WebAIM] PDF Accessibility Checker (PAC) vs. Adobe Acrobat Pro XI full check

Hello all.

I use both tools to assess a PDF document for accessibility. Both tools provide reports and are more often than not, quite different from each other. For example, PAC always flags borders, table borders, etc... as untagged content, whereas, Acrobat full check does not. Adobe full check always flags table irregularity even when colspan or rowspan are properly set.

Neither tool flags if the <Reference> tag is properly used for links referencing content within the document, but that makes sense as the automated check cannot determine if the link in internal or external. I always add it because it is part of the ISO Standard.

I also realize the PAC tool assesses against the Matterhorn Protocol which is not required under WCAG 2.0, therefore returns many errors that probably can be overlooked. I prefer to address the errors, however, in order to be proactive.

I guess my question is should I care that the table borders are untagged, that the <Reference> tag or <Label> tag is not being used? Obviously addressing all of these items requires more effort and time and I am getting some pushback/questions as to why it takes so my time to make a PDF document accessible.

There are also suggestions that we simply convert all PDF documents to HTML 5, in order to meet the Standard on Mobile Devices.

Any thoughts or feedback would be much appreciated.

_______
Todd Liko
Communications Advisor | Conseiller en communications Web Services | Services Web Communications and Marketing | Communications et Marketing
427 Avenue Laurier Avenue West (AEAD), Ottawa ON K1A 0N5
427 Avenue Laurier Ouest (AEAD), Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0N5 e-mail /
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