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Re: PowerPoint accessibility-alt question

for

From: Jonathan Avila
Date: Apr 25, 2014 11:24AM

[Duff wrote] My understanding (that I have yet to confirm) is that Nitro's
reader also includes an accessibility API.

So far a few quick checks don't seem to produce anything for me with NVDA,
JAWS, or Inspect. If anyone knows anything on the Nitro PDF Reader
Accessibility support or Nuance's PDF Reader support I'd be interested.
Last time I checked Nuance's PDF Create Pro on Windows had a tag tree for
tagging documents.

Jonathan

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Duff Johnson
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2014 11:01 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] PowerPoint accessibility-alt question

> Does Windows include a Microsoft PDF viewer app by default that reads
tagged, accessible PDFs?

Windows 8 is the first (I believe) Windows to include a default PDF
viewer. I would not expect support for accessibility out of the egg with
such software, not least because Windows users are already conditioned
over the past 21 years to install 3rd part software (such as Adobe's
Reader) to view PDF files.

Mac OS is a very different story.

> I thought Adobe Reader/Acrobat was the only way to view tagged PDFs with
a screen reader on Windows?

Jonathan reported Nuance's reader as working with JAWS. My understanding
(that I have yet to confirm) is that Nitro's reader also includes an
accessibility API.

It's up to each software manufacturer to take advantage of tagged PDF in
their own software.

> Apple should totally make PDF's accessible directly in Preview but it
also seems like Adobe could make Reader for OS X read tagged PDFs like
they did for Reader on Windows.

No argument from me. I'm simply clarifying that it's Apple's choice
whether or not to support tagged PDF in their own PDF viewer. What Adobe
does or does not do isn't relevant except with respect to their own
software.

> PDFs are not accessible on iOS or Android either.

Once again. this is more properly stated as:

"Apple does not yet choose to support accessible with the default PDF
viewer on iOS", and "Android developers have not yet chosen to support
accessible PDF with their PDF readers."

Why am I being pedantic about how the problem is characterized? Accessible
PDF is a reality. The question is: does a given developer support
accessible PDF with product X on platform Y.

I'm trying to make these things as crystal-clear as possible so advocates
may be armed with the most accurate information when discussing these
subjects with software developers.

> Is that Apple & Google's fault or Adobe's?

Answers...

- Apple at this time chooses not to support accessible PDF with their
default PDF viewer (Preview) for Mac OS and iOS.

- Does Android even have a built-in PDF viewer? If so then Google is
indeed responsible for ensuring their software supports accessible PDF.

- Adobe is responsible for Adobe's software. They are not responsible for
software they don't produce.

> Seems like Adobe could make Reader apps for iOS and Android that read
tagged PDFs if they wanted to.

They could (and should) modify Acrobat and Reader for Mac OS to support
accessible PDF - no question about it.

> I think we can definitely blame Microsoft for not making MS Office
accessible on OS X right!?

Yes, because it's their software. One does not hold a company responsible
for another company's software...

> At least we always have the universally accessible, HTML format that
> works on ANY platform ;)

As Olaf said, that's apples vs. oranges.

Duff.
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