WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

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Re: Interaction with tab panels

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From: Chagnon | PubCom
Date: Aug 4, 2016 12:13PM

JP makes a point that has come up many times on this list:

Our software manufacturers aren't really giving us adequate accessibility tools, whether the tools are for accessing documents or tools for making accessible documents.

I won't single out Adobe or Microsoft because I find all of our manufacturers are dropping the ball.

So keep accessibility front and center on any user forums (manufacturer forums, not private discussion forums like WebAim).

Tell these software companies what you need their software to do.

And for those of us on this list with contacts at these companies, keep submitting your feature requests and bug fix reports for accessibility. We may be small in number, but we can still have a big voice.

I keep thinking that it's a matter of time before someone or the Department of Justice sues these companies for violations of Sec. 508. If those of us who create content don't have the tools to make our work accessible, can't the software companies be held responsible, too?

If a software program incorrectly converts a source document to PDF and mis-tags the PDF making it inaccessible, is that the fault of the person who created the content or the fault of the software company that made the conversion program?

FYI, PDF is in the public domain so many companies other than Adobe make PDF converters.

--Bevi Chagnon