WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Errors with tab order and reading order in forms

for

From: Chagnon | PubCom
Date: Nov 29, 2016 10:36AM

JP Wrote: "I would tackle this one just like a web page since Adobe Reader is the equivalent of a browser."

Adobe/Acrobat Reader is definitely NOT the equivalent of a browser because a PDF is not the equivalent of an HTML file.

Two different coding entities. And the Acrobat PDF file format was in development before HTML was released.

You might be confusing the end-result action or delivery to the AT user, which should be similar, regardless of the file format. The PDF/UA standard was deliberately created to mirror and harmonize with the WCAG standard as much as possible, but it is not a duplicate of WCAG so, therefore, user agents like screen readers will interpret PDFs differently than HTML.

Acrobat Reader is a standalone software program as well as a plug-in for browsers, and it is not anything like a browser.

--Bevi Chagnon

- - -
Bevi Chagnon | www.PubCom.com
Technologists, Consultants, Trainers, Designers, and Developers
for publishing & communication
| Acrobat PDF | Print | EPUBS | Sec. 508 Accessibility |
- - -

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of JP Jamous
Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2016 11:44 AM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Errors with tab order and reading order in forms

Quickly, the answer is Yes.

I would tackle this one just like a web page since Adobe Reader is the equivalent of a browser.

Let Adobe set the tabindex based on the structure of the document. Map that structure in your head or on paper first. Secondly, test the output and if it needs a tabindex of 0 or higher to adjust it, you are good to go.

As long as the tab order for keyboard only and screen reader users is how it should be, go ahead and move on with other work. Don't sweat it.