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Re: adobe 6.0 accessibility

for

From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Oct 10, 2003 11:28AM

Wayne,
In addition to Jared's comments, I'll add that a PDF document that has been
authored accessibly can address several of your concerns.

Acrobat Reader can wrap the text in some PDF documents. Try this: open a
pdf file, increase the magnification to 400%(or whatever you like), then hit
ctrl+4 (reflow text under the view menu).

This will not work for a document that is scanned into PDF, but it does work
for documents that are turned into PDFs from Microsoft Word or other sources
where the text is...text.

I have seen other documents in PDF that don't cooperate with this feature,
but don't know how they were authored and therefore don't know why they
aren't cooperating.

AWK



> Most low vision users, expecially those between 20/80 and 20/200 prefer,
> large print, well spaced output that has been reformatted to fit the
> available screen space. Most word processors do this extremely well. The
> problem with PDF is that it does not enlarge intelligently. You cannot
> control the spacing between lines. It doesn't port well into any accessible
> visual interface.
>
> Any product that enlarges without word wrapping is not accessible to low
> vision users.
>
> There is a large faculty that is assumed by many if not most in the
> accessiblity business. That is that one size fits all. Audio output is not
> the best or even the reasonable accommodation for people who can see, but
> not a lot. The fact that PDF, or any format can be ported to screen readers
> does not make it accessible. Any interface that cannot be enlarge by a
> factor of 4 intelligently, is not really accessible. Also, without user
> control of color, most products are marginal.
>
> Poorly formated PDF is useless. Well formatted PDF is difficult to use, but
> marginally possible. I usually spend about 10 minutes per page to obtain a
> good readible document.
>
> This year befor my term as Academic Senate Chair ends I hope to enact a
> complete ban of PDF use on my campus. Next, I will try to extend it to the
> entire CSU System.
>
> Wish me luck,
>
> Wayne Dick
> Chair Academic Senate
> Professor Computer Engineering and Computer Science
> CSU Long Beach
>
>
>
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Andrew Kirkpatrick
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