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Re: PDF vs. HTML

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From: Paul Bohman
Date: Jul 30, 2004 3:56PM

Regarding the accessibility of PDF files, the results are mixed. I was heading out the door when I got your email, so my response is going to be a bit brief, but I thought I'd give you a few resources to look at:


http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/solutionsacc.html


The above link contains numerous Adobe resources about PDF accessibility. Some specific links off of that section that are worth looking at in detail are the following:


http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_info.html


http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_booklet.html


Many Acrobat files can be made accessible to screen readers. It's not always easy. The more complex the document, the smaller the chance that it can be made accessible.


The built-in "screen reader" in Acrobat is a great idea, but it's not as good as full-featured screen readers.


And that's all I have time to say at the moment, so I hope others contribute to this thread!


--
Paul Bohman
Director of Products and Services
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
www.webaim.org
Utah State University
www.usu.edu