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Re: Fwd: question about pdf documents (Nathan Clark)

for

From: Peter Shikli
Date: Dec 29, 2022 10:25PM

Jared,

I didn't see my post below appear.  Did I violate a policy?

Cheers,
Peter


-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: question about pdf documents (Nathan Clark)
Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2022 21:42:26 -0800
From: Peter Shikli < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Organization: Access2online
To: WebAIM Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> >



Nathan,

There is bad news and good news here if you focus on the difference
between accessibility and usability.

A blind person cannot test for accessibility any more than he can tell
if an image's alt description is accurate, or check that a tab order
doesn't miss something.

But where a blind person can shine is in the usability testing to follow
that answers the question, "How well does this accessible version
produce a good experience for the blind user?"

Of course a minimalist approach says that accessibility regulations are
fulfilled without addressing usability, but the counter-argument is that
the client has paid for content to achieve some objective -- to sell
something, to teach something, or to convince someone -- and they have
dropped the ball just short of a touchdown as far as their blind
visitors are concerned. Another argument is how such usability addresses
an SEO improvement since search engine spiders are blind, but that is
another story.

I have watched our rather talented accessibility analysts take a swing
at usability testing, listening to their screen reader while following
along on a computer display with their mouse. For that job, they are
disabled by being sighted.

If you agree with the above, I suggest you join the virtual workforce
and field a for-profit website promoting only your specialty services,
usability testing. Market not to document owners, as we do, but to
accessibility service providers like us. Your pitch can be "We'll take
your deliverable across the finish line without a risk of approaching
your client to do the whole job."

If the above appeals to you, let me know, and I'll help you launch your
website just to have such a vendor ready to work for us.

Cheers,
Peter Shikli
Access2online Inc.
29030 SW Town Center Loop East
Suite 202-187
Wilsonville, OR 97070
503-570-6831 - <EMAIL REMOVED>
Cell: 949-677-3705
FAX: 503-582-8337
www.access2online.com
Prison inmates helping the internet become accessible