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What does "functionality" mean?

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From: Duff Johnson
Date: Oct 16, 2024 10:13AM

All,

I’m reviewing this page, specifically, “Understanding Conforming Alternate Versions"

https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/conformance#conforming-alt-versions

I note in this clause that a “conforming alternate version” is one that “...provides all the same information and functionality in the same human language." (emphasis added).

My question: what is meant by “functionality” here?

Here’s an example to illustrate why I’m asking….

Let’s say that a bank posts a customer’s statement as both a non-conforming PDF file and a conforming alternative HTML page.

The functionality available via the PDF file includes (but isn't limited to):

The ability to download it to be read or shared offline
The ability to extract or merge individual pages from the file
The ability to redact content from the file (e.g., to remove personally-identifiable information)
The ability to annotate the file (e.g., to add a note for my accountant)

The above-described functionality is not (conventionally) available with the HTML page “conforming alternate”.

This implies to me that “functionality” in WCAG terms is intended to cover ONLY the “functionality” of the content itself (links, forms, etc).. and not the "inherent functionality" (if you’ll excuse the term) of the media used to distribute the content.

Is this right? Aren’t AT users entitled to the above-mentioned functionality given that it's being provided to all other users?

Thanks,

Duff Johnson
PDF Association
pdfa.org <http://pdfa.org/>;