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Thread: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
Number of posts in this thread: 9 (In chronological order)
From: Steve Green
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 8:54AM
Subject: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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A potential client has created a PowerPoint file that will be given to participants in a training course. They have asked for a quotation for fixing the document to comply with WCAG and Section 508 and for providing a VPAT.
The WCAG part is straightforward - we test and remediate documents all the time. However, it is not clear to me how Section 508 would apply to a document. I know that Section 508 incorporates WCAG 2.0, so that is a subset of what we are already planning to do. But does Section 508 have any additional requirements for documents?
Obviously we would prefer to do all the work ourselves if we have the skills, but I am open to partnering with someone if we don't. The client wants the proposal by the end of today (US time), so please get in touch asap if you can help in any way.
Regards,
Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd
020 3002 4176 (direct)
0800 612 2780 (switchboard)
07957 246 276 (mobile)
020 7692 5517 (fax)
Skype: testpartners
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Connect to me on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/stevegreen2
From: Jonathan Avila
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 9:20AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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Section 508 for non-web electronic documents would be the same as WCAG 2.0 A and AA without 4 criteria related to items in sets of web pages, e.g. bypass blocks, multiple ways, consistent navigation, and consistent identification.
Some agencies such as Health and Human Services may have their own document checklists though and some varied expectations related to interpretations of the standards - so it might be helpful for you to know what agency it is for so you can check to find out if they have a specific checklist.
Jonathan
From: Alexis Delevett
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 9:21AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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One concrete way to implement WCAG when dealing with documents is to produce a PDF/UA compliant PDF from the presentation.
One workflow could be to first use the built-in PowerPoint accessibility checker, then export to PDF and review their remaining accessibility criteria. After that PAC3 can be used to test against PDF/UA which Adobe's preflight utility can be used to remediate.
Links:
https://www.w3.org/TR/2014/NOTE-WCAG20-TECHS-20140408/pdf.html
https://www.access-for-all.ch/en/pdf-accessibility-checker.html?device
https://taggedpdf.com/508-pdf-help-center/
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 1, 2021, at 7:54 AM, Steve Green < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> A potential client has created a PowerPoint file that will be given to participants in a training course. They have asked for a quotation for fixing the document to comply with WCAG and Section 508 and for providing a VPAT.
>
> The WCAG part is straightforward - we test and remediate documents all the time. However, it is not clear to me how Section 508 would apply to a document. I know that Section 508 incorporates WCAG 2.0, so that is a subset of what we are already planning to do. But does Section 508 have any additional requirements for documents?
>
> Obviously we would prefer to do all the work ourselves if we have the skills, but I am open to partnering with someone if we don't. The client wants the proposal by the end of today (US time), so please get in touch asap if you can help in any way.
>
> Regards,
> Steve Green
> Managing Director
> Test Partners Ltd
> 020 3002 4176 (direct)
> 0800 612 2780 (switchboard)
> 07957 246 276 (mobile)
> 020 7692 5517 (fax)
> Skype: testpartners
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> www.testpartners.co.uk
>
> Connect to me on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/stevegreen2
>
> > > >
From: Steve Green
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 9:23AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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Thanks ever so much for that, Jonathan. It confirms what I suspected, but I don't know my way around all the non-web parts of Section 508 because we get so few enquiries relating to it.
Steve
From: Steve Green
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 9:30AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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Thanks for the suggestion, Alexis. Given the relatively poor state of accessibility in PowerPoint and the fact that I don't yet know what types of content the client plans to create, it may be that a fully remediated PDF might be the only way to meet the required standard. PDF/UA would only get us part of the way there though - WCAG adds a lot more requirements, but we're ok with that.
Steve
From: Colleen Gratzer
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 10:03AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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That's what I would recommend too.
Colleen Gratzer
Website accessibility and accessible design courses
https://creative-boost.com/courses/
Design Mentor and Host of the Design Domination podcast
http://creative-boost.com
Certified Branding Expert + Accessibility Specialist, Gratzer Graphics LLC
https://gratzergraphics.com
On 4/1/21 11:21 AM, Alexis Delevett wrote:
> One concrete way to implement WCAG when dealing with documents is to produce a PDF/UA compliant PDF from the presentation.
>
> One workflow could be to first use the built-in PowerPoint accessibility checker, then export to PDF and review their remaining accessibility criteria. After that PAC3 can be used to test against PDF/UA which Adobe's preflight utility can be used to remediate.
>
> Links:
> https://www.w3.org/TR/2014/NOTE-WCAG20-TECHS-20140408/pdf.html
>
> https://www.access-for-all.ch/en/pdf-accessibility-checker.html?device>
> https://taggedpdf.com/508-pdf-help-center/
>
From: Alexis Delevett
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 10:06AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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Thank you. I always skipped over the differences when reviewing the standards (i.e. the success criteria not covered by PDF/UA) since the PDFs I deal with are not dynamic in any way â it's good to know that this approach doesn't fly in the real world :-)
Sent from my iPhone
> On Apr 1, 2021, at 8:30 AM, Steve Green < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> Thanks for the suggestion, Alexis. Given the relatively poor state of accessibility in PowerPoint and the fact that I don't yet know what types of content the client plans to create, it may be that a fully remediated PDF might be the only way to meet the required standard. PDF/UA would only get us part of the way there though - WCAG adds a lot more requirements, but we're ok with that.
>
> Steve
>
>
>
From: Steve Green
Date: Thu, Apr 01 2021 10:18AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the approach - it all depends on what level of accessibility you are aiming for. We have identified at least 9 possible levels, with WCAG 2.1 AA conformance being the most difficult to achieve. We discuss the options with each client to ensure they get the optimum balance between cost and accessibility for each document.
Steve
From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Sat, Apr 03 2021 11:57AM
Subject: Re: How does Section 508 apply to documents?
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Jonathan's anser is the correct one. You apply 508 to docs minus the four
SC. I definitely wouldn't deliver a PDF as Alexis states, if the contract
asks for an Office format. Office 365 has a built-in checker that does
decent, but seeing what the agency or department does.
--
Ryan E. Benson
On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 11:30 AM Steve Green < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
wrote:
> Thanks for the suggestion, Alexis. Given the relatively poor state of
> accessibility in PowerPoint and the fact that I don't yet know what types
> of content the client plans to create, it may be that a fully remediated
> PDF might be the only way to meet the required standard. PDF/UA would only
> get us part of the way there though - WCAG adds a lot more requirements,
> but we're ok with that.
>
> Steve
>
>
>