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Thread: Open XML based document formats and accessibility
Number of posts in this thread: 2 (In chronological order)
From: Moore, Michael
Date: Fri, Jan 23 2009 4:05PM
Subject: Open XML based document formats and accessibility
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I am currently compiling an analysis of the impact of moving to an open
XML based standard for document sharing and retention.
The standards that I am looking at are ODF (Open Document Format), OOXML
(Office Open XML), and XHTML.
So my first question is, are there other standards that I should be
looking at? I have not considered PDF because I believe that it is not
an XML based standard, feel free to let me know if I am wrong.
Next considering accessibility and compatibility, which formats can be
authored and read using existing open source or proprietary software
that is compatible with common assistive technologies like Window Eyes,
ZoomText, JAWS, and Magic?
I believe that XHTML offers the greatest level of accessibility but the
format does not readily lend itself to all business processes. There is
a definite need to be able to create common "Office" documents and
presentations.
Thus it would seem that ODF or OOXML would need to be considered as part
of the mix and I am particularly concerned with legacy accessibility
support for those types of documents. OOXML documents seem to be
reasonably well supported using MS Office 2007 with JAWS 9 and above,
but what about earlier screen readers? How well do earlier versions of
JAWS work with earlier versions of MS Office that contain the conversion
plug in to allow them to work with those versions of Office.
Turning to ODF, I know that there are plug-ins for MS Office that allow
editing and reading of ODF files but do any of you have any experience
testing documents using these formats with assistive technologies and
either an MS Office Plug-in or a natively compatible software package
like Star-Office or Open Office?
Since both formats would require many/most folks to either install new
software or a plug-in for existing software what are the accessibility
implications for people with cognitive disabilities?
Finally are there more questions that I should be asking?
Mike Moore
Texas DARS Accessibility Coordinator
From: Christophe Strobbe
Date: Mon, Jan 26 2009 3:50AM
Subject: Re: Open XML based document formats and accessibility
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Hi Mike,
At 22:59 23/01/2009, you wrote:
>I am currently compiling an analysis of the impact of moving to an open
>XML based standard for document sharing and retention.
>
>The standards that I am looking at are ODF (Open Document Format), OOXML
>(Office Open XML), and XHTML.
>
>So my first question is, are there other standards that I should be
>looking at? I have not considered PDF because I believe that it is not
>an XML based standard, feel free to let me know if I am wrong.
Are you only considering formats that are directly supported by current
user agents and office applications, or also formats that can be converted
into more popular formats?
I think you should also have a look at DocBook, which is being maintained
by OASIS. I believe the DocBook Technical Committee have looked into
DocBook accessibility (DocBook actually defines structure and semantics, not
presentation) and the OpenOffice.org project has also worked on DocBook
support. Below are a few links:
- <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docbook>;,
- <http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/>; (DocBook Technical Committee),
- <http://xml.openoffice.org/xmerge/docbook/UserGuide.html>;,
- <http://xml.openoffice.org/xmerge/docbook/>; (DocBook Filters in OOo).
Best regards,
Christophe Strobbe
>Next considering accessibility and compatibility, which formats can be
>authored and read using existing open source or proprietary software
>that is compatible with common assistive technologies like Window Eyes,
>ZoomText, JAWS, and Magic?
>
>I believe that XHTML offers the greatest level of accessibility but the
>format does not readily lend itself to all business processes. There is
>a definite need to be able to create common "Office" documents and
>presentations.
>
>Thus it would seem that ODF or OOXML would need to be considered as part
>of the mix and I am particularly concerned with legacy accessibility
>support for those types of documents. OOXML documents seem to be
>reasonably well supported using MS Office 2007 with JAWS 9 and above,
>but what about earlier screen readers? How well do earlier versions of
>JAWS work with earlier versions of MS Office that contain the conversion
>plug in to allow them to work with those versions of Office.
>
>Turning to ODF, I know that there are plug-ins for MS Office that allow
>editing and reading of ODF files but do any of you have any experience
>testing documents using these formats with assistive technologies and
>either an MS Office Plug-in or a natively compatible software package
>like Star-Office or Open Office?
>
>Since both formats would require many/most folks to either install new
>software or a plug-in for existing software what are the accessibility
>implications for people with cognitive disabilities?
>
>Finally are there more questions that I should be asking?
>
>Mike Moore
>Texas DARS Accessibility Coordinator
--
Christophe Strobbe
K.U.Leuven - Dept. of Electrical Engineering - SCD
Research Group on Document Architectures
Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 bus 2442
B-3001 Leuven-Heverlee
BELGIUM
tel: +32 16 32 85 51
http://www.docarch.be/
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