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Thread: Exit icons/disclaimers on HHS PDF files

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From: Dona Patrick
Date: Wed, Apr 18 2018 11:04AM
Subject: Exit icons/disclaimers on HHS PDF files
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While it may have been somewhere in the guidelines before the refresh, it
now seems that HHS is requiring exit icons on non-governmental links in PDF
files.

A project I am working on is wondering how to implement this, especially if
the file is sent to us as a PDF and we do not have access to the source
file. From experience adding content to tagged PDF files can really mess up
the document structure/tags.

Secondly we are concerned that the exit icon would be read by AT after the
link. Would this be a case where we should add the disclaimer text to the
alt text of the link?

Can someone point me to an example of this being used in a PDF file?

Thank you,

Dona Patrick

From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Wed, Apr 18 2018 4:50PM
Subject: Re: Exit icons/disclaimers on HHS PDF files
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Hi,

The exit disclaimers are not a HHS requirement, but something pushed by
GSA. This has been a requirement for a few years, maybe 3+.

At my agency, I would probably advise you to send the request back to the
requester telling them to either add the icon or give you the source for
you to do it. If that is absolutely not possible, we would let it go
probably. HHS is working to a digital first policy, which says html > pdf >
office doc, so the icon can be added to the html version. Since html would
be the fully accessible version, it would be the primary version. With that
being said, this is not an official position, and all other recommendations
here has to be taken as a grain of salt. The web official for the group or
agency would trump any position from the good people of the listserv.

The image would need to be added to the link tag, so it would be included
in the link text.

--
Ryan E. Benson

On Wed, Apr 18, 2018 at 1:04 PM, Dona Patrick < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> While it may have been somewhere in the guidelines before the refresh, it
> now seems that HHS is requiring exit icons on non-governmental links in PDF
> files.
>
> A project I am working on is wondering how to implement this, especially if
> the file is sent to us as a PDF and we do not have access to the source
> file. From experience adding content to tagged PDF files can really mess up
> the document structure/tags.
>
> Secondly we are concerned that the exit icon would be read by AT after the
> link. Would this be a case where we should add the disclaimer text to the
> alt text of the link?
>
> Can someone point me to an example of this being used in a PDF file?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Dona Patrick
> > > > >

From: glen walker
Date: Wed, Apr 18 2018 5:00PM
Subject: Re: Exit icons/disclaimers on HHS PDF files
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This sounds similar to links on government websites that go to external
sites. After selecting the link, a dialog pops up saying you're leaving
the government site. But with your PDF example, you don't really have a
way to popup a dialog before leaving so you have to indicate you're going
to leave on the link itself, right? From an html perspective, I would
probably add a visual indicator that is part of the link itself and make
sure the indicator has an appropriate accessible name that indicates you're
leaving the government site. It could be as simple as "(leaving HHS)".

On Wed, Apr 18, 2018 at 11:04 AM, Dona Patrick < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> While it may have been somewhere in the guidelines before the refresh, it
> now seems that HHS is requiring exit icons on non-governmental links in PDF
> files.
>
> A project I am working on is wondering how to implement this, especially if
> the file is sent to us as a PDF and we do not have access to the source
> file. From experience adding content to tagged PDF files can really mess up
> the document structure/tags.
>
> Secondly we are concerned that the exit icon would be read by AT after the
> link. Would this be a case where we should add the disclaimer text to the
> alt text of the link?
>
> Can someone point me to an example of this being used in a PDF file?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Dona Patrick
> > > > >

From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Wed, Apr 18 2018 8:49PM
Subject: Re: Exit icons/disclaimers on HHS PDF files
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If I recall correctly, the icon with a footnote is the recommended method
over a popup, generally speaking.

--
Ryan E. Benson

On Wed, Apr 18, 2018 at 7:00 PM, glen walker < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> This sounds similar to links on government websites that go to external
> sites. After selecting the link, a dialog pops up saying you're leaving
> the government site. But with your PDF example, you don't really have a
> way to popup a dialog before leaving so you have to indicate you're going
> to leave on the link itself, right? From an html perspective, I would
> probably add a visual indicator that is part of the link itself and make
> sure the indicator has an appropriate accessible name that indicates you're
> leaving the government site. It could be as simple as "(leaving HHS)".
>
> On Wed, Apr 18, 2018 at 11:04 AM, Dona Patrick < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> > While it may have been somewhere in the guidelines before the refresh, it
> > now seems that HHS is requiring exit icons on non-governmental links in
> PDF
> > files.
> >
> > A project I am working on is wondering how to implement this, especially
> if
> > the file is sent to us as a PDF and we do not have access to the source
> > file. From experience adding content to tagged PDF files can really mess
> up
> > the document structure/tags.
> >
> > Secondly we are concerned that the exit icon would be read by AT after
> the
> > link. Would this be a case where we should add the disclaimer text to the
> > alt text of the link?
> >
> > Can someone point me to an example of this being used in a PDF file?
> >
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Dona Patrick
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > >

From: glen walker
Date: Thu, Apr 19 2018 8:23AM
Subject: Re: Exit icons/disclaimers on HHS PDF files
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Who recommends that?

On Wed, Apr 18, 2018 at 8:49 PM, Ryan E. Benson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
wrote:

> If I recall correctly, the icon with a footnote is the recommended method
> over a popup, generally speaking.
>
> --
> Ryan E. Benson
>
>

From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Thu, Apr 19 2018 3:18PM
Subject: Re: Exit icons/disclaimers on HHS PDF files
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GSA. I believe that their guidance was changed from the pop up to the icon,
though I may be incorrect. That's how we do it on our website, I believe.

Ryan E. Benson

On Thu, Apr 19, 2018, 10:23 glen walker < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Who recommends that?
>
> On Wed, Apr 18, 2018 at 8:49 PM, Ryan E. Benson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> wrote:
>
> > If I recall correctly, the icon with a footnote is the recommended method
> > over a popup, generally speaking.
> >
> > --
> > Ryan E. Benson
> >
> >
> > > > >