Re: Fw: Acrobat 4.0 And PDF Accessibility

I'm looking forward to a discussion on this matter.  In the Food and
Drug Administration, we have used Acrobat to put material online in a
timely manner.  It takes much more time to put an HTML version.  HTML is
our preferred format, but due to limited staffing and huge workloads, we
use Acrobat as a first posting.  When we get the time, we use HTML.  For
smaller and less complicated documents, we use HTML from the start.

Can any of the screen readers read PDF docs?

Paul Stauffer
CDER Webmaster
staufferp@cder.fda.gov


>FYI
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Robert Neff
>To: David Baskerville
>
>
>David,
>
> I am in the Federal Government and I just gave a presentation to the
> Government Printing Office on PDF and Universal Accessibility.  This
was
> attended by Greg Pisocky, the Adobe Federal Account Rep <good guy,
too>.
>
> My concern is the Federal government has a huge investment in PDF. 
Next
> year, we expect the Federal Government to Mandate the "AA" Conformance
> level.  As I interpret the WAI Content Guidelines, Guideline 11, PDF
is a
> non-W3C format and if PDF alone is used, we cannot obtain "AA". 
Therefore
> to obtain a "AA" we must provide a HTML document and proof it!  That
is a
> lot of work!!!  REPEAT - A LOT OF WORK ON NO BUDGET.
>
> We cannot rely on plug-ins because not everyone uses the same tools -
some
> use screen readers, some use voice based web browsers, etc.  So the
idea of
> using plug-ins or one tool is ludicrous.  I do like the Plug-in!
>
> So how can we easily obtain "AA" conformance?
>
> Here is what I think we need from Adobe:
> 1.  Guidelines that provide formating instructions so documents are
>properly
> created in their native format before they are converted.  For
example, a
> very good workflow white paper.
>
> 2.  From Exchange and Reader, the ability to export to HTML, where the
> images have ALT tags and links are added, Headings are applied.  Hmmm,
what
> about CSS.  Does Adobe 4 do this?
>
> 3.  Work with PWD browser companies to provide in-line acess where PDF
can
> be read, for example pwWebSpeak.  Currently I just save the document
and
> open else where and read it with a screen reader or convert  it to a
text
> file and open it with pwWebSpeak.  Too many steps.
>
> David, I beleive in PDF and like it very much - ask Greg and Sandy in
your
>Federal Office in DC, but would like to see you help the federal
government
>incorporate universal accessibility as we are one of your largest
customers.
>If you dont, you will have to deal with angry webmasters, techincal and
> no-techincal and others come next year.  Please help us out here!
>
> Also, this was emailed to many lists.  Please use caution when
replying or
>else Judy Brewer will be very mad at me again <smile>.
>
> Lastly, please corect me if I have made incorrect statements.
>
> rob
>>

Received on Tuesday, 1 June 1999 10:55:58 UTC