- From: Robert Neff <rneff@bbnow.net>
- Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2001 11:19:34 -0500
- To: <mburks952@worldnet.att.net>, "'Uaccess-L'" <uaccess-l@trace.wisc.edu>
- Cc: <sec508@trace.wisc.edu>, "WAI Interest Group" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
PDF's use depends upon your business requirements. NOT everyone has a need for it. however, there are great usages for it. Espscially to collate multiple formats into one document and to ensure documents are printable across multiple printers and it is device independent where you just need the reader. adobe has worked hard to educate the community on the base documents's accessibility needs in that if the document is generate properly then it will convert easily to PDF for viewing and reading as well as converting to text or HTML. unfortunately the blame is attributed to PDF, when the web masters could have easily offered mulitple fomrats for example, posted a text and the document in its native format. i also wonder if the native document was proplery constructed with the use of headings? it is still going to take web folks and agencies time to procure the proper tools and to be educated on the process so it becomes second nature. -----Original Message----- From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org]On Behalf Of Michael R. Burks Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2001 11:24 AM To: 'Uaccess-L' Cc: sec508@trace.wisc.edu; WAI Interest Group Subject: final report of the Web-Based Education Commission Published on December 19 and recently placed online by the US Department of Education, the final report of the Web-Based Education Commission (WBEC) constitutes the "most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of education and the Internet." Chaired by Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, the WEBC urged the new administration and Congress to fully embrace e-learning, address gaps in Internet access, and revise certain regulations that they believe impede innovation. Users can read the full text of the 169-page report in its entirety or in five parts in .pdf format. Even though the report at: <http://www.ed.gov/offices/AC/WBEC/FinalReport/> appears to have up before section 508 took effect, I find it an interesting commentary on how the commission really feels about access to education for people with disabilties, that this report is available only in PDF format. This is one of the most inaccessible formats possible. Even with the newer reader many people still have issues with PDF. It is a format that is designed for printing and should never be the only format available. This says to me, that they really don't care and the commission, by allowing this, shows great contempt for the issues involving people with disabilties and distance education. PDF files are easy to make, too bad they could not take the extra time to make the report accessible. I personally hate PDF files, they are hard for me to read and to navigate. I find it incredibly contemptuous of this commission to post the report in this format alone. Sincerely, Mike Burks Webmaster and Public Information Officer www.icdri.org
Received on Thursday, 9 August 2001 12:12:07 UTC