RE: PDF in WCAG 2

On Mon, 30 Aug 2004, Joe Clark wrote:

> > As far as I am aware you cannot make a PDF truly accessible for on
> > reason alone, whilst you may have created a structurally accessible
> > document, it then falls to the assistive technology to read the
> > structure.
>
> > In many cases, users at home do not have the most recent versions of
> > assistive technology or the most recent version of adobe due to $$$ and
> > resources,
>
> Adobe Reader software is free, so we'll just eliminate that as an issue.

But it is not really free since it won't work on free operating systems
such as Linux (in Lynx text webbrowser)  in fact it won't work directly
with any text web browser it involves several steps including downloading
the document. running it thru an interperter program and then attempting
to read it with your screen reader, maybe.

> We're not involved in social welfare. We can't solve the problem that some
> people can and others cannot afford "the most recent versions of assistive
> technology."

But ADA itself requires that a person not be required to "may not impose a
surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any goroup of
individuals with disabilites to cover the costs of measures such as the
provision of auxilary aids....."  (28CFR36.301(c))

example, using Linux I can access a pdf visually. but cannot access it in
text mode. nor does Adobe provide pdf interperter software for Linux (and
other operating systems) thus to use pdf I would be required to pay a cost
not imposed on a non disabled person to use a pdf file, thus a violation
of ADA.

> The Working Group can't have it both ways: Complain that non-W3C formats
> are inaccessible and then, once they're upgraded for accessibility, find
> some other reason to dump on them.

but they are only PARTIALLY upgraded for Some but not all operating
systems and browsers


Bob


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Received on Monday, 30 August 2004 19:44:28 UTC