Re: question regarding printed PDF documents

Hi Deborah,
Thank you for the opportunity your question presents.
Speaking personally, it creates a fine moment to underscore a few critical 
factors.
First, as many remind us often wcag are guidelines and standards, the laws 
which  include not only the ada, but human rights laws in jurisdictions 
include  elements that, would not likely? be incorporated in standards if 
that resonates.
I have no idea what state you are operating in, or if your organization 
falls  under federal mandate only.
Still, I invite you to remember the role equality, the ability to access 
goods & services equal to others plays in those laws.
Let's therefore explore all the barriers your process might present to any 
number  of populations living with a disability experience.
to your mind it is the simple process of printing signing and returning 
this file.
That requires a computer that can be controlled, by voice if paraplegic, by 
programs that modify presentation if experiencing a learning or reading 
related challenge.  That computer must likewise have access to 
adobe software  to print your file.  Recently adobe has made changes to 
their software, many older editions no longer work.
Next there must be a printer, that can produce a legally acceptable copy 
of this form, which must be read to even locate the place for a signature.
What does that mean if again you are managing by voice, cannot hold a pen, 
cannot locate a signature line without the presence of someone who does 
not live with said comparative disability.
You have likely  now added the need..for someone sighted, or with fully 
functional hands who must be found to complete this task.
And I have not even started on the  process of getting this form back to 
your office.
Speaking profoundly personally the often automatic assumption, no matter 
how  intended, that living with a disability experience means that you 
will have   uniformly someone else able to work around such common 
barriers is frankly reprehensible.
Again, its a bias born of many factors and stereotypes, but in short it 
says.
you live with a disability experience, therefore someone must be taking 
care   of you.
Someone exists to read for you, sign for you or facilitate your signing, 
manage documents for you, use your computers in place of you etc. 
is  the issue more clear?
Are you going to find a wcag or ada  rule that says  creating a process 
that  automatically requires a person living with any number of 
disabilities   to find someone not  living with the same disabilities to 
complete the task is discriminatory?  Perhaps not, but common sense and 
respect of human dignity says you should.
Does that help?
Kare


On Mon, 15 Jan 2024, Deborah Dinzes wrote:

> Hello,
>
> We have a question regarding printing PDF documents. We currently publish PDF forms, which people can download and fill out electronically. They then have to print the form, sign it, and send it to us (or fax it or scan and email it). They have the option of completing the form electronically in DocuSign, electronically signing the document, and submitting it electronically.
>
> It's been asserted that printing the form and signing it makes it inherently inaccessible to some users. Our credit union requires us to meet the WCAG 2.0 standard for our website, and as our PDFs are published there, we are making sure they are also WCAG - compliant. Is there anything in WCAG that states that printing and signing a PDF document is a violation of WCAG or ADA requirements?
>
> The signature area on the PDF is currently blank - no form field, just a box to sign in - because we cannot accept digital PDF signatures as they are not verified. We currently add expansion text to the "Signature" label that reads out loud: "Borrower's Signature. Please print, sign, and submit this form by email, fax, or mail."  This contact information is provided on the form.
>
> Thank you for your advice.
>
> Deborah Dinzes
>
>
> <https://becu.org/>
>
> Deborah Dinzes
> Sr Technical Writer, Knowledge Management
> Offsite |
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Received on Monday, 15 January 2024 23:35:04 UTC