RE: [EXTERNAL] Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: question regarding printed PDF documents

Thank you for this information, David.

I think the key point is we aren't forcing anyone to print and sign a document, as we provide a digital alternative. I would agree you can't really make every option work for every everyone. I've used the example of a building with stairs out front: ADA requires that we add a ramp, which incidentally is helpful for a lot of people besides people in wheelchairs. ADA does not require that we then get rid of the stairs just because people in wheelchairs can't use stairs. That's sort of what's being suggested by some colleagues. I just wanted to confirm that there's nothing in the WCAG rules stating that we must make printed forms digitally signable (since we provide a digitally signable option) -- I had not seen such a requirement, but I'm not an expert. So, I'm asking the experts. 😊

I believe we support the use of stamps or other devices to sign documents. It makes sense. If someone wants to print and sign a document using a signature stamp, as long as the signature matches the one on file, they're good to go. In fact I expect we have accounts on file that use this device, because we only recently started adding all our forms to DocuSign. I'll double check this with our Legal and Compliance staff that stamps are acceptable.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Deborah Dinzes
Sr Technical Writer, Knowledge Management
Offsite |  m (425) 443-9524
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-----Original Message-----
From: David Woolley <forums@david-woolley.me.uk>
Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2024 3:15 PM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [EXTERNAL] Re: question regarding printed PDF documents

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On 18/01/2024 18:58, Jerra Strong wrote:
> I'm still interested while reading through the replies if there is
> consensus that a form which cannot be digitally filled out or signed (i.e.
> requiring printing of the form) is a legal compliance risk or issue
> due to accessibility concerns.

I'd suggest that if you force people to physically sign, when that is physically impracticable, they will end up with satisfying your requirement, to them, which defeats the value of the signature as something that can be compared against a specimen, as they may well resort to tools to merge an image, before printing.

Incidentally, in CJK environments, stamps (chops) were traditionally used to sign documents, and, I believe, in the UK companies can still sign, by impressing a relief seal into the paper.  Also, when my father was signing cheques for a large public sector organisation, he used a two colour stamp of his signature.

UK banks, at least seem to accept passwords, and callbacks with code numbers, and one time code generators, as authenticators, and then accept a simply form button press as the confirmation of the transaction.  It seems to me that ink and paper signatures are an obsolescent technology, with limited geographic applicability.

In terms of legislation compliance, I believe the UK requirement is to provide an equivalent service to the standard online one, not to make the standard online one work for everyone.

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Received on Friday, 19 January 2024 20:31:50 UTC