PDF accessibility
and other e-publishing formats
i-documents & other e-publications forum
8 September 2011
Dr Andrew Arch
Web Policy – Accessibility
Department of Finance and Deregulation
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What is accessibility?
Why is it important?
Who benefits?
PDF and e-doc issues
Future for e-publications
WHAT IS ACCESSIBILITY?
Accessibility is ...
‘the usability of a product, service, environment,
or facility by people with the widest range of
capabilities’ (ISO)
We’re particularly interested in e-accessibility ...
W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative
The impact of disability is radically changed
on the Web because the Web removes
barriers to communication and interaction
that many people face in the physical world.
Web accessibility means that people with
disabilities can access, use and interact
with the Web.
Four Principles of Web Accessibility
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Perceivable
Operable
Understandable
Robust
http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/
Accessibility is usability
for everyone.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Accessibility matters for several
reasons:
1. Social reasons for accessible design
2. Legal obligations and standards
3. Usability benefits that accessibility brings
4. Discoverability benefits from accessibility
UN Convention on Rights of People
with Disabilities
Article 9 - Accessibility
• … the identification and elimination of
obstacles and barriers to accessibility, shall
apply to … Information
• To promote access for persons with disabilities
to new information and communications
technologies and systems, including the
Internet
Australian policy context
An inclusive Australian Society that
enables people with a disability to fulfil
their potential as equal citizens.
AGIMO’s Role
• Develop and oversee a National Transition
Strategy for the implementation of WCAG 2.0
• Establish Communities of Expertise to
collaborate and educate web managers
• Develop supporting projects to resolve common
issues = Mitigation Projects
Aim: unified, consistent and cost effective
implementation of updated web standard
WHO BENEFITS FROM
ACCESSIBILITY?
Accessibility beneficiaries?
How are people affected?
Many disabilities impact access to the web:
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Visual (e.g. colour blindness, low vision, blindness)
Auditory (e.g. hearing loss, deafness)
Physical (e.g. limited motor skills)
Cognitive and neurological (e.g. difficulty reading,
concentrating, understanding, remembering, concentrating)
• Users may have multiple disabilities (e.g. a deaf-blind user,
older people)
Plus situational requirements …
Not just disability …
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People using smart phones and other mobile devices
People with poor communications infrastructure
People with old equipment
Older people and casual users
People working in restricted access environments
People with temporary impairments
People coping with environmental distractions
PDF AND ACCESSIBILITY
Study into Accessibility of PDF
for People with a Disability
Findings:
1. The design of the PDF file by the author to
incorporate accessibility features
2. The technical ability of the assistive
technology (AT) to interact with the PDF file
3. The skill of the users and their familiarity with
the interaction between their AT and PDF files
Key PDF accessibility issues
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Published as an image
Headings missing
Table of Contents not navigable
Contrast poor
Author and Publisher responsibility!
Example of PDF navigation
Example of poor contrast
Dan Murphy’s catalogue
http://danmurphys.com.au/
Top e-Doc Accessibility Elements
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Semantic structure
Image descriptions
Colour not relied on
Contrast
Understandable content
Alternatives provided
Aim: e-documents that are universally accessible
Alternative Formats – NDS Report
Starting points
 Word
 Use styles and other structural elements
 InDesign
 Tagging for semantic structure
 Hard Copy
 OCR the scanned documents to give digitised text
 PDF
 Undertake remediation
Guidance
• Web Guide on PDF Accessibility
• http://webguide.gov.au/accessibility-usability/accessibility/pdfaccessibility/
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
• http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php
• http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/
• W3C draft PDF techniques for WCAG 2.0
• http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WCAG20-TECHS/pdf.html
• Canadian/UN Accessible Digital Office Document Project
• http://adod.idrc.ocad.ca/
• Adobe guidance for InDesign
• http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/products/indesign/
Publishing processes
• Include accessibility in your internal
publishing processes
• Include accessibility in your RFTs
• Accessible PDF
• Alternative accessible format(s)
THE FUTURE FOR E-PUBS
DAISY & EPUB
• Convergence between DAISY and EPUB
based on XML
• Both mainstream readers and those who
require accessible reading materials will
benefit
• Allows for indexed text + indexed audio
Other developments
• Book Industry Strategy Group
• Review of digital technologies 2010
• DBCDE Convergence Review
• To guide media and communications policy
framework
• Hardware and software
• Kindle / iPad / Cloud / etc
• Social media – accessible interfaces
Accessibility is about people
World made for disabilities
RESOURCES AND CONTACTS
Contacts
• Contact the AGIMO Accessibility Team:
• WCAG2@finance.gov.au
• Read the Web Guide:
• http://webguide.gov.au/accessibilityusability/accessibility/
• Read the AGIMO Blog:
• http://agimo.govspace.gov.au/category/accessibility/
Additional Resources
• AHRC World Wide Web Access: Disability Discrimination Act
Advisory Notes
• http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/www_3
/www_3.html
• Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy
• http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/wcag-2implementation/index.html
• Australian Govt study into the Accessibility of PDF for people
with a disability
• http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/pdf-accessibilitystudy/index.html
References
• WCAG 2.0 seal
• http://www.sitepoint.com/australian-government-wcag-2accessibility/
• World Made for Disability Video – EDF
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsuKxY_9f_8