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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. What is accessibility? Why is it important? Who benefits? PDF and e-doc issues
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PDF accessibility and other e-publishing formats i-documents & other e-publications forum 8 September 2011 Dr Andrew Arch Web Policy – AccessibilityDepartment of Finance and Deregulation
What is accessibility? • Why is it important? • Who benefits? • PDF and e-doc issues • Future for e-publications
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 • Perceivable • Operable • Understandable • Robust • http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/
Accessibility is usability • for everyone.
Accessibility matters for several reasons: • Socialreasons for accessible design • Legal obligations and standards • Usability benefits that accessibility brings • 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 Strategyfor 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
How are people affected? • Many disabilities impact access to the web: • 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 … • 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
Study into Accessibility of PDF for People with a Disability • Findings: • The design of the PDF file by the author to incorporate accessibility features • The technical ability of the assistive technology (AT) to interact with the PDF file • The skill of the users and their familiarity with the interaction between their AT and PDF files
Key PDF accessibility issues • Published as an image • Headings missing • Table of Contents not navigable • Contrast poor • Author and Publisher responsibility!
Example of poor contrast • Dan Murphy’s catalogue • http://danmurphys.com.au/
Top e-Doc Accessibility Elements • Semantic structure • Image descriptions • Colour not relied on • Contrast • Understandable content • Alternatives provided • Aim: e-documents that are universally accessible
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/pdf-accessibility/ • 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)
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
Contacts • Contact the AGIMO Accessibility Team: • WCAG2@finance.gov.au • Read the Web Guide: • http://webguide.gov.au/accessibility-usability/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-2-implementation/index.html • Australian Govt study into the Accessibility of PDF for people with a disability • http://www.finance.gov.au/publications/pdf-accessibility-study/index.html
References • WCAG 2.0 seal • http://www.sitepoint.com/australian-government-wcag-2-accessibility/ • World Made for Disability Video – EDF • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsuKxY_9f_8