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How Section 508 Applies to PDF | Talking PDF

T he Place for PDF Information

How Section 508 Applies to PDF

Pos ted on December 1, 2010 by V irginia Gavin in Compliance, T alking PDF

En su r in g PDFs a r e com plia n t w it h Sect ion 5 0 8 m ea n s en a blin g con t en t for u se by dev ices t h a t su it t h e n eeds of a w ide v a r iet y of disa bled u ser s. For t h ose im plem en t in g Sect ion 5 0 8 , it s im por t a n t t o k n ow w h a t t h is r ea lly m ea n s. T h is docu m en t is a PDF-specific g u ide t o t h e Sect ion 5 0 8 r eg u la t ion s, a s a da pt ed fr om 1 1 9 4 .2 2 W eb-ba sed in t r a n et a n d in t er n et in for m a t ion a n d a pplica t ion s on t h e Sect ion 5 0 8 .g ov w ebsit e.

Technical Application in PDF: 1st Generation (2001) Section 508 regulations

For soft w a r e dev eloper s, it s n ot obv iou s h ow Sect ion 5 0 8 r equ ir em en t s a pply t o PDF. W h a t follow s is a pa r a g r a ph -by -pa r a g r a ph h ig h -lev el t ech n ica l ov er v iew t o im plem en t in g Sect ion 5 0 8 in PDF files. NOT E: T h is is NOT a best pr a ct ice g u ide for con t en t a u t h or s, bu t in st ea d a t ech n ica l ex a m in a t ion of h ow 2 0 0 1 v er sion of t h e Feder a l st a n da r d sh ou ld be u n der st ood in PDF t er m s.

(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided

PDF t r a n sla t ion : Pr ov ide a lt er n a t e t ex t for ev er y g r a ph ic im a g e in clu ded in t h e PDF.

(b) Equivalent[s] for any multimedia presentation

PDF t r a n sla t ion : Not a pplica ble for t h e v a st m a jor it y of docu m en t s., bu t if y ou u se m u lt im edia , y ou ll n eed a lt er n a t e t ex t ..

(c) all information conveyed with color is also available without color
PDF t r a n sla t ion : Ma y r equ ir e r e-desig n of PDFs cr ea t ed fr om elect r on ic sou r ce. T r ea t low -con t r a st t ex t (sh a ded a r ea s) a s im a g e [see pa r a g r a ph (a )], or r em ov e sh a din g .

(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
PDF t r a n sla t ion : Not A pplica ble in t h e st r ict sen se t h a t PDF doesn t in clu de st y le-sh eet s a t a ll. HOW EV ER, t h e a pplica ble poin t for PDF h er e (a n d it s cr u cia l) is t h e idea t h a t docu m en t ssh a ll be r ea da ble. . T h is m ea n s, in PDF, t h a t t h ey m u st be t a g g ed, a n d (m in im a lly ) t h a t t h e t a g s m u st be in t h e cor r ect log ica l r ea din g or der . In t er pr et ed m or e g en er ou sly , it a lso st r on g ly im plies t h a t docu m en t s m u st in clu de cor r ect sem a n t ic m a r k u p su ch a s t a g s for Hea din g s, List s a n d so on .

(e) server-side image-maps.

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How Section 508 Applies to PDF | Talking PDF

PDF t r a n sla t ion : A pplies if t h e PDF in clu des h y per lin k s t h a t u se a ser v er -side im a g e-m a p. In pr a ct ice, a lm ost n on e do (a lt h ou g h it is possible).

(f) Client-side image maps

PDF t r a n sla t ion : A pplies if t h e PDF in clu des h y per lin k s.

(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
PDF t r a n sla t ion : Com ply v ia T a g s

(h) Markup shall be used for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
PDF t r a n sla t ion : Com ply v ia T a g s

(i) Frames shall be titled

PDF t r a n sla t ion : Not A pplica ble.

(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker

PDF t r a n sla t ion : Not A pplica ble, u n less y ou pla n t o in clu de som e flick er in g m ov ies in y ou r PDF (don t ).

(k) A text-only pageshall be provided when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way.
PDF t r a n sla t ion : A n esca pe cla u se of sor t s for pa g es w it h ex t r em ely com plex con t en t ; best a v oided. A lm ost n o PDF pa g e r equ ir es t h e pa r a g r a ph K ex em pt ion .

(l) When pages utilize scripting languages

PDF t r a n sla t ion : T h is is sig n ifica n t for PDFs con t a in in g Ja v a Scr ipt , n ot a bly w h en t h e Ja v a Scr ipt in t er a ct s w it h pa g e-con t en t or per for m s a ct ion s on bu t t on s, fields a n d t h e lik e in or der t o deliv er in for m a t ion t o t h e u ser .

(m) page[s] must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with 1194.21(a) through (l).
PDF t r a n sla t ion : Pa g es con t a in in g lin k s t o PDF files m u st in clu de a lin k t o t h e A dobe Rea der in st a ller , or equ iv a len t .

(n) electronic forms shall allow people using assistive technology to access the functionality required for completion and submission
PDF t r a n sla t ion : PDF for m s m u st be t a b-or der ed cor r ect ly , a ll fields sh ou ld be pr oper ly la beled a n d field-v a lu es m u st be m a de ex plicit in t er m s of t h eir m ea n in g . If ca lcu la t ion s or scr ipt s a r e oper a t in g , pr ov idin g feedba ck or ot h er in for m a t ion t o t h e u ser , su ch in for m a t ion m u st be m a de a v a ila ble t o a ssist iv e-t ech n olog y u ser s.

(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
PDF t r a n sla t ion : T h is a lm ost n ev er occu r s in PDF, bu t if y ou dev elop som e ex ot ic PDF w it h r epet it iv e t ex t -lin k s, y ou ll n eed t o pa y a t t en t ion .

(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted

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How Section 508 Applies to PDF | Talking PDF

PDF t r a n sla t ion : Doesn t a pply , u n less t h e PDF con t a in s Ja v a Scr ipt t h a t u t ilizes t im ed r espon se.

Wondering where to focus?

Her es a sim ple g u ide t o t h e cla u ses in t er m s of t h e w or k t h ey r equ ir e for r em edia t ion : (a ), (c), (g), (h ), (l ), (n ) T h e bu lk of t h e w or k (b), (k) - In fr equ en t or r ea dily a v oida ble issu e (f), (m ) - No pr oblem , ea sily a ddr essed (d), (e), (i ), (j), (0), (p) - Not a pplica ble in PDF a t a ll Sou r ce: 1 1 9 4 .2 2 W eb-ba sed in t r a n et a n d in t er n et in for m a t ion a n d a pplica t ion s. Sect ion 5 0 8

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