Kelly and All,
From their actions, Adobe has little interest in making Acrobat and PDF
files accessible. Adobe plays at accessibility, but rarely makes enough
fundemental changes to tip the scales.
On the whole, Adobe Acrobat is richly inaccessible, especially to screen
reader users, and would require a serious rewrite to make it acceptable.
Not only are PDF files inaccessible, but so is the Acrobat program
itself, with many operations that can only be accomplished with the
mouse, few keyboard shortcuts, and screens that screen readers have a
bad time with.
Moreover, the Acrobat help system is very hard to work with using a
screen reader.
To add insult to injury, Acrobat is also very non-intuitive and hence
difficult to operate.
Making accessible PDF files is harder because of this.
Happy New Year!
Joe Lazzaro
http://www.JoeLazzaro.com
-----Original Message-----
From: * EASI: Equal Access to Software & Information
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce
Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 5:26 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: PDF/Access Working Group Announcement (fwd)
Oh, this sounds beautiful. we are expected to travel to a distant city
at
our own expense to develop an access strategy for a proprietary file
format
so a single big software company can turn around and sell it to its
clients.
It looks like Adobe doesn't want to pay the consulting fees to support
their
accessibility efforts and wants free labor instead.
Further, Adobe has partnered with the National Federation of the Blind,
who
is hosting and facilitating the meeting. Currently, the NFB is being
sued
because it is forcing its employees to work off the clock. Further, the
national federation of the blind of Oregon is being pursued by the
Oregon
attorney general for fraud. The reason: directors raised money and
told
donors that the funds would be used for the Oregon Affiliate and for
people
and activities in the state when in fact a substantial portion of the
funds
were sent to the national office in Baltimore. For copies of the
overtime
lawsuit and the Oregon complaint, visit:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/nfbtalk/
Adobe has given no assurance that:
1. All the NFB employees providing services during this event at NFB
headquarters to the guests will be compensated in accordance with
federal
and state wage and hour laws.
2. None of the tainted money from Oregon in dispute will be spent to
accommodate meeting participants.
Kelly
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jennison Asuncion" <
[log in to unmask]>
To: <
[log in to unmask]>
; <
[log in to unmask]>
;
<
[log in to unmask]>
; <
[log in to unmask]>
;
<
[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 2:41 PM
Subject: [UACCESS-L] PDF/Access Working Group Announcement (fwd)
> Hello,
>
> Thought some here might find this of interest.
>
> Jennison
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 12:05:35 -0800
> From: Robert Martinengo <
[log in to unmask]>
>
> PDF-Access Working Group Meeting
>
> The second meeting of the PDF-Access Working Group will be held
January
> 11-12, 2005 at the National Federation of the Blind Headquarters in
> Baltimore, MD. The working group will discuss Requirements from the
> Business
> Case in order to develop an outline for the specification document.
>
> The Purpose of the meeting is to begin the work of developing a
> specification under the auspices of AIIM tentatively titles PDF
Access.
> This
> specification will formally establish the characteristics of an
accessible
> PDF file.
>
> On January 12, presentations around PDF Accessibility will be given.
Mark
> Gavin of Appligent will present on Technical Requirements. Additional
> presentations to be given on Technical and Refining Requirements.
>
> National Federation of the Blind, Headquarters
> 1800 Johnson Street
> Baltimore, MD 21230
> Directions to NFB at the following link:
http://www.nfb.org/directions.htm
>
> Hotels suggestions for out of town guests include: Each of these Inner
> Harbor locations is a short cab ride to the NFB Headquarters on
Johnson
> Street.
>
> Days Inn Inner Harbor
>
http://www.daysinnerharbor.com/
>
> Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor
>
http://baltimore.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml
>
> Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards
>
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BWIIH
>
> Sheraton Inner Harbor
>
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/search/hotel_detail.html?property
ID=1
>
> 97
>
>
>
> PDF-AC 2005-001
>
> PDF-Access Working Group Meeting
> Draft Agenda
>
> January 11, 2005
> 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M., EST
>
> January 12, 2005
> 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., EST
>
> National Federation of the Blind, Headquarters
> 1800 Johnson Street
> Baltimore, MD 21230
> Directions to NFB at the following link:
http://www.nfb.org/directions.htm
>
>
> Tuesday, January 11, 2005
>
> 1:00 - 1:15 Introduction and Welcome Pisocky/Hodges
>
> 1:15 - 2:00 Review of Standards Process
Fanning
> - Participation - Listserv use
>
> 2:00 - 3:00 Background Information
Pisocky/Hodges
> - Accessibility - Committee
>
> 3:00 - 4:30 Brainstorm Session
> - Establishing Business case and requirements
>
> 4:30 - Summary and Wrap-up for the day
>
>
> January 12, 2005
> 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., EST
>
> Wednesday, January 12, 2005
>
> 9:00 - 9:30 Recap from January 11, 2005 Pisocky/Hodges
>
> 9:30 - 12:00 Business Requirements Breakout Sessions
> (Three presentations)
> - Refine the requirements
> - Identify the technical requirements
>
> 12:00 - 2:00 Lunch - on your own
>
> 2:00 - 3:00 Breakout group reports
>
> 3:00 - 4:00 Wrap-up and Next steps
Pisocky/Hodges
> - Next meeting - Assignments, if any
>
> Remote conferencing is being established to accommodate those who
cannot
> be
> present in Baltimore. AIIM is also in the process of establishing a
list
> server whereby all interested parties may participate.
>
> Also interested parties can stay up to date by consulting the AIIM
> Standards
> Website at
http://www.aiim.org/standards.asp?ID=24488 .
>
> Feel free to circulate this email to other interested parties.
>
> Replies to this email can be sent to
[log in to unmask]
>
> Greg Pisocky
> Business Development Manager
> Adobe Systems, Inc.
> 8201 Greensboro Dr., Ste. 1000
> McLean, VA 22102
>
> 703-883-2810 FAX: 703-883-2850
>
> Learn about accessibility at Adobe:
>
http://access.adobe.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> UACCESS-L mailing list
>
[log in to unmask]
>
http://trace.wisc.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/uaccess-l
>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jennison Asuncion" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2004 2:41 PM
Subject: PDF/Access Working Group Announcement (fwd)
> Hello,
>
> Thought some here might find this of interest.
>
> Jennison
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2004 12:05:35 -0800
> From: Robert Martinengo <[log in to unmask]>
>
> PDF-Access Working Group Meeting
>
> The second meeting of the PDF-Access Working Group will be held
January
> 11-12, 2005 at the National Federation of the Blind Headquarters in
> Baltimore, MD. The working group will discuss Requirements from the
> Business
> Case in order to develop an outline for the specification document.
>
> The Purpose of the meeting is to begin the work of developing a
> specification under the auspices of AIIM tentatively titles PDF
Access.
> This
> specification will formally establish the characteristics of an
accessible
> PDF file.
>
> On January 12, presentations around PDF Accessibility will be given.
Mark
> Gavin of Appligent will present on Technical Requirements. Additional
> presentations to be given on Technical and Refining Requirements.
>
> National Federation of the Blind, Headquarters
> 1800 Johnson Street
> Baltimore, MD 21230
> Directions to NFB at the following link:
http://www.nfb.org/directions.htm
>
> Hotels suggestions for out of town guests include: Each of these Inner
> Harbor locations is a short cab ride to the NFB Headquarters on
Johnson
> Street.
>
> Days Inn Inner Harbor
> http://www.daysinnerharbor.com/
>
> Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor
> http://baltimore.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml
>
> Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards
> http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/BWIIH
>
> Sheraton Inner Harbor
>
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/search/hotel_detail.html?property
ID=1
>
> 97
>
>
>
> PDF-AC 2005-001
>
> PDF-Access Working Group Meeting
> Draft Agenda
>
> January 11, 2005
> 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M., EST
>
> January 12, 2005
> 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., EST
>
> National Federation of the Blind, Headquarters
> 1800 Johnson Street
> Baltimore, MD 21230
> Directions to NFB at the following link:
http://www.nfb.org/directions.htm
>
>
> Tuesday, January 11, 2005
>
> 1:00 - 1:15 Introduction and Welcome Pisocky/Hodges
>
> 1:15 - 2:00 Review of Standards Process
Fanning
> - Participation - Listserv use
>
> 2:00 - 3:00 Background Information
Pisocky/Hodges
> - Accessibility - Committee
>
> 3:00 - 4:30 Brainstorm Session
> - Establishing Business case and requirements
>
> 4:30 - Summary and Wrap-up for the day
>
>
> January 12, 2005
> 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., EST
>
> Wednesday, January 12, 2005
>
> 9:00 - 9:30 Recap from January 11, 2005 Pisocky/Hodges
>
> 9:30 - 12:00 Business Requirements Breakout Sessions
> (Three presentations)
> - Refine the requirements
> - Identify the technical requirements
>
> 12:00 - 2:00 Lunch - on your own
>
> 2:00 - 3:00 Breakout group reports
>
> 3:00 - 4:00 Wrap-up and Next steps
Pisocky/Hodges
> - Next meeting - Assignments, if any
>
> Remote conferencing is being established to accommodate those who
cannot
> be
> present in Baltimore. AIIM is also in the process of establishing a
list
> server whereby all interested parties may participate.
>
> Also interested parties can stay up to date by consulting the AIIM
> Standards
> Website at http://www.aiim.org/standards.asp?ID=24488 .
>
> Feel free to circulate this email to other interested parties.
>
> Replies to this email can be sent to [log in to unmask]
>
> Greg Pisocky
> Business Development Manager
> Adobe Systems, Inc.
> 8201 Greensboro Dr., Ste. 1000
> McLean, VA 22102
>
> 703-883-2810 FAX: 703-883-2850
>
> Learn about accessibility at Adobe:
> http://access.adobe.com
>
|
