Abstract
While much of the discussion on digital accessibility focuses on web accessibility, accessibility of PDF files is an ongoing but frequently overlooked challenge. The guidelines for PDF accessibility, known as PDF Universal Accessibility (PDF U/A or the Matterhorn Protocol), are nowhere near as well known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). One of the greatest challenges is the insufficient level of tools to assist content creators. In a previous research paper was published in January 2020 (Jembu Rajkumar et al. 2020), our team used surveys, usability testing and interviews, to understand the challenges that content creators in STEM fields face in making PDF files accessible. In this paper, we propose next steps in tool development for improving PDF accessibility in the future.
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Acknowledgements
The work reported in this publication was supported, in part, by grant number 90RE5027 (Universal Interface & Information Technology Access RERC) and 90REGE0008 (Inclusive ICT Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center), from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official policy of the Federal government.
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Jembu Rajkumar, A., Jordan, J.B., Lazar, J. (2020). Improving PDF Accessibility Tools for Content Developers: Looking Towards the Future. In: Langdon, P., Lazar, J., Heylighen, A., Dong, H. (eds) Designing for Inclusion. CWUAAT 2020. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43865-4_18
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43865-4_18
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