Accessible Digital Office Document (ADOD) Project

Result

[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.1] Use all applicable operating system and accessibility standards and conventions that are important or essential to accessibility. The techniques for this checkpoint include references to checklists and guidelines for a number of platforms and to general guidelines for accessible applications.
ADOD Note: The Checkpoint is very general, and includes: Supporting relevant accessibility API(s); Web-based tools conforming to WCAG; Keyboard access; Providing keyboard shortcuts where recommended for a platform; Respecting platform settings (such as “high contrast” modes); and Providing documentation.

Yes.

• Screen reader support is confirmed by testing (see below).
• Most features are keyboard accessible.
• Respects platform settings including Windows “high contrast” mode.

[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.2] Allow the author to change the presentation within editing views without affecting the [office document]. This allows the author to edit the document according to personal requirements, without changing the way the document is rendered when published.

Yes. “Zoom” feature and support for Windows platform high contrast settings.

[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.3] Allow the author to edit all properties of each element and object in an accessible fashion.

Mostly. Some inserted graphical objects (e.g., shapes) appear to require the mouse be used for editing.

[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.4] Ensure that the editing view allows navigation via the structure of the document in an accessible fashion.

No.  Does not allow navigation via the structure alone.

• Shortcut keys moves to edge of data region or cell by cell.
• Shortcut keys allow chart navigation via the structure of the chart.

[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.5] Enable editing of the structure of the document in an accessible fashion.

No. Document can be edited cell by cell, not by document structure alone.

[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.6] Allow the author to search within editing views.

Yes. Via the “Find and Replace” feature.

JAWS 11

NVDA 2010.2

Image with “alt” text

Yes. To find the image it was necessary to use the JAWS command to list worksheet objects (control + shift + o). The alt text was not identified for the picture in the object list, it was necessary to select the picture from the list, and then to open the Format Picture dialog > Web tab to find the alternative text for the image.

No.

Data table

Yes.

Yes.

Bar chart with “alt” text

Yes. It was necessary to locate this chart using the JAWS command to list objects (control + shift + o). Once the chart was selected from the list JAWS read information that described the chart.

No.

Formatted text

Yes. 

Yes. The formatting of the text was not automatically spoken. Using the command (NVDA key + f) provided a summary of the formatting of the text at the PC cursor. Color was not identified.

Cell with a note on it

Yes. JAWS identifies this as a Comment.  The content of the comment can be accessed from the cell with the comment using the JAWS command (alt + shift + ‘).

No.

Search function

Yes.

Yes.

JAWS 11

NVDA 2010.2

Add and then edit regular text (e.g. do a select-cut-paste)

Yes.  To cut and paste an entire cell of text it is necessary to select the cell, cut, move to the new cell, and then to paste. To cut a segment of text from the currently selected cell it is necessary to press F2 to focus on the cell edit control, to select the desired text, to cut, to find the new cell, and to paste.

Yes.  To cut and paste an entire cell of text it is necessary to select the cell, cut, move to the new cell, and then to paste. To cut a segment of text from the currently selected cell it is necessary to press F2 to focus on the cell edit control, to select the desired text, to cut, to find the new cell, and to paste.

Insert an image

Yes. To add alternative text it was necessary to select the image from the worksheet (see above section), to open the Format Picture dialog, to select the Web tab, and to enter the alternative text.

Yes. It did not appear possible to add alternative text to the image as NVDA does not recognize the image and therefore cannot access the Format Picture dialog. Confirmation that the image had been inserted was performed with JAWS 11.

Create a 3-by-3 data table and fill it with content

Yes.

Yes.

Create a chart from a data table

Yes.

Yes.  Confirmation that the chart had been inserted was performed with JAWS 11.

Use text formatting (bold, text colour)

Yes.

Yes.  Confirmation of the color was performed with JAWS 11.

Save document

Yes.

Yes.

Other Comments by the Screen Reader Tester:

It is not possible to use the JAWS say all command to read the worksheet from top to bottom.  When attempting this JAWS reports: “Say all is not available in a Worksheet in Excel”.  Although it would generally not be useful to read a worksheet in this manner, it would be a useful method of understanding what content is in the document prior to beginning to work with the document.

It is not possible to use the NVDA say all command to read the worksheet from top to bottom.  When attempting this nothing happens.  Although it would generally not be useful to read a worksheet in this manner, it would be a useful method of understanding what content is in the document prior to beginning to work with the document.