Office Application Accessibility Review: MS PowerPoint 2003 | Accessible Digital Office Document (ADOD) Project

Version
Date of Current Version: 16 February 2011
Latest Version (HTML): http://inclusivedesign.ca/accessible-office-documents/powerpoint2003-review

Contents
Usage Notes
Review Results
Screen Reader Test 1. Accessing an Existing Test Document
Screen Reader Test 2. Creating a New Document
Acknowledgments

Usage Notes

Overview

At the time of testing (February, 2011), PowerPoint 2003 was found to be relatively accessible using keyboard navigation. In addition, screen reader testing appeared to show that use is possible with JAWS 11 and NVDA 2010.2 with some limitations.

Testing Details

Screen reader testing was performed using two popular screen readers for Windows 7, JAWS 11 and NVDA 2010.2.
Keyboard navigation testing was performed on Windows 7.

Disclaimer

This document is provided for information purposes only and is neither a recommendation nor a guarantee of results.
If errors are found, please report them to: adod-comments@idrc.ocad.ca.

Review Results

This table summarizes the result of our reviews using the “ADOD Assessment Framework: Success criteria for assessing the accessibility of office application user interfaces”

ADOD Assessment Framework: Success criteria for assessing the accessibility of office application user interfaces	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. Most common PowerPoint tasks can be accomplished via keyboard. 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.	Mostly. Via the “Outline Pane” in the “Normal” view, only text contents are navigable (e.g. images are not navigable in this view)
[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.5] Enable editing of the structure of the document in an accessible fashion.	Mostly. Via the “Outline Pane” in the “Normal” view, only text contents are editable (e.g. images are not editable in this view)
[ADOD-Office-Applications-UI 7.6] Allow the author to search within editing views.	Yes. Via the “Find and Replace” feature.

Screen Reader Test 1. Accessing an Existing Test Document

In this test, the evaluator used a screen reader to explore a pre-existing test document that had been created by a sighted colleague, following the “Authoring Techniques for Accessible Office Documents: Microsoft PowerPoint 2007”. The test document included the elements in the left-hand column (i.e., heading, table of contents, etc.).

Able to Access?	JAWS 11	NVDA 2010.2
Title slide	Yes.	Yes.
Bulleted list with formatted text and misspelled word	Yes.	Yes. The slide was accessible and NVDA read the text, but it was not possible to interact with the text or to assess the formatting.
Image with “alt” text	Yes.	No.
Table	Yes. Navigating the table with the JAWS table commands reported “column 0 row 0” for each cell in the table.	Yes. The content of the table was accessible, but it was not possible to interact with the table or to navigate the table using standard table navigation commands.
Flowchart created from grouping shapes	Yes. There is no description of the shapes, but JAWS reads: “Flowchart of our process: Take order. Make pizza. Deliver pizza.”	The flowchart is not identified as such. The contents are read after the table contents are read. NVDA reads the following for the flowchart: “Make Deliver Take Pizza Pizza Order”.
Search function	Yes.	Yes. Using the find command takes the user to the appropriate slide.

Screen Reader Test 2. Creating a New Document

In this test, the evaluator used a screen reader to create a new test document which was to include the elements in the left-hand column (i.e., two levels of heading, an image, etc.).

Able to accomplish?	JAWS 11	NVDA 2010.2
Add and then edit paragraph text (e.g. do a select-cut-paste)	Yes.	No. NVDA does not provide any support for this.
Insert an image	Yes. Using Insert > Picture > From file… To add alternative text I made sure that the image was selected in “object level” (see section 3), accessed the Format Picture dialog, accessed the Web tab, and then set the alternative text.	Yes. Using Insert > Picture > From file… It did not appear possible to add alternative text, as NVDA cannot access the image. Confirmation performed with JAWS 11.
Insert a 3-by-3 table and fill it with content	Yes.	No. It is possible to insert a table, but it is not possible to fill it with content. Confirmation performed with JAWS 11.
Create a bullet list	Yes.	No. NVDA does not support editing content.
Use text formatting (bold, text colour)	Yes.	No. NVDA does not support interacting with text.
Save document	Yes.	Yes.
Other Comments by the Screen Reader Tester:	When editing slides JAWS has two modes. Object level, which allows users to tab through the objects on a slide and to move between slides. Edit level (no known official name), which allows users to interact with particular objects to edit their contents. When tabbing to an object in “object level” JAWS will indicate if the object’s contents overflow its bounds, or if the object itself overlaps another object.	After opening the example document pressing F6 rotates through the three open window panes: notes (NVDA reads nothing), thumbnails (NVDA reads “1 2 3”), and the slide pane (NVDA reads the entire content of the slide). When on the slide pane pressing page up and page down will move through the slides. It is necessary to press F6 three times to rotate back to the slide pane to have it read a second time, and after switching slides.

Acknowledgments

This document was produced as part of the Accessible Digital Office Document (ADOD) Project (http://inclusivedesign.ca/accessible-office-documents).
This project has been developed by the Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University as part of an EnAbling Change Partnership project with the Government of Ontario and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

Partner logos: UNESCO-United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Government of Ontario and the Inclusive Design Research Centre (OCAD University)

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