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.
• Provides keyboard shortcuts and when “alt” is pressed, the keyboard shortcuts appear displayed adjacent to the controls they will activate.
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts, assign or remove keyboard shortcuts.
• Set size and zoom options.
• Set color and sound options.
• 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.

Yes. Via the “Show Level” feature in the “Outline” view.

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

Yes. Via the “Outline” view.

[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

Headings

Yes.

No.

Table of contents

Yes.

Yes. Links were not identified as such.

Image with “alt” text

Yes.

No. NVDA did not recognize an image. NVDA recognized a “/” where the image should be.

Table

Yes.

Yes. It was possible to navigate the table using standard NVDA table navigation commands.

Formatted text

Yes. Using the JAWS text attributes command (JAWS key + f) I was able to access both color and formatting.

Yes. Using the NVDA text attributes command (NVDA key + f) it was possible to access the formatting, but not the color of the text.

Change tracking

Yes. Enabling change tracking from the Review tab of the ribbon. It was very difficult to identify which parts of the sentences were added and deleted in this mode.  From my experience on JAWS user mailing lists this is a very common complaint about Change Tracking.

No. The text was available, but no changes were indicated.

Numbered pages

Yes. By editing the footer using alt, n, o, e.

Yes. By accessing the document footer using alt, n, o, e.

Search function

Yes.

Yes.

JAWS 11

NVDA 2010.2

Create a new document

Yes.

Yes.

Create two levels of headings

Yes. By selecting the text and using the keyboard command (alt + control + <n>) where <n> is the heading level.

Yes. By selecting the text and using the keyboard command (alt + control + <n>) where <n> is the heading level.

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

Yes.

Yes.

Insert an image

Yes. Using Insert > Picture. You must use the Format Picture dialog to add alternative text. The text should be added to the “Description” and not the “Title” field so that assistive technology properly detects the text, and so that it is retained when exporting to other formats.

Yes. Using Insert > Picture. You must use the Format Picture dialog to add alternative text. Text should be entered in the “Description” field so that it is discoverable by assistive technology, and is properly exported to other formats.

Insert a 3-by-3 table and fill it with content

Yes. Using Insert > Table.

Yes. Using Insert > Table.

Create a bullet list

Yes. By starting the first line with an *. Word automatically converts the * into a bullet when you press enter and adds a bullet to each subsequent line until you press enter on an empty line.

Yes.

Use text formatting (bold, text colour)

Yes.

Yes.  Color confirmed with JAWS.

Add page numbering

Yes. Using Insert > Page Number.

Yes. Using Insert > Page Number.

Insert a table of contents

Yes. Using References > Table of Contents.

Yes. Using References > Table of Contents.

Save document

Yes.

Yes.

Other Comments by the Screen Reader Tester:

JAWS provides good support for the ribbon. However, using the ribbon is very non-intuitive, as it is a unique user interface component. JAWS does provide help training for Office 2007 in the JAWS menu > Help > Training. Although the training is targeted at Office 2007, it is also useful for Office 2010 users.

Some documents open in Office 2010 in “Protected view”. From within the document press F6 to get to the Protected view toolbar and tab to get to the “Enable editing” button.

The ribbon is not very intuitive as it is a unique user interface control.

Some documents open in Office 2010 in “Protected view”. From within the document press F6 to get to the Protected view toolbar and tab to get to the “Enable editing” button.
Some documents open in Office 2010 in “Protected view”. From within the document press F6 to get to the Protected view toolbar and tab to get to the “Enable editing” button.