Adobe Photoshop Elements 8
Voluntary Accessibility Template

Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems

Applicable

Supports with exceptions

Section 1194.22 Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications

Applicable

Supports

Section 1194.23 Telecommunications Products

Not applicable

-

Section 1194.24 Video and Multimedia Products

Not applicable

-

Section 1194.25 Self-Contained, Closed Products

Not applicable

-

Section 1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers

Not applicable

-

Section 1194.31 Functional Performance Criteria

Applicable

Supports with exceptions

Section 1194.41 Information, Documentation, and Support

Applicable

Supports

(a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned textually.

Does not support

Keyboard navigation is provided for all menu commands, as well as for selecting and invoking tools, commands, and functions in Photoshop Elements 8. However, some commands and functions are not usable with the keyboard alone.

Most drawing and selection tools require the use of a mouse. For example, adding text using the Type tool is not possible without using a mouse.

Most controls within panels are keyboard accessible, but it is not possible to switch modes, such as from 'Organize' to 'Fix' mode, using the keyboard alone.

(b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of other products that are identified as accessibility features, where those features are developed and documented according to industry standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility features where the application programming interface for those accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the operating system and is available to the product developer.

Supports

Photoshop Elements 8 does not interfere with or deactivate accessibility features of any operating system.

(c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that Assistive Technology can track focus and focus changes.

Supports with exceptions

Most items in the Photoshop Elements 8 interface provide a clear indication of focus, with some exceptions, including:

Many controls, such as checkboxes and radio buttons in dialog boxes have a small dotted box to indicate focus but some users may not be able to see this.

Some controls in panels, such as combo boxes, provide a very weak visual indication of focus.

(d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including the identity, operation, and state of the element shall be available to Assistive Technology. When an image represents a program element, the information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.

Does not support

Most controls in the Photoshop Elements 8 interface do not provide identity, role and state information to assistive technology.

(e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to those images shall be consistent throughout an application's performance.

 Supports

(f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be made available is text content, text input caret location, and text attributes.

Does not support

Text within the file being authored is not available to assistive technologies.

Text in inputs in some dialog boxes is not available to assistive technologies.

(g) Applications shall not override user-selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes.

Does not support

Photoshop Elements 8 does not support Windows High Contrast Mode.

(h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option of the user.

Supports

Photoshop Elements 8 does not use animation in the user interface.

(i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or distinguishing a visual element.

Supports

The Photoshop Elements 8 user interface does not use color as the only means of conveying information.

(j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of contrast levels shall be provided.

Supports with exceptions

Photoshop Elements 8 allows users to change the brightness settings of the interface but there is no option to select different color and contrast combinations.

(k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

Supports

Photoshop Elements 8 does not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or other elements in the software's user interface.

(l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

Does not support

Most of the controls in Photoshop Elements 8 forms do not provide identity, role and state information to assistive technology.

(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt," "longdesc," or in element content).

Does not support

Photoshop Elements 8 does not provide a method to attach alternate text descriptions to images in web photo galleries.

Captions can be displayed close to the images but image buttons and thumbnails do not have captions.

(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

Not applicable

Photoshop 8 Elements does not create synchronized alternatives to multimedia presentations but multimedia output is limited to slideshows.

(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

Supports

The templates for web photo albums do not rely on color alone to convey information.

(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

Supports

Photo albums generated by Photoshop Elements 8 are readable without style sheets.

(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create server side image maps.

(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create client side image maps.

(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create data tables.

(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create data tables.

(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create frames.

(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create content that causes the screen to flicker at a frequency greater than 2Hz and lower than 55Hz

(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create text-only pages to provide equivalent, accessible functionality.

(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by Assistive Technology.

Does not support

For web photo galleries generated by Photoshop Elements 8, many buttons and controls that use scripting do not have functional text that can be read by Assistive Technology.

(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in, or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).

Supports

For web photo galleries generated by Photoshop Elements 8, if the user does not have the Flash plug-in a link is provided to download the plug-in.

(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using Assistive Technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create forms.

(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 only creates a small number of navigation links for web photo galleries and a method to skip navigation is not required.

(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

Not applicable

Photoshop Elements 8 does not create content that requires timed responses.

(a) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user vision shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are blind or visually impaired shall be provided.

Does not support

Many text and image editing operations involving tools are not supported for screen readers.

Most interface controls to do not provide identity, role and state information to screen readers.

(b) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require visual acuity greater than 20/70 shall be provided in audio and enlarged print output working together or independently, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are visually impaired shall be provided.

Supports with exceptions

Some interface elements use small graphics as icons, which are not resizable.

(c) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user hearing shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be provided.

Supports

(d) Where audio information is important for the use of a product, at least one mode of operation and information retrieval shall be provided in an enhanced auditory fashion, or support for assistive hearing devices shall be provided.

Supports

(e) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require user speech shall be provided, or support for Assistive Technology used by people with disabilities shall be provided.

Supports

(f) At least one mode of operation and information retrieval that does not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions and that is operable with limited reach and strength shall be provided.

Supports with exceptions

Simultaneous mouse and keyboard actions are required for some commands.

(a) Product support documentation provided to end-users shall be made available in alternate formats upon request, at no additional charge.

Supports

Adobe provides electronic versions of all product support documentation.

(b) End-users shall have access to a description of the accessibility and compatibility features of products in alternate formats or alternate methods upon request, at no additional charge.

Supports

Adobe provides information on accessibility features in the documentation. Electronic versions of all product support documentation are provided.

(c) Support services for products shall accommodate the communication needs of end-users with disabilities.

Supports

Product support for Adobe products is available in a variety of formats and from a number of online sources available from Adobe.