The purpose of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is to assist Federal contracting officials in making preliminary assessments regarding the availability of commercial Electronic and Information Technology products and services with features that support accessibility. It is assumed that offerers will provide additional contact information to facilitate more detailed inquiries.
The first table of the Template provides a summary view of the section 508 Standards. The subsequent tables provide more detailed views of each subsection. There are three columns in each table. Column one of the Summary Table describes the subsections of subparts B and C of the Standards. The second column describes the supporting features of the product or refers you to the corresponding detailed table, "e.g., equivalent facilitation." The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations regarding the product. In the subsequent tables, the first column contains the lettered paragraphs of the subsections. The second column describes the supporting features of the product with regard to that paragraph. The third column contains any additional remarks and explanations regarding the product.
Date: April 30, 2010
Name of product: Adobe® Acrobat.com
Contact for more information: access@adobe.com
Summary Table
| Guideline | Applicable | Compliance |
|---|---|---|
Section 1194.21 Software Applications and Operating Systems |
Applicable |
Does not support |
Section 1194.22 Web-Based Intranet and Internet Information and Applications |
Applicable |
Supports with exceptions |
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 |
| Criteria | Supporting features | Remarks and explanations |
|---|---|---|
(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 |
Many elements of the Acrobat.com interface can be activated with a keyboard however, some functions are not available with a keyboard alone, including: In some applications, including Buzzword, it is not possible to move focus between interface elements, such as the canvas and the menus. Tutorial videos, such as Acrobat.com Tables Crash Course, cannot be accessed using the keyboard alone. Context menus in Acrobat.com are not keyboard accessible. Some functions, such as the History function in Buzzword, are not operable with a keyboard. Adding files to a Collection without uploading requires the use of a mouse. |
(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
|
Acrobat.com 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. |
Does not support |
There is a visual indication of focus for most controls in the Acrobat.com interface but the indication is faint for some controls, such as radio buttons and combo boxes in dialog boxes and links and tabs on the Acrobat.com home page. With some exceptions, focus is not programmatically exposed for most controls. |
(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 |
Many inputs and controls in the Acrobat.com interface do not provide sufficient information to assistive technology. For example: The application menu commands in Buzzword, Presentations and Connect Now do not have labels that are available to assistive technology. File links, Actions and Collections in the Files view do not provide identity role or state information. Some controls in dialog boxes and forms provide identity, role and state information while other controls, such as radio buttons and combo boxes, do not. |
(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 |
With the exception of text in some text edit fields; text information is not available to assistive technology. |
(g) Applications shall not override user-selected contrast and color selections and other individual display attributes. |
Does not support |
The Acrobat.com interface 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 |
Acrobat.com uses only basic slide out animation in the user interface. Information is displayed in a non-animated presentation mode. |
(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 Acrobat.com 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. |
Not applicable |
Acrobat.com does not permit the user to adjust color and contrast settings. |
(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 |
The Acrobat.com interface 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 form controls in the Acrobat.com interface can be operated with the keyboard alone, with some exceptions, including: It is not possible to select users in the Share With dialog using a keyboard alone. It is not possible to move focus between controls in toolbars and other parts of the interface, such as the canvas in Buzzword. Many controls in the Acrobat.com interface do not provide identity, role and state information to assistive technology including: Controls in some dialog boxes, such as Spell Check Settings. Subject and Message fields in the Share Files form. |
| Criteria | Supporting features | Remarks and explanations |
|---|---|---|
(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt," "longdesc," or in element content). |
Does not support |
There are text equivalents for some controls in the Acrobat.com interface such as the New and Meet buttons in Buzzword, but many controls do not have labels. |
(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation. |
Does not support |
Equivalent alternatives are not provided for multimedia, such as the Tables Crash Course videos. |
(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 Acrobat.com interface supports this requirement. |
(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. |
Supports |
The Acrobat.com interface does not use style sheets. |
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map. |
Not applicable |
The Acrobat.com interface does not use 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 |
The Acrobat.com interface does not use server-side image maps. |
(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. |
Does not support |
Information about row and column headers for data tables is not available in Acrobat.com applications, such as Buzzword, Presentations, or 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. |
Does not support |
Information about row and column headers for data tables is not available in Acrobat.com applications, such as Buzzword, Presentations or Tables. |
(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation. |
Not applicable |
The Acrobat.com interface does not use 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. |
Supports |
|
(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 |
|
(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. |
Not applicable |
The Acrobat.com interface does not use client-side scripting. |
(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 |
Acrobat.com includes a plug-in detection script. If the Flash plug-in is not detected in the user’s browser a link to download the plug-in is available. |
(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. |
Does not support |
Some controls in the Acrobat.com interface are not operable with a keyboard alone. Many controls in the Acrobat.com interface do not provide identity, role and state information to Assistive Technology. |
(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links. |
Supports with exceptions |
It is not possible for users to skip over repetitive navigation links in the Acrobat.com interface where these exist, such as in Buzzword. However in most cases, Acrobat.com does not contain repetitive navigation links. |
(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required. |
Supports |
The Acrobat.com interface does not require timed responses. |
Note to 1194.22: The Board interprets paragraphs (a) through (k) of this section as consistent with the following Priority 1 checkpoints of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) (May 5, 1999) published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium: Paragraph (a) – 1.1, (b) – 1.4, (c) – 2.1, (d) – 6.1, (e) – 1.2, (f) – 9.1, (g) – 5.1, (h) – 5.2, (i) – 12.1, (j) – 7.1, (k) – 11.4.
| Criteria | Supporting features | Remarks and explanations |
|---|---|---|
(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 controls and inputs in the Acrobat.com user interface are not accessible to screen readers. Some controls, such as the application menu and toolbars in Buzzword and Presentations cannot receive focus using the keyboard alone. Many controls such as images and tables on the canvas in Buzzword and file links, Actions and Collections in the Files view do not provide identity, role or 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 |
There is a visual indication of focus for most controls in the Acrobat.com interface but the indication is faint for some controls, such as radio buttons and combo boxes in dialog boxes and toolbars and the activation buttons for application menus. |
(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 |
Most actions in Acrobat.com do not require fine motor control or simultaneous actions with a few exceptions, including: Selecting colors in the Color Picker. Resizing tables and table cells in Buzzword, Tables and Presentations. Selecting context menus, such as the Table context menu in Buzzword. |
| Criteria | Supporting features | Remarks and explanations |
|---|---|---|
(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 LiveCycle products is available in a variety of formats and from a number of online sources available from Adobe. |
