[Athen] white text on white background for screen reader user

[Karlen Communications]

The only time I suggest this technique in a slide presentation, especially PowerPoint as it is the commonly used presentation tool, is when you have an image and you want it to cover the entire slide. I retain the Tab Order of the Slide Title placeholder followed by the image and there must be a slide title.

 

If the presentation/PowerPoint is converted to tagged PDF the slide Titles are H1’s for the title of the presentation and section breaks and H2’s for all other slides. So it is important to retain the Slide Title placeholder and follow best practices in having each slide title as unique/not repetitive.

 

For the end slide which is usually “Questions” or Q & A” I allow the shite text on a white background or blended into the background text as many people want only the image of question marks, and feel the text is redundant. I allow this while educating them on why it may not be redundant. The text can easily be returned to its normal colour once aesthetic fears are overcome.

 

In Excel, I use white text on a white background to describe the layout of the worksheet. Yes, if anyone lands in that cell they can read the text, but again, while educating people on how to lay out a spreadsheet without a lot of blank rows, columns, visually placed not functionally placed data, it is a band aid that can easily be undone or “ripped off” once clients understand that maybe the description of the worksheet is useful to everyone. I also create a linked TOC on every worksheet I remediate taking people to key areas on the worksheet. These too are white text on a white background and can easily be undone to allow everyone equal access.

 

In Word, I only use white text on a white background to indicate blank pages. The text is usually “This is a blank page.” 

 

Those are the only times I use white text on a white background as I agree that everyone should have access to the same information in any document you produce. We just need to keep prodding understanding of this and using techniques that can easily be undone once clients understand that part of accessible document design IS “design”.

 

Cheers, Karen

 

From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> On Behalf Of Krista Greear
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2020 4:39 PM
To: altmedia at listserv.cccnext.net; athen-list at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Athen] white text on white background for screen reader user

 

I was asked recently if the are downsides for having "hidden" text from sighted users, but available to screen reader users. 

 

For example, what are the downsides of having white text on a white background to add a slide title in PowerPoint? Is it ever appropriate to use font color to hide text from sighted users but are available to screen reader users?

 

Thanks!

Krista

 

-- 

Krista Greear

Accessibility and Inclusivity Crusader 

ATHEN Executive Council Vice President 

 <https://athenpro.org/> Access Technology Higher Education Network

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/pipermail/athen-list/attachments/20200324/5d0d53c5/attachment.html>