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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>RE: accessibility, I don’t see anything in the current WCAG or PDF/UA requiring justified or ragged text. If it was there, it would most likely be under Guideline 3.1 Readable: Make text content readable and understandable. I do recall that something was in one of them a while back, but it was inaccurate and I never paid any attention to it.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Long discussion with summary at the end:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Speaking as a professional graphic designer with substantial research into design, human behavior, and technology…<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In the graphic design world, countless studies have been done to determine whether ragged right (or left aligned) text is more readable than justified. So far neither has been proven to be better than the other. The most critical factors in both settings is how well the text is controlled (or in design-speak, “set”) by the designer and by the technology.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’ve conducted a lot of research on typography during my career and use these guidelines for my own work as well as in my classes for designers and developers:<o:p></o:p></p><ul style='margin-top:0pt' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2'>In HTML-based digital technologies (websites and EPUBs), left aligned (ragged right) is best. HTML technologies do not yet have H & J algorithms (hyphenation and justification) so you can end up with huge gaps of white space between words and letters when the document is reflowed for responsive designs, such as on mobile devices.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2'>In documents such as Word and PDFs, it depends upon how well the designer controlled the H & J settings (most don’t even know what they are), the software, the font size, and the line length. There are a lot of variables!<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2'>For example, if the designer used Adobe InDesign, most likely either left aligned or justified will look and behave well because InDesign has the best H & J algorithms developed for the graphic design industry. <o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2'>But the ratio between font size and line length is critical; too large a font on too short a line length and will create terrible text with white gaps, even from InDesign. <o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2'>Word’s H & J is mediocre; you can end up with horrible text with huge gaps of white space when it’s justified, unless the author knows how to set type.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:-18.0pt;mso-list:l2 level1 lfo2'>In any technology, if the designer/developer/author “hardwires” the justification settings into the file (that is, they did not use CSS or formatting styles to control the appearance), any technology that needs to grab the content and alter the presentation to the user will have a difficult time, regardless of whether justified or left aligned was used. We really have to train authors and designers to use styles, and never use manual formatting. It kills responsiveness and adaptability for AT.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt'><a name="_MailEndCompose">And of course, whatever the designer or author does in InDesign or Word is built into the PDF which gets published.<o:p></o:p></a></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><b>Summary:<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><ol style='margin-top:0pt' start=1 type=1><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'>If presented via <b>HTML technologies</b>, use ragged right/left justified text.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'>If manually formatted into the content, AT will have some problems adapting it for the end user. Ragged right would be better, but should still never be manually formatted or hardwired into the content.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'>If the PDF’s source document was created in <b>Adobe InDesign</b>, either will be fine for most documents, unless larger fonts are used on narrow columns.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'>If the PDF’s source document was created in <b>MS Word</b>, it’s dicey. Use ragged right/left justified.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'>--Bevi Chagnon<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#D9D9D9'>— — —<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Bevi Chagnon </span></b></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>| </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><a href="http://www.pubcom.com/"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>www.<b>PubCom</b>.com</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:4.0pt'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><i><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Technologists, Consultants, Trainers, Designers, and Developers<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><i><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>for publishing & communication<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:4.0pt'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>| Acrobat PDF | Print | EPUBS | Sec. 508 Accessibility |<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#D9D9D9'>— — —<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0pt 0pt 0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces@mailman13.u.washington.edu] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Christine Robinson<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, July 5, 2017 9:24 AM<br><b>To:</b> athen-list@u.washington.edu<br><b>Subject:</b> [Athen] Left-aligned vs justified text<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'>Hi –<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'>Can anybody tell me, for certain, whether there are accessibility standards regarding making text left-aligned instead of justified, in both web pages and electronic documents such as Word and PDF?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'>thanks!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'>Chris<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#007048'>Christine Robinson</span></b><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#007048'> </span><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black'>| Technical Trainer/Writer | Center for Teaching Excellence<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#007048'>Georgia Gwinnett College</span></b><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'> </span><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black'>| 1000 University Center Lane, Suite A-1020 | Lawrenceville, GA 30043<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black'>678-407-</span><b><u><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00704A'>5193</span></u></b><b><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00704A'> </span></b><span style='font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#050C15'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#050C15'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='color:#050C15'>My job is about helping the GGC community make better use of our commonly-used technology. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='color:#050C15'>Feel free to ask me for help!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>