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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>At this time, there isn’t a standard for accessible office documents (Word, GoogleDocs, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>We have WCAG for HTML/web content, PDF/UA for PDF files, and EPUB for EPUB documents. But nothing designed specifically for office documents. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>So what you find on the web are recommendations, and maybe an entity’s requirements (such as from a university or government agency). Generally the recommendations are based on WCAG and PDF/UA.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>But there is no thorough, vetted, and official set of standards for office documents, such as an ISO standard. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>So in a way, we’re all just making this up as we go along. <grin><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Our guidelines to clients and students regarding Alt-text on tables:<o:p></o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Make a better, more simple table so that it doesn’t need to be explained with Alt-text (or summary or caption or something else).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>If it would be helpful to those with vision deficiencies to have this type of information, then make it available to all users, not just those using screen readers. Alt-text is often hidden from most users, and is voiced only by screen readers, so this is not the best way to convey the information to everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-top:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Live narrative text is always a better way to provide this info to all users. Tag it Caption or Summary and place it before the table itself to ensure the widest audience can access it. Long ago when I was in academia publishing, this information was a phrase, sentence, or short paragraph that precedes the table, called Prefatory Information. It still is one of the most effective and efficient ways to communicate to all users. And it doesn’t require any addition tools or coding to be useful and accessible.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Just my 2 cents’ worth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>—Bevi<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:#D0CECE'>— — —<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bevi Chagnon, founder/CEO <b><span style='color:#AEAAAA'>|</span></b> <a href="mailto:chagnon@pubcom.com">chagnon@pubcom.com</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:#D0CECE'>— — —<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>PubCom: <span style='color:#C00000'>Technologists for Accessible Design + Publishing</span><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>consulting <span style='color:#D0CECE'>•</span> training <span style='color:#D0CECE'>•</span> development <span style='color:#D0CECE'>•</span> design <span style='color:#D0CECE'>•</span> sec. 508 services<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Upcoming classes</b> at <a href="http://www.pubcom.com/classes"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.PubCom.com/<b>classes</b></span></a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:#D0CECE'>— — —<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://mailchi.mp/dfadd677496c/heqcq8lsqb-2960773"><b><span style='color:#0563C1'>Latest</span></b><span style='color:#0563C1'> blog-newsletter</span></a> – Accessibility Tips at <a href="http://www.pubcom.com/blog"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.PubCom.com/blog</span></a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> athen-list <athen-list-bounces@mailman12.u.washington.edu> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Khaleel Eksheir<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 9, 2020 9:39 AM<br><b>To:</b> Access Technology Higher Education Network <athen-list@u.washington.edu><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Athen] [EXT] Tables accessibility<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Hi Glen and Robert,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Yes, Robert's answer is what I was looking for. The Alt Text option was available in MS Office for tables and I always recommended to use it. But now that its removed, and not an accessibility standard, I learned something new and I will not include it in my recommendations.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Thank you so much for the clarification and the information.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif'>Khaleel<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>