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The following tables list steps technical writers at CBIIT must take to create Section 508-compliant documents. These steps may overlap with but do not replace the HHS checklists for achieving Section 508 compliance.

Table 1.1 The following table explains how to prepare a FrameMaker document for accessibility.

Step

Steps for creating accessible documents in FrameMaker

For more information, see

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1

Design with accessibility in mind. Only use our template styles, including character styles for common formatting such as bold and italic. Resist overriding template styles.

[[http://www.webaim.org/]|http://www.webaim.org/|WebAIM website]

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2

Use our latest FrameMaker template that consolidates all paragraph styles into each file in the book.
Important note! If you prefer to import styles from the new template rather than starting with an empty file, do not import styles into the TOC. Use the new TOC template file.

L:\Technical Writing\Templates\FrameMaker Templates\Current FM Templates

3

Add alternate text to images.
FrameMaker 7.0

  1. Place all graphics in anchored frames.
  2. Click an anchored frame one time to select it.
  3. Right-click the anchored frame and select Object Properties.
  4. Click the Object Attributes button. The Object Attributes dialog box appears.
  5. In the Alternate box, type an alternate text description for the content of the anchored frame
  6. Click Set and then Set again. A screen reader can now read the alternate text.

 

4

Use row and column headings and captions for all tables. Do not merge table rows or columns. Do not allow rows to break across pages.

 

5

Use meaningful link anchors rather than URLs when possible. Use the Go to URL hypertext marker for all URLs in FrameMaker.

 

6

In the PDF Setup dialog box, select Generate PDF Bookmarks, Generate Tagged PDF (click Default to tag all styles), and Create Named Destinations for All Paragraphs.
Use the latest book file in the template to inherit appropriate bookmark and tag options.

 

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Step

Steps for creating accessible PDFs For more information, see

1

In the document properties, enter NCI CBIIT as the Author. In the Keywords field, enter 508 Compliant as one of your keywords.  

2

Specify document language.

  1. Select File > Document Properties.
  2. Click the Advanced tab.
  3. In the Language list, select English.
 

3

Use the document structure to prevent errors in the accessibility report.

  1. Select all pages in the document.
  2. Right-click and then select Page Properties.
  3. Select Use Document Structure.
 

4

Run an accessibility full check using the Adobe PDF option.

  1. Select Advanced > Accessibility > Full Check. The Accessibility Full Check dialog box appears.
  2. Keep the defaults, which includes the checking option of Adobe PDF.
  3. Click Start Checking.

 

5

Fix any problems reported by the accessibility checker. Documents from Word tend to have more problems than documents from FrameMaker. Documents from Word may need post-processing in Acrobat. Use the accessibility checker report as a troubleshooting guide to narrow down problem areas.

To begin post-processing in Acrobat, select Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order. In the TouchUp Reading Order dialog box, click Show order panel, then do the following.

  • Confirm that each numbered box in the document is properly tagged.
  • Add alternate text as needed to figures as needed.
  • Remove nonessential content, such as ornamental page borders, from the logical structure tree as needed (files from Word tend to create a lot of nonessential tags that can be deleted in the PDF).
  • Note that when you remove the tags (such as by using the Delete Item Structure or Clear Page Structure commands), you cannot undo that action. Save your file often.

 

6

Once the steps above result in a PDF with no accessibility errors according to Adobe, set the scope of your tables. Adobe does not require you to set the scope but it is one more thing that you can do quickly to prepare your PDFs better for assistive technology.

  1. Select Accessibility > TouchUp Reading Order.
  2. Scroll to your first table and click the number in its upper-left corner.
  3. On the TouchUp Reading Order panel, click Table Editor to select the table.
  4. Select the cells that serve as column headers. You can also repeat these steps for cells that serve as row headers, if your table has that type of structure.
  5. Right-click and select Table Cell Properties.
  6. Keep the Type as Header Cell and from the Scope list, select Column. This tells a screen reader that it is to associate column headers with the cells in that column.
  7. Click OK.

Accessibility Testing

Table 1.4 The followine table suggests ways you can test your ePublisher, Flare, and PDF output for accessibility. 

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Most of our preparations for accessibility should be done in the source files. This document explains how to prepare a FrameMaker document for accessibility and links to procedures where you can accomplish the same goals in Word.
This section includes the following topics:

  • Wiki Markup
    \[#PreparingPreparing FrameMaker Files for Accessibility#Preparing FrameMaker Files For Accessibility\]
  • Preparing Word Files For Accessibility
  • Characteristics of Accessible PDFs
  • Checking Documents for Accessibility
  • Using the WebWorks ePublisher Accessibility Report

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