Table accessibility issues cells appear merged (shouldn't) and going over 2 pages

Report · Sep 29, 2023

Hi,

I was hoping someone could help me with 2 issues i'm having with tables when doing accessibility checks. I've fixed most things, but there's 2/3 I can't seem to work out what is wrong.

1. I assume it's because a cell is running over 2 pages - is there anyway to fix it? See picture (In my example I've articfacted what would be the data cells as otherwise it was just say 'oh' repeatedly, but the issue was there before this).

2. I have 2 tables which appear to have merged 2 cells which shouldn't have (see 2 x pictures attached) note missing TH/TD boxes and also tag boxes are quite far over in one - will this be an issue? Can I amend this?

Thank you for any help!

Report · Sep 29, 2023

Please note the accessibilty check it is flagging is "regularity"

Report · Sep 29, 2023

Hi @Robyn23332114preu,

First, per the PDF/UA standards, no cell or row can be split across pages or columns. Essentially, each row must appear on one page. So that issue is causing some of the failures in the checker. Redesign the table so that no row (or cell) breaks across pages or columns.

Second, merged cells should be reserved only for table headers. When they appear within the body of a table, it's very confusing for screen reader users to parse the table and checkers often return the regularity failure. Plus they require a lot of manual remediation after the PDF is made. It's difficult to see from your screen captures if this is one cause of the problem.

However, when you do have merged header cells like what is shown in #2 and #3 captures, you must ensure that the internal span and scope attributes are set on all of your header cells. This process must be done in Acrobat's table editor because it's not done by either the Microsoft or Adobe export unilities (neither utility creates the complete code).

With Acrobat's Table Editor...

Right-click on each <TH> cell.
Ensure that it's set as a table header.
Scope is Column.
Span is usually 1 column, but with the merged cell "Percentage," it spans 3 columns.

There might still be errors with regularity for one of several reasons: outdated checker software, Word/InDesign didn't export the table correctly, Acrobat's Table Editor is a primitive tool.

But test this with a real screen reader (aka, JAWS or NVDA) and listen to how it is voiced.

Report · Sep 29, 2023

Thank you so much for very helpful guidance to fix when there are merged cells. I had to scrape together how to fix it from different posts earlier - yours is fantastic and I will save it for when i forget in the future. I will also share with comms re the rows not going over - useful to know! Thank you!

However, the issue with the merge cells isn't that they are merged cells and editing scope is needed, but that Adobe is reading 2 cells as 1 (so across 2 cells only one TH/TD is showing), this is more problematic in one table than another as it merges a column of headers with data so if i 'fix' it by doing the scope fix I assume it will read the table wrong on a screen reader (although read aloud is fine).

I'm looking for a way to 'split' a cells in table editor (there are borders so I don't know how one in each table has been missed), but it seems to have happened - and I just don't know how to fix it so adobe reads the 2 cells as 2 cells.

Thank you for any further help you can give!

Report · Sep 29, 2023

From your latest sample, it shows faulty construction in the source document.

What software, version, and platform was used to create the source docment?

And which method was used to export the PDF?

Report · Sep 29, 2023

In word the tables are set up correctly, it did get edited in another program (I'm not sure which) but i was told the tables weren't amended in it.
I can't find out more until my team are back to work on Monday.

I'm wondering if it is the set up of the tables - with the black background so the line is hard to see?
If it was that then it's a easy fix for future documents...

Thank you for your help

Report · Sep 29, 2023

... it will read the table wrong on a screen reader (although read aloud is fine).
By @Robyn23332114preu

Acrobat's Read Out Loud is not a valid screen reader. It's a very old, primitive text-to-speech utility that was created before the PDF/UA-1 standard was even available.

So don't waste your time using it to test accuracy and compliance with PDF/UA-1. It can't.

Test with real screen readers, JAWS and NVDA.

Report · Sep 29, 2023

I appreciate Read Aloud isn't a screen reader, but I find it useful to check the order of tags are working correctly (I have had some really odd set ups where sentences have literally been messed up and its taken a lot of moving to get it right (this seems to happen more when there are links in the paragraph).

I will ask work which of the screen readers you've mentioned i can download so i can test on there too. But I do want to ensure it does work on Adobe as with Adobe being a free service it does tend to be the one more avalible (for read aloud not screen reading), and i worry if getting the document to work in one screen reader primarily will mean it only works well in that one, and not others.

It's a new part of my role, so still doing more research on this.
I'm really keen to get things right though as i have relied on read aloud software so much being dyslexic I know how important accessible documents are. Screen readers is new to me, so taking longer to get to grips with it.

Report · Sep 30, 2023

I appreciate your goal of making the PDF as accessible as possible for all technologies. I'm sure many users would thank you for this if they could!

This blog discusses the 4 reading orders in a PDF, and different assistive technologies use one or the other. https://pubcom.com/blog/2020_08-18_ReadingOrder/reading-orders.shtml

If you want to make a better experience for those using Read Out Loud, then you must control the architectural/construction reading order — AKA the ORDER panel — and not the tags tree.

Read Out Load doesn't know what tags are nor the tag tree itself. It can't recognize headings, tables, footnotes, hyperlinks, Alt Text, nor anything else. It's just a text-to-speech tool, nothing more. Blah blah blah based on the order panel. And it has extremely limited vocabulary, dictionaries, foreign language capability, etc. so what it does voice is often not accurately pronounced. It's ancient (20-25 years ago?) and Adobe hasn't improved it since.

Many other inexpensive, common text-to-speech technologies use that order, too.

Gradually, the AT industry is moving to using the tag tree to present the information to their user, but it's been a slow process for them to migrate their technology to use tags rather than the order panel.

The PDF/UA-1 standard requires that only the Tags Tree be accurate for accessibility. But given that so many other non-standard-compliant tech is used by so many people, we encourage our clients and students to also make the architectural/construction order (what you see in the Order panel) compliant, too.

Summary:

The Tags Tree is the primary means to provide accessibility, as required by the PDF/UA-1 standard.
The Order panel isn't required, but it sure helps society overall when it can match, as closely as possible, the Tag Tree order.
Don't waste your time with Acrobat's Read Out Loud. You'll only get false positives and false negatives. Instead, check the Order panel's sequence against the Tag Tree's reading order.

Report · Sep 30, 2023

Thank you - that link is massivily helpful! Thank you. I haven't been checking the reading order as I had read that most programs are based on the tag tree (and when I have tested the reading back from read aloud [what I had avalible - although i now understand you don't think it is very good, but I'm also aware it may be what people use if it's the standard - so will do more research in best way to find something that works for majority] it does read from the tag order so I belived it - I haven't yet got a screen reading program, but will ask to download one ASAP) so i will ensure i do then check this.
I hace checked my reading order on one, and it is slightly off (although so far on footnotes).

This brings me to a different question to ask - but you seem so knowledgable on this I'm wonderring if you would be willing to provide and answer/give an opinion (I hope this doesn't brake any rules).

When it comes to references at the end of a document I find it iritating (from a visual user perspective who relies on the voiced services) - by the time it is read it is no longer relevant so I usually pause, read footnote, and then continue. I can only imagine if you are using it due to visual reasons and footnotes are read out at the end of the documents (or paragraph, as i have noticed some are automatically read at the end of the paragraph instead of the page now) that it would be even more confusing (although I am not a user and may be completely wrong) as it's unclear what it relates to.

What I have tested out (using the tags order) is having the note read before the reference number in the paragraph so that the reference number is said at the beginining and end of the note to 'start' and 'end' the note.

Is there any guidance on this anywhere? What should I be doing for these? If there's isn't any guidacne on this in the PDF/UA Standards, do you have an opinion you would be willing to share on when footnotes are read on the page (does what i'm doing make it more accessible, or less - I have only been able to base it on my experience so far, it is something my org was going to look into further).

Also, would you be able to direct me to the best places for training on making documents accesible. The training I recieved was sort of a hand me down kind and acknowledged due to that nature it wasn't the best. I have spent a lot of time looking for posts and videos to answer my questions, and looks for fixes to issues that pop up. But I'm sure due to the way I've self taught there is a lot I am lacking.
Any suggestions on best ways to learn this properly would be much appreciated!

Thank you for all your help!

Report · Sep 30, 2023

I'm really keen to get things right though as i have relied on read aloud software so much being dyslexic I know how important accessible documents are.
By @Robyn23332114preu

I wish Acrobat's Read Out Loud could be more helpful for you personally. But Adobe doesn't seem interested in improving it. I agree, it could help so many people who have Acrobat already on their systems.

How about pitching this to Adobe's UserVoice feedback forum? https://acrobat.uservoice.com/ Let us know here if you do so and we'll chime in and vote up the idea.

RE: other options for dyslexia and other reading disorders:

Take a look at Microsoft's Immersive Reader, which is built into the entire Office suite. Located under the View menu. See https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/educator-center/product-guides/immersive-reader/
Also check out recommendations by major universities, which are required to provide equal access to educational material:

My best to you!