Accessibility: How Does Kerning in an InDesign File Affect Span Tags When Exported to a PDF File

[Debbie37955008vrld]

I'm a beginner working with an InDesign document created by a professional graphic designer. To make the headline and subhead look visually pleasing and easy to read, he created individualized kerning between most every letter. The paragraph style name has a plus sign, which I believe indicates the style deviates from the style setting (I believe due to this individualized kerning, because when I select "Optical" for all the text, the plus sign disappears). If I change the text so all letters follow the paragraph setting, I'll lose this indivdualized kerning. I would prefer not to lose this. When I export the InDesign file to a PDF, I'm wondering if this individualized kerning is the reason for numerous span tags. My questions are: (1) Could this indivualized kerning be causing the "plus sign" in the paragraph name? (2) Knowing the PDF file needs to meet accessibility guidelines, are these span tags okay? (3) Should I delete the span tags in the tag tree? If I do, will it change the kerning in the PDF file somehow? Sometimes when I delete span tags, this has caused odd things to happen in the tag tree. (4) Is my only option to mess up the professionally designed document and have the same kerning for each letter in the headline? (I'm hoping not to have to do this.) I beleive I'm using Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe InDesign 2024. Thank you! 

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from using the community">

[Debbie37955008vrld]

Thank you. I appreciate that. (I had a difficult time finding how to post at all. 🙂 ) 

[kglad]

(you're welcome. hopefully an expert like @James Gifford—NitroPress will be able to help)

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

My first question is: does this tweaking actually interfere with accessibility, on either a validation or actual performance level? I can't tell if you're concerned about an actual fault or a theoretical one.

As for the meta-question... yes, elaborate design and accessibility are essentially mortal enemies. Until we get to highly AI-enabled accessibility tools, I know of no solution that allows for elaborate, elegant, tweaked design and high levels of accessibility.

[Debbie37955008vrld]

Using the Adobe PDF Accessibility Checker, I think the PDF file passes the accessibility check. It just has a cabillion span tags. The Read Outloud function will read it properly. Unfortunately, I don't currently have access to CommonLook or a screen reader, unless I use JAWS at the public library. (I do this on occasion; it's challenging to do this for the many documents I create). Would the individualized kerning, even though it creates numerous span tags in the tag tree, be fine if the PDF file passes the Accessibility Checker? Thanks so much, James.  

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

PDFs aren't my focus, but I work a lot with EPUB, which has similar accessibilty issues, checkers, readers etc. It seems to me that some get hung up on the technicalities of accessible content, worrying about complex document structure and possible readability issues, when the doc passes validation with nothing more than low-level alerts and reads in common accessibilty readers without fault.

While paying attention to the technical nits is admirable, the only question that really seems to matter, to me, is "Does it work?" If it does... the nits are noughts.

[Debbie37955008vrld]

Thank you, James! That puts me more at ease. I appreciate your time! 

[Bens2632]

 (1) Could this indivualized kerning be causing the "plus sign" in the paragraph name?

Yes, it could.

(2) Knowing the PDF file needs to meet accessibility guidelines, are these span tags okay?

Yes, they are fine. Span tags often serve a purpose of adding properties to specific content within another tag.

(3) Should I delete the span tags in the tag tree?

No.

If I do, will it change the kerning in the PDF file somehow?

No.

(4) Is my only option to mess up the professionally designed document and have the same kerning for each letter in the headline?

No. It sounds like it's fine as is. Even when you get errors, you can often fix tags in the PDF without impacting the design. There's usually a way to preserve the design, but it takes work to set up the file or tags if it's complex.

[Debbie37955008vrld]

Thank you, Ben! As I told James, this puts my mind more at ease. I work for a government agency, so it's important that I meet guideliness. (I would want to do the right thing and do so, anyway.) Thank you for taking time to help!