Accessible PDF Forms using Adobe LiveCycle Designer

Sean Keegan

High Tech Center Training Unit for the California Community Colleges

Overview

Introduction
Designing Forms for Access
Basic Form Field Types
Using Adobe LiveCycle Designer
Resources

Adobe LiveCycle Designer

LiveCycle Designer is bundled with Adobe Acrobat Professional (Windows only)
It is a forms-centric tool designed to create interactive PDF forms
- Acrobat Pro = AcroForms
- LiveCycle Designer = XFA-based PDFs
LiveCycle Designer allows authors to easily update form documents while maintaining accessibility
Not the correct tool if using rich media, notes, or other annotations for PDF documents

Notes:

Designing PDF Forms

Planning the Form
- What type of functionality should the form provide?
- What information are you attempting to collect?
- Do you require a signature for completion/authenticity?
- How often will the form need to be updated?
Identify the Technology Requisites
- Do you require a database?
- What versions of Adobe Reader will you support?
- Do you need security on the form?
- Will others need to edit the PDF form after it has been created?

Notes:

Adobe's LiveCycle Designer allows authors to create forms (called .XFA-based PDF) that can be exported to PDF version; however, it is not possible for others to then edit this form using Adobe Acrobat. Adobe PDF Forms Access is another tool that will allow document authors tag PDF documents as well as add the necessary form fields for accessibility. Adobe Acrobat Professional will also allow you to create PDF forms (called Acroforms). Generally speaking, using LiveCycle Designer allows for the most flexibility for acccessible form creation.

Basic Form Field Types

Text Fields
Check Boxes
- more than one answer
- Example: Please mark all that apply
Radio Buttons
- only one answer
- Example: Please select "Yes" or "No"
List Box

Notes:

Text Fields

Drag the Text Field icon to a location on the page
Enter the caption information for the field (e.g., First Name, etc.)
Under the Accessibility tab, add the appropriate instructions
- For example - "Enter First Name"
Information is placed in the Tool Tip or Custom Screen Reader Text region will appear visually on the PDF

Notes:

If you enter information into the Tool Tip region AND the Custom Screen Reader Text region, it is necessary to set which information you wish to take precedence using the Screen-Reader Precedence options (i.e., the drop-down menu). A screen-reader will NOT read both regions of text - only the information identified in the Screen-Reader Precedence settings. Additionally, the region identified as part of the Screen-Reader Precedence settings is also the information that will be displayed visually on the PDF

It is possible to simply enter information into the Tool Tip region and nothing in Custom Screen Reader Text region. Even if the Screen-Reader Precedence setting is set to Custom Text (which has no actual text information in that region), screen-readers will then check the Tool Tip information and speak that content.

Checkboxes

Drag the Checkbox icon to a location on the page
Enter the caption information for the field (e.g., DAISY, PDF, etc.)
Under the Accessibility tab, add the appropriate instructions
- For example - "Check for DAISY alternate media"
With a checkbox, it may be necessary to reiterate the question as part of the Tool Tip

Notes:

Remember, check boxes are used to when there is the possibility of none, one, or multiple answers. In other words, a person completing the form could check several boxes so that multiple answers are recorded for a single question. If you want a person to choose only one option, then you should use radio buttons.

Radio Buttons

Drag the Radio Button icon to a location on the page
Enter the caption information for the each radio button field
A group of radio buttons is called an exclusion group - select the entire group and repeat the question in the Accessibility tab
- For example - "As part of the alternate media services at my institution, I am expected to:"
In the Object tab, under Binding, uncheck "Specify Item Values"

Notes:

When adding radio buttons to a page, add all the radio buttons before adding other form input fields or other elements (text areas, check boxes, etc.). Adding all the necessary radio buttons at the same time allows for all buttons to be part of the same exclusion group.

In the process above, we are using the form caption information to communicate the actual radio button value. It is also possible to specify the radio button values. This is outlined in the Adobe LiveCycle Designer Help Menu under Using LiveCycle Designer > Creating Accessible Forms > Making Objects Accessible.

List Box

Drag the List Box icon to a location on the page
Enter the caption information for the field (i.e., this would be the question)
In the Object tab, under Field, add the appropriate list items for selection
Under the Accessibility tab, add the appropriate instructions
- Generally, this will repeat the caption information for the field

Notes:

Controlling the Reading Order

The reading order can be controlled using the Tab Order setting
The Tab Order setting controls how a user:
- reads the information on the page (reading order)
- sets the actual tab order when interacting with the form fields
Choose View > Tab Order to see the default tab order
Hold the Shift key and press the mouse button to set the initial Tab

Notes:

Resources

High Tech Center Training Unit
http://www.htctu.net
Training Manual for Creating Accessible PDF Documents
http://www.htctu.net/trainings/manuals/tutmain.htm
Adobe Accessibility
http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/
Adobe Accessibility Blog
http://blogs.adobe.com/accessibility/

Notes:

Thank you

Sean Keegan
Web Accessibility Instructor
High Tech Center Training Unit for the California Community Colleges
http://www.htctu.net

Accessing Higher Ground Conference - 2007