RAPDF 1: Glossary

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Index

A

Absent from rendering (decorative image)

The image is declared as "decorative" (for example in Microsoft Office) or "artefact" (Acrobat Pro), so that it is not part of the content made available for rendering.

The accessible name of a link may consist of

  • the link text for text links;
  • the image alternative for image links;
  • a combination of the link text and the image alternative for composite links.

Adjacent colours

Colour directly in contact with the colours of the graphic element, such as the background colour or any other colour in direct contact.

Example: in a "no entry" traffic sign, the red of the sign is the colour adjacent to the white line in the centre of the sign.

It is important to understand that criterion 2.3 on the contrast of graphic elements only evaluates non-text elements. When it comes to assessing the contrast of text, even if it is present in a graphic element, criterion 2.2 applies.

Not all colours in a graphic element need to be assessed. Only colours that convey information are concerned.

For example, in a pie chart, the contrast ratio between adjacent colours in each sector and between each colour and the background colour should be assessed if this is the only way to recover the information.

On the other hand, if a legend gives the values and all the useful information for each sector as a text, the criterion is no longer applicable, since the information is available by another means.

Activation time

Activation time for blinking or moving content: time during which the blinking or movement is active.

Alternative text version

Text identical to the content of an image of text. The alternative version can be made available by means of an anchor adjacent to the image or a link enabling an alternative version of the document to be consulted in which the images of text are replaced by text.

C

Complex data table

A complex data table is a table that contains more than one row and/or column header.

A complex data table cannot be rendered correctly when produced using office software.

It is necessary to provide an alternative in the form of structured text containing the same information.

Complex shape

This refers to content such as diagrams or schemas created by the drawing, schema and diagram generation tools offered by office editing tools.

Note about tools for automatically generating complex shapes: some office editing tools offer components for automatically generating diagrams.
These components should not be used, as their output is generally unsatisfactory. One solution is to replace them with images.

Consistent labels

Form field labels present in the same document and requiring the same information to be entered must be worded unambiguously so that the user understands that the information they are required to communicate is the same.

Conveying information

A complex image or form that contains at least one piece of information essential to understanding the content with which it is associated.

Cryptic content

This refers to content written using hijacked characters. For example, emoticons or figures written with characters are considered to be cryptic content. Cryptic syntax refers to words or phrases that use characters or case effects inappropriately (leetspeak) or that divert characters from their usual uses, such as the use of capitals, numbers or special characters in the body of a word. Finally, the use of unconventional abbreviations (e.g. acty for 'accessibility') is also considered to be cryptic content.

Here are a few examples:

  • emoticon: :), ^^, O_o;
  • cryptic syntax: m4gic (magic), imo (in my opinion).

Note: hashtags ("#Job") or URLs (https://www.site.sample.com) are not considered to be cryptic content.

D

Data table

A content structure that displays information in rows and columns using header cells and data cells.

Decoration

An image or complex shape that does not provide any information essential to understanding the content with which it is associated.

Detailed description

Content associated with an image or complex shape, in addition to its alternative, which makes available all of the information contained in the image or complex shape.

The detailed description must be adjacent to the image or complex shape or available via an adjacent link.

Different states of a graphic element

Sometimes a graphic element is presented in different states. For example, a star voting system where the number of stars of a certain colour represents the value of the score awarded. It is important that the colour ratio between the default colour and the colour of each state is sufficient.

Document title

Metadata used to give a title to the document, generally entered in the document properties.

Note: the first content heading or the heading on the cover is not the document title.

E

Enlarged text size

Text and image of text at enlarged size is greater than or equal to 150% or 120% bold compared to the default size.

Error management

All the processes that warn the user:

  • mandatory fields,
  • expected type or format indications,
  • input errors in a form.

Explicit reference (to an image caption or complex shape)

Explicit indication (e.g. "See caption below") or common term (e.g. "Image: [alternative]" and "Image: [caption]") between the alternative and the caption that makes it clear that the caption is associated with the image.

F

Blinking or moving content

This is generally content produced using animated images (e.g. GIF format).

Form field

Interactive object allowing the user to enter data. Form input fields cover a wide range of input types:

  • free input fields,
  • checkboxes or radio buttons,
  • listboxes,
  • specific fields such as date entry fields, etc.

H

Header (table)

Cell used as a heading for a column, a row, part of a column, part of a row or groups of rows or columns (merged header).

Heading style

In office content, headings must be declared using a heading style. For example, office suites provide a library of styles reserved for headings. By using specific paragraph styles, the reader software can associate each heading with an ad hoc tagged format.

Headings hierarchy

In most office publishing software, the style library proposes a particular style for each heading level, generally up to 8 levels.

The headings hierarchy is coherent when

  • All text passages intended to be a heading use a heading style.
  • The first heading in the content is level 1.
  • There is no break in the headings hierarchy (for example, you do not go directly from a level 2 heading to a level 4 heading).

I

Links whose accessible names, combined with the link context (previous heading, sentence) are identical.

For example

  • In the following two sentences, the two "click here" links are not identical, because they have a different context: "To consult our catalogue: click here" and "To contact us: click here".
  • In the following sentence, the two "on this page" links are identical, because the context does not allow them to be differentiated: "You can contact us on this page or on this page"

Image of text

Image displaying text.

Indication conveyed only by shape, size or location

Any essential indication that is conveyed only by a change in the shape or size of text content or by the position of an element in a text.

For example

  • Indicating the mandatory nature of elements in a list by the use or positioning of a special character diverted from its purpose (for example, a mathematical character).
  • Indicate a specific text or part of a text in content by making it bold or changing its size.

Other forms of indication by shape, size or position can be used, but it is not possible to enter them here.

Information provided by colour only

Information conveyed visually by means of colour. For example

  • In a document list, documents in red are mandatory.
  • In a graph, the various data items are only associated with a coloured legend.

The alternative content used depends on the nature of the content concerned. For example

  • Explicit text.
  • A visual indication such as an icon or symbol.

Note: in the case of the use of an image associated with text, the image must have a relevant alternative (criteria 1.1 and 1.2).

L

Label

Text associated with a form input field, allowing the nature of the input to be identified and understood.

Label and field located next to each other

The label and its field must be visually close so that the relationship between the two cannot lead to confusion.

Legend

Text containing information about the image or the complex shape with which it is associated. For example, copyright information, date, author, location, technical characteristics, etc.

Linearised content

The order in which the content of a presentation table is displayed when the content is scanned cell by cell.

A link can take three different forms:

  • a text link, whose accessible name consists of text only;
  • an image link, whose accessible name is made up of the image alternative;
  • a composite link combining text and an image, in which case the accessible name consists of the text and the image alternative.

Additional information that can be associated with the accessible name of a link by means of keyboard shortcuts or manipulations.

In the office environment, the contexts that can be used are

  • the previous heading;
  • the sentence or paragraph in which the link appears.

The link will be considered explicit when at least one of these contexts provides all the information needed to understand its function and purpose.

Link whose accessible name makes it impossible to understand its nature, which may lead visually impaired people to ignore it.

Example of a link whose nature is obvious: "The general conditions of use of our services have been updated, click to view them online"

If the text "Click to view them online" is a link, its nature is obvious.

Example of a link whose nature is not obvious: "The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 define how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities"

Although the text "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1" is a link, its accessible name is not sufficient to understand its nature.

Important note: only links inserted in blocks of text are concerned.

List style

In office content, lists must be declared using a list style. For example, office suites provides a library of styles reserved for unordered lists (bulleted lists) and ordered lists (numbered lists). By using specific list styles, the reader software can associate each list and its items with an ad hoc format.

N

Non-interactive form

This is a document presenting form fields as simple graphic areas, for example

Your name: [..........................]

This type of document, which in reality simulates a form to be printed, cannot be used correctly by people with disabilities.

In this case, the document must be recreated as an interactive form.

Normal text size

Text and image of text in normal size is less than 150% or 120% bold compared to the default size.

The default size is the size of the body text.

P

Presentation table

A table used to display information in cells without the need for a column or row header.

R

Rendering order

In an office environment, the rendering order is determined by the order in which content is written. However, certain bad practices can disrupt the order in which content is rendered.

For example

  • using tabs or spaces to create column effects;
  • using functions that allow you to create text zones positioned freely on the content.

Most office suites have functions for managing columns, "anchoring" or choosing a "skin" to link the content zone to a block of text.

If these functions are not used, the order in which the content is displayed will be inconsistent.

Note about content zone insertion tools: depending on the anchoring or wrapping style chosen, the text zone will be positioned before or after the content block with which it is associated.

If the text zone and the content block have no logical relationship, the criterion will be considered compliant regardless of the visual positioning of the text zone and the content block.

Conversely, if the text zone and content block must be rendered in a particular order and the wrapping or anchoring does not respect this order, the criterion will be non-compliant.

Other problems with the order of rendering may be found, but it is not possible to specify them here.

Replacement mechanism (enhanced contrast)

Method that allows the user to get a version of the document with sufficient contrast.

The alternative version can be offered in the form of a document in office formats (DOCX, ODT, PDF) or HTML.

The alternative document must be accessible from the original PDF document in the form of a download link or, in the case of an HTML document, a link enabling the page to be displayed in a browser.

S

Structure elements

These are the formats and styles used to structure content (headings, lists, paragraphs, etc.). When these formats or styles are used to create presentation effects, rendering can be profoundly affected. For example, using a heading style to format a paragraph, using paragraphs to create margin effects, and so on.

Note on the use of paragraphs: the presence of an empty paragraph after structured content, for example a heading, a list or a paragraph of text at the end of a page, is not considered to be non-compliant. Only the use of several successive empty paragraphs is concerned.

T

The order in which content is scrolled through using the tab key. This sequence can become inconsistent in certain situations, for example when clickable elements are inserted into complex shapes or text areas and these are not presented in a consistent order. Similarly, in a PDF form, the navigation sequence of input fields and buttons can become inconsistent when they are incorrectly positioned.

Table of contents

List of content headings, presented at the beginning of the document, generally in the form of links providing direct access to the relevant sections. Each heading may be accompanied by the corresponding page number. Depending on the software used to edit the content, the table of contents may be structured using TOC and TOCI elements or L and LI elements.

Text alternative

Text associated with an image or complex shape that provides information equivalent to that conveyed by the image or complex shape.

Note: the text alternative is not necessarily a text that describes the image or complex shape. Its purpose is to convey the essential information it provides in text form to people who cannot see the image or complex shape.

U

Untagged documents

These are documents in which the structural elements (headings, lists, paragraphs, etc.) are absent.

In this case, the document must be thoroughly revised or completely recreated.

The tagging status can be checked in the document properties: "file" menu, then "properties" sub-menu, then "tagged PDF" parameter; when the indication is "no" the document is not tagged.