Adobe LiveCycle Designer is designed to create and edit forms. It is very good at creating accessible forms and automatically addresses many accessibility issues. For best results, there are just a few settings and steps that you should be sure to take:
Configure Workspace
- Close "How To" Palette
- Open Object Palette (Window > Object)
- Open Layout Palette (Window > Layout)
- Open Accessibility Palette (Window > Accessibility)
- Open Font Palette (Window > Font)
- Open Paragraph Palette (Window > Paragraph)
- Change the default Save As type (Tools > Options > Default Type = XDP)
Key to Success
- Use Designer instead of Acrobat
- Start from scratch; don't open from PDF or import from Word
- Save as and work in XDP format; save as PDF only to "publish"
- Use Tool Tips for Image "alternate text"
- Set Roles for Headings
- Use Tables for Tables
- Use Captions for Fields
- Add a Tool Tip only when a Caption is not adequate
- Add a Tool Tip as the "legend" on Radio Button Exclusion Groups
- Do not use Custom Screen Reader Text
- Set Tab Order at the End
- Overall - Keep it simple
Form Objects
| Object |
Instruction |
| Text/Headings |
Accessibility palette > Role |
| Images |
Accessibility palette > Tool Tip (cannot be blank) |
| Text Fields |
If caption text is not sufficient, Accessibility palette > Tool Tip
Can add Patterns (Display, Edit, Validation, Data)
|
| Drop-down Lists/List Boxes |
If caption text is not sufficient, Accessibility palette > Tool Tip
(Cannot add empty option, must use a space)
|
| Checkboxes |
If caption text is not sufficient, Accessibility palette > Tool Tip |
| Radio Button Groups |
To add a "legend," select the Exclusion Group, then Accessibility palette > Tool Tip |
| Tables |
Check include header row in table |
| Tabular Forms Fields |
Since no caption text, Accessibility palette > Tool Tip |
PDF Form Accessibility Testing
- Tab Order - Tab to each field, check that the tab order is correct, and confirm that the control can be operated using the keyboard.
- Tool Tips - Hover the mouse pointer over each form field and check that an appropriate label appears as a tool tip.
- Save As Accessible Text - Save the PDF form as "accessible text" (In Adobe Reader, use File menu: Save as Text; In Adobe Acrobat, File menu: Save As, Save as Type: Text (accessible)). Confirm that all content is present and in the right order.
