kii

Kompetenznetzwerk
Informationstechnologie
zur Förderung der Integration
von Menschen mit Behinderungen

Technical Accessibility

Information can be made accessible for many target groups. Through its ICT-based focus, the KI-I offers accessibility adaptations of texts and documents and thus supports the accessibility of information. A main focus lies on the design of and the consulting about accessible PDF documents.

Accessible PDFs

Storing a document in PDF format is useful if an existing text will not be processed any further and if it will be spread on many platforms and in a printable format. Through the Acrobat Viewer or other viewing programs PDF documents can be viewed and printed. An accessible PDF enables people with disabilities to access important information and texts contained therein.

Requirements for an accessible PDF include:

  • Thoroughly structured and marked text documents
  • Alternative text for graphic elements, hyperlinks and form fields
  • Correct creation and marking of tables
  • Navigation aids (bookmarks, headings, table of contents)
  • Distinct document language
  • Accurate tag structure - clear reading sequence
    (Tags reflect the structure of a document, with their help, a screenreader can capture and reproduce the structure of a text)

Since August 2012 there is an international standard for accessible PDF, the PDF / UA (Universal Accessibility) standard ISO 14289-1: 2012.

The basis for an accessible PDF document is a correspondingly structured and edited output document (eg: use of format templates, language recognition, etc.).

Accessible Web- and Software Design

The KI-I is one of the leading organisations in the area of accessible web- and software design in Austria. On a regular basis it supports a multitude of organisations, facilities and companies in the realisation of accessible websites or software products. The KI-I offers anything from a brief quick-check to complete accessible implementation. It plays different roles, reaching from call for proposals, over implementation and supervision to checking and approval.

Among others, the following organisations/companies are KI-I's customers:

  • Federal chancellery of the republic of Austria
  • Federal Ministry of Austria - Finance
  • Federal Ministry of Austria - Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology
  • Federal Ministry of Austria - Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
  • Federal Ministry of Austria - Justice
  • Austrian Federal Computing Center
  • City of Salzburg
  • Association of foster and adoptive parents in Upper Austria

Accessible websites that were made under KI-I's supervision have received international awards several times. For example www.help.gv.at was awarded the "goldene Biene" (only two Austrian websites ever were) and the website of the City of Linz was awarded the „silbernen Biene“.