[Athen] Advise for complex PDF form

[Karen McCall via athen-list]

Hi!

If the form stays in Excel, in order to make the form accessible, you’re going to have to protect all of the text and force the screen readers to only access either the active X, legacy form controls, or content controls.

This means someone using a screen reader will not have access to any of the text in the form, including instructional text.

 Additionally, within the past five or six years, screen readers, such as JAWS or NVDA, are not reading the tool tips for active X form controls or legacy form controls accurately.

I am a word MVP and these types of forms often crash word, and or the adaptive technology.

 Content controls, if they are available in Excel, are also not accessible. They were never designed to be accessible. They are keyboard traps, and none of the tool tips or instructions that would be in a content control are accessible to the screen readers or text to speech tools.

I did take a look at the form and you have designed it. Well, using topic changes/headings and keeping the tables small.

For this form, the most accessible route is going to be either PDF or HTML.

The advantage of tagged accessible PDF is that the end user will be able to read the instruction text and the tool tips for the form controls. They will also be able to archive a copy of the form on their computer and fill it out at their leisure, as well as maintaining an archive copy.

 As a way of introducing myself to this list, I am on the ISO committee for establishing the PDF standards and the PDF accessibility standards and have over 25 years experience in PDF, PDF forms, and accessible Microsoft Office content.

Hope this helps.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask me.

Cheers, Karen

Sent from my mobile device!
________________________________
From: athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman22.u.washington.edu> on behalf of Monica Olsson via athen-list <athen-list at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2025 5:30:35 PM
To: 'Access Technology Higher Education Network' <athen-list at u.washington.edu>; educause-itaccess at connectedcommunity.org <educause-itaccess at connectedcommunity.org>
Subject: [Athen] Advise for complex PDF form

Hello,

I am requesting guidance on accessibility best practice for a specific complex fillable form.

Please see the attached form in PDF. There is a lot going on with tables, calculations, columns, etc.

The document owner is experimenting with using Excel for the form<https://sbctcedu-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/djilek_sbctc_edu/EexcANs86ktOrX1mE0dUUlcBtXej-d_wJ_rDOaiKk_ViIg?e=LfgNDX>, rather than PDF. In one sense, this may make editing the source document easier, and Excel may handle calculations better. On the other hand, I worry about the user experience in this format.

What is your advice on how best to remediate this form? My gut tells me to stick with PDF...

Do folks have insight on the accessibility of web-based form tools like Gravity Forms or Form Assembly?

Thank you!
Monica



Monica M. Olsson (she/her/hers)

Policy Associate – Accessible IT Coordinator

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

•Email: molsson at sbctc.edu<mailto:molsson at sbctc.edu> • Phone: 360-704-3922



The power of the Web is in its universality.

Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.

Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web
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