Creating accessible forms: AcroForms and LiveCycle Designer / AEM Forms Designer

Creating accessible forms: AcroForms and LiveCycle Designer / AEM Forms Designer

For a fully keyboard-accessible alternative for this video, either view it in Chrome or any Android or iOS device, view in Firefox with the YouTube ALL HTML5 add-on installed, or disable Flash in current Internet Explorer.

Course Description

Go beyond the basics of PDF with this in-depth, hands-on course designed specifically for participants who need to create accessible, fillable PDF forms.

From fundamental techniques such as proper tagging and code structures, to advanced techniques including programmatic solutions to accessibility issues, this course provides designers and developers with the tools they need to meet WCAG conformance and functional accessibility with their PDF forms for both LiveCycle Designer / AEM Forms Designer (XFA) and AcroForms.

Participants leave with techniques they can use right away for authoring, designing, producing, and testing all relevant WCAG criteria.

This course incorporates adult learning principles and activities appropriate to a variety of learning styles, and qualifies for CEUs (certified by organizations such as PPAC).

“Excellent… knowledge I can use.”

– Sandra Clark, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Oslo (Norway)

“Focused and easy to follow.”

-Jason Hollett, gordongroup

“Great. He kept me listening and understanding.”

– Matthew Brunetti, Lixar IT

“Inspiring!”

– Morten Budeng, King Design

“Excellent.”

– Sylvie Nyman, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

What Makes This Course Unique

Our course leader, David Berman, is a consultant on accessible for large IT projects, and has worked on Web accessibility projects for many large organizations including Statistics Canada, the National Research
Council, and IBM.

He is a high-level advisor to the United Nations on how accessible IT can help fulfill the Millennium Development Goals more rapidly.

He has been the project manager of numerous accessible Internet projects, has developed strategy and design for CFIA, CRA, CMHC, Health Canada, Canadian Heritage, Industry Canada, and the International Space Station … as well as many private sector and non-profit organizations.

By addressing and understanding accessibility issues, publishers can more effectively deliver their message to their entire audience, regardless of physical or mental impediments, while complying with legal and moral responsibilities.

“I enjoyed it all.”

– Robert Hallat, Public Service Commission

“Right on target.”

– Marius Monsen, Reaktor ID

“He knows what to do!” “This will guide us for the AA Standards”

– Bassil Wehbe, Agriculture Canada

What You Will Learn

You will learn how to make your PDF forms more accessible by complying with emerging standards and guidelines. Specifically, you will learn:

• Why accessibility matters to everyone, not just those with disabilities
• Applications and Forms Techniques for Guideline 1.3 Adaptable
• Applications and Forms Techniques for Guideline 2.1 Keyboard Accessible
• Applications and Forms Techniques for Guideline 2.2 Enough Time
• Applications and Forms Techniques for Guideline 2.4 Navigable
• Applications and Forms Techniques for Guideline 3.2 Predictable
• Applications and Forms Techniques for Guideline 3.3 Input Assistance
• Applications and Forms Techniques for Guideline 4.1 Compatible
• Testing and Repairing Applications and Forms Issues
• More Tools and Resources available for Testing and Repairing Software Accessibility
• Web Content Techniques for Guideline 3.2 Predictable
• Web Content Techniques for Guideline 3.3 Input Assistance
• Web Content Techniques for Guideline 4.1 Compatible
• Q&A until we run out of questions

“Very good: made me think…”

– Bente Mollevik, Norwegian Savings Bank Association

“Great: very comprehensive. Touching on all aspects of accessibility.”

– Marc Iafelice, CFIA

“David really knows his topics. Very well done: got the point across in a way that can be apply to everyone.”

– Sean Strasbourg, CFIA

Prerequisites:

Experience with Acrobat AcroForms and/or LiveCycle Designer / AEM Forms Designer (XFA) forms is required, experience with accessibility and WCAG 2.0 or 2.1 is recommended.

“Clear and entertaining: will allow more strategic planning rather than just reactionary stumbling.”

– Steve Doody, Justice Canada

“This will make us better communicators.”

– Luc Bergeron, SSHRC

“Perfect.”

– Jean Leclair, Environment Canada

Who Should Attend

This course is targeted to all design and development teams responsible for PDF forms design and development. QA teams would also benefit from the content of this course.

Language:

English (French available upon request)

Duration:

Two-day course (recommended) or one-day course (we also provide this course customized on-site for your organization).

Experience

Web accessibility

We are experts in the fulfillment of WCAG, AODA, and Section 508 requirements regarding accessible documents and Web publishing. We have performed accessibility audit and review for Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web Foundation, on both government and business Web sites in each of over 40 countries.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

We have expert knowledge in all relevant requirements of the accessibility standards called for in the regulations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

We are experts in the fulfillment of AODA regulations regarding accessible documents and Web publishing. Our strength in this area is such that we run regular courses in Ontario that specifically teach executives, managers, educators, content developers, and Web programmers how to comply with AODA regulations. The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario itself (who governs AODA) has repeatedly sent their managers and staff to be trained personally by us.

Ontario municipalities and school boards

Our AODA clients for consulting and training have included a variety of municipalities and public institutions in Ontario (including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, City of Cambridge, City of Oakville, City of Ottawa, City of Owen Sound, City of Hamilton, City of Peterborough, County of Essex, County of Wellington, Halton District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth School Board, Limestone District School Board, Niagara Parks Commission, Norfolk County, Region of Peel, Toronto Transit Commission, and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.)

Higher education/academia

Our clients for consulting and training have included a variety of colleges and universities within Ontario (including Algonquin College, Brock University, Carleton University, Durham College, Humber College, McMaster University, Mohawk College, Seneca College, St. Lawrence College, University of Guelph, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Windsor, W. Ross MacDonald School for the Blind, and York University), elsewhere in Canada (Concordia University), the United States (Boston College, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Savannah College of Art and Design), and beyond (Cardiff Metropolitan University, London School of Printing and Publishing, Universidad de las Americas, Yarmouk University, Bauhaus / Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Binus University, Caldas University, Central Academy of Fine Arts of China, Federal University of Pernambuco, Lebanese American University, Vilnius Academy of Arts, VCU Qatar).

David is Chair of Carleton University’s Carleton Access Network for accessible information technology, run out of Carleton University’s Paul Menton Centre as an initiative of the School of Engineering.

Corporations and private sector

Our private sector clients for accessibility work include Actuate, Adobe, Blindside Networks, BMO (Bank of Montreal), Bruce Mau Design, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Conference Board of Canada, Empire Life, eXplorance, gordongroup, IBM, Jewish Federation of Ottawa, Lixar, Minto, NetCentric, OC Transpo, OpenText, Oxford Properties, Shaw Media, The Home Depot, Toronto Transit Commission, United Way, Yamaha Music

Government Accessibility

We have been involved with United States and Government of Canada Treasury Board standards on accessibility for over a decade, and have provided training to most major departments and agencies in the federal government. We have also provided consultation to the governments of Manitoba, Ontario, Queensland (Australia), India, and Norway.

“I love David’s approach.”

-Carole Dubuc, Canadian Armed Forces

“Clear, concise, and very useful.”

-Annette Kallevig

“Excellent, eye-opening, and not preachy!”

-Carrie Walker-Boyd, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Subscribe to our e-news to be notified when we schedule new instances of this topic.

Return to top

Reviewed November 18, 2019