# Presentation: 354512

## FedStat 508/AccessibilityWorkshop

**Peter Zadarlik**
**Senior Technical Subject Matter Expert**

**Accessibility Center of Excellence (ACE)**
**http://stategov.ciber.com/ACE**

**Notes:**
Good Afternoon!
I am Peter Zadarlik.  
I am the senior technical subject matter expert and lead instructor for the CIBER Accessibility Center of Excellence... which is dedicated to providing: comprehensive and in-depth / technology, law, and policy / education and professional consulting services / to the public and private sectors / nationally.ACE is an active member of the GSA sponsored Accessibility Forum and detailed information about us is available on www.section508.gov
We provide education and consulting services for developing accessible websites and creating accessible Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF, Microsoft Excel and other documents.
In a previous lifetime, I spent over 22 years with Claritas, Inc. (formerly National Planning Data Corporation) helping businesses gain access to the decennial censuses and other Federal statistical products.

## PowerPoint presentation
Available
Tested with JAWS
Contact: ACE@ciber.com
Used Synonymously Here:
Assistive Technology
Window-Eyes
JAWS
Screen Readers

**Available**
**Tested with JAWS**
**Contact: ACE@ciber.com**
**Used Synonymously Here:**
**Assistive Technology**
**Window-Eyes**
**JAWS**
**Screen Readers**

**Preliminaries**

**Notes:**
In order to ensure that everyone in the audience today can fully participate in this presentation, I will, as much as possible, describe the content of each slide.  In this way, all of our participants, regardless of visual ability, will be fully briefed on the information  presented.
In addition, the entire presentation is available in a PowerPoint version that was tested for accessibility using JAWS.   To obtain the presentation and the related before and after Excel spreadsheets used in the presentation, email us at ACE@ciber.com. 
For the purpose of this presentation, I will be using the term Assistive Technology, which normally encompasses a larger number and type of programs, to mean screen reading software like Window-Eyes from GW Micro and JAWS from Freedom Scientific.

## Example 1 - Before

**Notes:**
The conference coordinators invited us here today to share with you some of the best practices that we have developed for creating accessible spreadsheets.  These are by no means the only methods that could be used to improve accessibiity... and in fact, it’s events like today that serve to share and improve upon the available techniques.

The conference coordinators provided us with six examples of spreadsheets from Federal agency web sites.    These sheets represent various levels of complexity and issues of presentation for persons with varying levels of visual ability.

They asked us to review those examples for accessibility issues and to provide some recommendations for ways to avoid those issues.

In today’s presentation, we will go thru those issues and varying remedies, then review the analogies between spreadsheets and web pages to discern what web page accessibility concepts can be translated in order to develop accessible spreadsheets.

At the end there will be a 10 minute q&a.

This is a fragment of the first example spreadsheet and I will describe the relevant parts as we proceed.

## Example 1 Issues

**Sub-geographies cannot be determined since assistive technologies do not indicate leading spaces.**

**Notes:**
So, let’s begin by looking at example 1.

The first issue is that to some assistive technologies, all of the geographies appear to be at the same level.  The leading spaces that distinguish them visually are not announced by some assistive technology.  Thus, it is not clear that Austria is at a different level than Canada.

## Example 1 Issues

**Column spanning headings are read only in column of definition**

**Notes:**
The second issue is the column spanning headings such as Manufacturing, 
    which is defined in column E but if you were to look at the full spreadsheet, spans columns E through L,
and the heading “Of which”, 
    that is defined in column F but visually spans columns F through L.  
Some screen readers only speak headings in the columns in which they are defined.  
Thus, column E’s headings which read visually as “Manufacturing Total” are read by screen readers as “Manufacturing Total”.
But column F, which visually is “Manufacturing of which Food” is read as only “Of which Food”.
Even worse is column G, which is visually “Manufacturing of which chemicals”, but is read as “Chemi, cals”.

## Example 1 Issues (cont.)

**Hyphenation of headings and separation onto different rows**

**Notes:**
It is read this way because, not only is chemicals hyphenated, but it is also in two different cells.  
And this is the reason that the assistive technology speaks it as two parts: Chemi and Cals.

## Example 1 Issues (cont.)

**Cannot determine row and column heading location & footnote location**

**Notes:**
And finally, one must navigate to row 13 before data appears.  This can be quite a guessing game - especially considering all of the blank cells.  How will the user know how many cells of “BlanK, blank, blank” they will need to listen before finding data?

At the end of the table, though not shown here, nothing demarcates the end of the data and the beginning of the footnotes (other than the lack of data).  While this can be figured out, we will demonstrate how to improve usability in that area.

## Example 1b Solutions

**Sub-geographies – Use a non-blank character to indicate indentation. **

**Notes:**
One way to address the first issue is to replace leading spaces with something that is spoken by assistive technology.  I’ve used periods which are spoken as “dot”.  Thus, we can tell instantly that “dot Austria” is at one level of indentation.  While Canada and Europe are not.  Notice that this scheme is explained in the heading for the Geography column as “sub-parts indicated by one or more leading dots”. 

Now, for those who do not like the new idea of having lead-in characters, there is something that can be done.   And that is to make the lead-in character, the dots, the same color as the background...in this case white.  This makes the dots (but not the space they occupy) disappear visually while still being read by screen readers.  Thus, you get the best for both worlds!

You will want to make the explanation of this scheme the same color as the background to make it disappear, too.  Example 5, later on, shows this disappearing approach done using leading dashes instead of dots.

One other note... “All Countries” requires no special treatment since its meaning is self-evident.

## Example 1b Solutions

**Repeat column spanning headings in all columns.**

**Notes:**
We solve the second issue of column spanning headings by repeating them.  Thus, Manufacturing is repeated in all the columns to which it applies.  And, in the next row, “Of which” has been replaced by the repeated heading “(part)” to indicate  the columns that are a part of Manufacturing.
We’ll see in a moment why this improves the way screen readers operate.
An alternative approach to repeating “(part)” in a separate row would be to change the first row of headings to read “Part of Manufacturing” or “Manufacturing (part):” thus eliminating the need for the separate row.
In fact, one could just have one row of headers with the cells in each column of that row each having all of the text necessary to identify the contents of the column.  However, this is not visually appealing.  I call this approach “flattening the headers”.

## Example 1b Solutions

**Remove hyphenation of headings and merge the cells into one cell.**

**Notes:**
With respect to hyphenation and multi-row descriptions, the hyphenation has been removed and the parts from the multiple rows merged into one, perhaps tall, cell.  Now, assistive technology says “Chemicals” rather than “Chemi, Cals”.

## Example 1b Solutions

**Tell where the row and column headings are.  Begin the footnotes with a cell that says “Footnotes”.**

**Notes:**
To help locating the row and column headings, we explicitly state, in a new cell, where the row and column headings are located.   
It’s right there in cell A3.  --  What?  You say cell A3 is blank?
Well, it’s not blank.  It happens to be in the same color as the background.  
Thus, if a person is sighted, this information is invisible.  But if a person is using assistive technology, the color of the text does not matter, it is spoken as though it were visible.   The cell reads “Table with row headings in column A and column headings in row 4 to 6.”

Now, why do we want to tell about the location of the headers?  It is because some screen readers can use this information to announce the new row or column header each time you move to a new row or column.  It makes it possible for the person using a screen reader to hear that information without moving to those header cell to re-read them.

Finally, to improve usability, we added a new cell just before the footnotes that says “Footnotes:”.  If you wanted, you could use the same technique of hiding this text as we just discussed for the information on row and column headers.

## Example 1 - Before

**Notes:**
So, to summarize, Example 1 looked like this before and looks like this...

## Example 1 - After

**Example 1 - After**

**Notes:**
After.

## Example 2 - Before

**Notes:**
Now let’s move on to Example 2.

## Example 2 Issues

**Issues Identical to Example 1**
**Cannot determine row and column heading location**
**Sub-categories cannot be determined since assistive technologies do not indicate leading spaces**

**Notes:**
Example two has some of the same issues as example one.  

Specifically, we cannot determine the row and column heading locations and 
sub-categories are, again, indicated by leading spaces.

## Example 2 Issues

**This is multiple tables in one spreadsheet**

**Notes:**
But there are two new issues in this example... 

It is not immediately apparent that this spreadsheet contains dozens of tables.

And...

## Example 2 Issues

**Cryptic Headings**

**Notes:**
... some of the headers in this spreadsheet are not understandable to the uninitiated, specifically, the headers “T” and “L”.

## Example 2b Solutions

**Indicate that there are multiple tables and where the row and column headings are located.**

**Notes:**
So, what are the solutions to the new issues?

First, state that this spreadsheet contains multiple tables and state where the row and column headings are located.  Luckily, though there are many tables, the column headers are the same for all of the tables.

Now, the third column of this spreadsheet which is too big to show easily, contains a mixture of information:  The table names, the units of measure (percent, dollars, etc.) and the major categories of the gross domestic product and other statistics.  But, this is not at all confusing because the table name and units of measure are always on a row with no other information to interfere.  Thus, when the spreadsheet is read by a screen reader, these actually serve to divide one table from the next in an easy to understand way.

It also could be argued that columns A and B add nothing to the comprehension of this table.  If that were the judgment, then one would indicate that the row headers are only column C.

## Example 2b Solutions

**Use the same indentation scheme as for example 1.**
**Insert human-readable headings.**

**Notes:**
The same indentation scheme of substituting a non-space character to indicate indentation works for this spreadsheet.

And, finally, the mysterious T and L can be expanded to “Table Code” and “Line Number” for ease of comprehension.

But, let’s take this opportunity to look at another possible solution to the indentation problem...

## Example 2c Alternative

**Indicate indentation by placing indented categories in separate columns.**

**Notes:**
This fragment of the Example 2 spreadsheet shows an alternative method which more explicitly indicates which categories are sub-parts of other categories.

In column C, the Major Category is repeated on each line. In column D, the sub-category is repeated as necessary.  In column E, sub-sub-categories and so on...

Optionally, the word total (shown here in blue) can be added to the lines representing totals or sub-totals.  For example, “Gross Domestic Product” followed by “Total”.

The drawback to this approach is that the headings can become cumbersome.  So, one might consider this approach only for relatively simple tables with limited sub-categories.

## Example 2 - Before

**Notes:**
So, to summarize visually, this is example 2 – before and...

## Example 2 - After

**Notes:**
...after.

## Example 3 - Before

**Notes:**
Now let’s move on to example 3.

## Example 3 Issues

**Cannot determine row and column heading location**
**Footnotes are not distinguished**
**Sub-categories cannot be determined since assistive technologies do not indicate leading spaces**
**Cryptic Headings**

**Notes:**
Example three introduces NO new issues.

There is no row or column heading information, 
no indication of the start of footnotes, 
There is the subcategory problem, and 
There are some column headings that are non-obvious.

## Example 3b Solutions

**Same solutions apply**
**Locate row/column headers**
**Locate footnotes**
**Use alternate indentation scheme**
**Expand cryptic headers**

**Notes:**
The solutions are the same...

Indicate where the row and column headers and the footnotes are, 
use an alternate indentation scheme, and 
explicitly label all headers.

## Example 3 - After

**Notes:**
And here’s what it looks like...

We inserted a cell indicating the locations of the headers, one telling about the use of the indentation scheme, and one for the footnotes.
And we changed the famous “T” and “L” headers to “Table Code” and “Line Number” again.

## Example 4

**Issue:**
**Units placement and format “$ billion”**
**Solution**
**Indicate the table units at the top of the table in words in a conventionally understood format: “Billions of dollars”**

**Notes:**
Example 4 introduces only one new issue.  

The units of measure of the table is placed in a central location that is visually obvious, 
but which will be read by assistive technology out of context.  
And the format of the units “dollar sign billion” may not be readily understood.

The solution is to move this information to a place where it will be read in context and to format it in a way that is conventional, specifically “Billions of dollars”.

## Example 4 - Before

**Notes:**
This shows the location of the units of measure before and...

## Example 4 - After

**Notes:**
... here’s what it looks like after...

## Complex Visual Formatting
Multiple Units of Measure

**Multiple Units of Measure**

**Example 5 – New Issues**

**Notes:**
Example 5 introduces two issues.

First, this is clearly a table in which a lot of effort has been put into the visual formatting.

And, secondly, the data presented has two units of measure: persons and percentages.

## Complex Visual Formatting

**Example 5 - Solutions**

**Notes:**
The changes to make the spreadsheet more accessible do not affect the visual formatting to a great degree.  

But, when headings are repeated to deal with the column spanning problem, some of the column widths are wider than in the original.

## Multiple Units of Measure

**Example 5 - Solutions**

**Notes:**
The multiple units of measure are handled by explicitly stating the units of measure in a new cell.

The convention of enclosing this in square brackets is followed.

The text reads “open bracket, column C is in persons, all other columns are in percent, close bracket”.

## Location of headings
Units of measure
Column header presentation
Possibly difficult to understand header

**Units of measure**
**Column header presentation**
**Possibly difficult to understand header**

**Example 6 – Issues**

**Notes:**
Finally, we come to my favorite example for two reasons:  It reminds me of the good old days working with population data and it requires very little adjustment to make it more accessible.

As with all the other examples, this one does not indicate where the row and column headers are located, though it would be pretty easy to figure it out without any further assistance.

There is no unit of measure.

The column headers could be made easier to read.

And, the Federal Information Processing Standard abbreviation FIPS is, perhaps difficult to understand.

## Location of headings

**Example 6 – Solutions**

**Notes:**
So, for the heading location, we use the same solution as before of stating the row and column heading locations.

## Units of measure

**Example 6 – Solutions**

**Notes:**
Whether a statement of the units of measure is needed for this table is a matter of opinion.  My own opinion is that it is unnecessary because population change is clearly measured in people and anyone who would be using this table would come with that knowledge.

But one could put in a new cell with “open bracket, persons, close bracket” to indicate the units.

## Column header presentation

**Example 6 – Solutions**

**Notes:**
If I were to change the column headers at all, it would be to wrap those titles that are multi-word such as “Population Change” so that the words appear one above the other and conserve column space.  However, this is more a readability suggestion than an accessibility concern since screen readers will read wrapped and non-wrapped headers identically.

The second and third boxes on this screen show what the column headers would look like without wrapping.

## Difficult to understand header

**Example 6 – Solutions**

**Notes:**
And, why not be explicit that column H is the “FIPS State Code”.

## Insert a cell giving information about spreadsheet structure (multiple tables, row and column headers).  It can be made invisible.
If the units of measure are important or ambiguous insert a cell with that information.

**If the units of measure are important or ambiguous insert a cell with that information.**

**ACE Best Practices**

**Notes:**
So, let’s summarize the things we’ve done...

We’ve inserted information on multiple tables and row and column header locations
We’ve been careful to include information on the units of measure.

## Insert a cell demarcating the footnotes.
Remove hyphenation
Merge multi-cell headings into one cell.
Re-label difficult to understand headers

**Remove hyphenation**
**Merge multi-cell headings into one cell.**
**Re-label difficult to understand headers**

**ACE Best Practices**

**Notes:**
We’ve inserted a cell to indicate where the footnotes begin.

## Indicate indentation by using a character that is spoken.  Hide these characters if desired.

Encourage learning screen reader capabilities.
Don’t protect or lock a spreadsheet

**Encourage learning screen reader capabilities.**
**Don’t protect or lock a spreadsheet**

**ACE Best Practices**

**Notes:**
Make indentation explicit with characters that are spoken.
Learn what facilities your screen reader supplies to navigate spreadsheets. Gary, our human factors expert could not emphasize this enough.
Don’t protect or lock a spreadsheet – this can be a real problem for low vision users who want to change fonts, colors and sizes.
But remember that the world changes.  These are by no means the only ways to solve the problems presented.  Keep informed...but then, that’s why we have workshops like this one!

## Tell me everything I need to know to understand what’s going on with my eyes closed.

**Gary’s Rule**

**Notes:**
Unfortunately, our human factor ACE subject matter expert is not here with us today.  However, he tested all of the spreadsheet solutions and this presentation for usability by a person who is blind and using JAWS.
Gary’s Rule is tell me everything I need to know to understand what’s going on with my eyes closed.

Psychologists say that short term memory can hold between 3 and 7 items before older information gets lost.  In a spread sheet with hundreds or thousands of cells, it’s necessary to constantly be reminded of where you are.

The techniques we’ve discussed enable a person using a screen reader to do that.

## Accessibility Analogies

**Web: **
**(g) Row and Column Headers**
**(h) Header Cell Association**
**(i) Frame Titling for Navigation and Orientation**
**(c) Use of Color**

**Notes:**
There are no rules for the construction of accessible content when that content requires an application to interpret it.
However, by drawing from the well known section 508 requirements for web content, and reviewing the technical guidance from the US Access Board at www.access-board.gov, we can find some help for spreadsheets.  The two requirements that come immediately to mind are those concerning tables: 1194.22 (g) and (h).
However, titles that facilitate identification and navigation help improve the accessibility of a spreadsheet in the same way they do for web page frames.
The use of color is exactly analogous between the web page and spreadsheet domains.

## Translation to Spreadsheets

**Spreadsheets:**
**Clearly identify Row and Column Headers**
**Repeat Header Information as needed**
**Use a method for showing nesting explicitly**
**Choose titles and headers that completely describe the spreadsheet in content and layout**

**Notes:**
These web based concepts translate into spreadsheet concepts as follows:

Clearly identify row and column headers.
Rather than spanning columns, repeat the column headers as needed.
Use a method for showing nesting explicitly.
Provide the meta data needed to understand the content and layout of the spreadsheet in the form of explicit titles.

## Other Possibilities

**Scripts ~ Macros**
**Alternative Text ~ Comments**
**Forms ~ Forms**
**Flicker ~ Flicker**
**Multimedia ~ Multimedia**
**Client-side Image Maps ~ Hyperlinks**
**Text-Only Page ~ Non-spreadsheet alternative**

**Notes:**
In addition, there are may other possible analogies which we will not address since they rarely, if ever, appear in Statistical Data Spreadsheets.

But, 
a web page script is analogous to a spreadsheet macro, 
alternative text can be though of as similar to spreadsheet comments, (and there is a provision for alternate text for images included in spreadsheets),
forms are similar in both, 
flickering can occur in both, 
multimedia presentations can be invoked from both, 
hyperlinking can occur in both, and 
both can have an alternative representation.

## Q & A

**Use a microphone**
**State your name & organization.**
**Peter Zadarlik**
**ACE@ciber.com**
**(800) 547-5602**

**Notes:**
Thank you for inviting me here today.  I know that over time, each of you will be developing accessible solutions for your spreadsheets.  Let’s continue to find ways to promote the sharing of this information as it potentially benefits over 54 million Americans.

Let’s open the floor for questions.

Please use a microphone and state your name and organization before your question.