Adobe CAPTIVATE 2-USING CAPTIVATE Use Manual page 64

Adobe Captivate and accessibility
You can create output that is compliant with Section 508 for users who have visual or hearing
impairments, mobility impairments, or other types of disabilities. You can also take steps at the
design level to remove obstacles for people with disabilities viewing your Adobe Captivate
projects.
These solutions support government agencies in meeting their users' needs through Section 508
compliance, as well as companies who are committed to improving accessibility.
What is Section 508 compliance?
Section 508 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requiring that Federal agencies develop,
maintain, acquire, or use electronic and information technology to make the systems accessible to
people with disabilities. The most recent (1998) version of Section 508 establishes enforceable,
government-wide standards.
What does accessible mean?
In general, an information technology system is accessible for people with disabilities if it can be
used in a variety of ways that do not depend on a single sense or ability. For example, users should
be able to navigate with a keyboard, in addition to a mouse (not with a mouse only). Also, the
visual and auditory elements of a user interface must accommodate both hearing impaired and
visually impaired users.
What other types of assistive software do end users need?
Screen readers or text-to-speech utilities (which read the contents of the active window, menu
options, or text you have typed) and screen review aids translate onscreen text to speech or to a
dynamic, refreshable, Braille display. This assistive technology can provide keyboard assistance or
shortcuts, captions for speech and sound, and visual warnings such as flashing toolbars. Tools
available include Windows Eye and JAWS (Job Access With Speech).
What does Adobe Captivate do to be Section 508 compliant?
Selecting the 508 compliance option makes certain elements in Adobe Captivate projects
accessible or open to accessibility technology. For example, if you select the 508 option and you
have filled in the project name and project description text boxes in the Project Properties dialog
box, a screen reader will read the name and description when the Adobe Captivate SWF file is
played.
The following Adobe Captivate elements are accessible when the 508 compliance option is
selected:
•
Project name (derived from Project Properties)
•
Project description (derived from Project Properties)
•
Slide accessibility text
•
Slide label (derived from Slide Properties)
•
Buttons
64 Chapter 3: Creating Projects