Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast

In this episode of Chax Chat, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro take a hard look at the hidden risks of relying on templates for accessible content. They unpack how even well-intentioned templates can bake in bad practices and create barriers at scale when not built with accessibility in mind. From heading structures to color contrast, the duo shares tips on what to look out for and how to fix it. They also touch on recent accessibility lawsuits that highlight the real-world consequences of getting it wrong. So settle in, grab your favorite beverage, and let’s talk about how to turn your templates from risky to reliable.

In this episode of Chax Chat, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro dive into the world of artificial intelligence and its role in accessibility. From AI-generated alt text to document remediation tools, they explore the balance between automation and accuracy. You’ll hear real-world examples, a few rants, and some solid advice for those navigating this evolving landscape. Whether you’re curious about what’s next or skeptical of the hype, this episode offers valuable insights and a few laughs along the way. So pour yourself a cup of curiosity, and let’s jump right in!

In this episode of Chax Chat, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro tackle some of the most common challenges in document accessibility. From overlooked tagging issues to the hidden complexities of tables and lists, they break down key remediation strategies that can save you time and frustration. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, this conversation is packed with practical tips to help you create compliant, user-friendly PDFs. So sit back, grab your favorite mug of whatever, and let’s get into it!

This is really a trick question. In this episode we discuss how to answer the question "What is the one tool you use for accessibility?" Chad and Dax start out by discussing the merits of getting an accessibility certification and then move on to talk about a couple of new scripts that are currently on their website. Specifically one that helps hide and show items in the Adobe InDesign Articles panel. Chad drops a pro-tip on the ROI of purchasing the right tools to speed up your production time and Dax lets everyone know about the great handout available in the downloads section of the website called: Unlocking C-Suite Motivation. This great handout empowers you with the tools to know how to approach your execs in the way that speaks to them, increasing your chances of getting buy-in for tools, training and establishing an accessibility program within your organization. If you have not registered for the Venngage webinar today be sure to visit https://bit.ly/A11yScale If you missed it you can still get the handout on our website in the downloads section of the menu.

They say the best way to learn a language is by working with a native speaker, and learning Assistive Technology is no different. We are thrilled to have Kristen Witucki from Tamman Inc join us today on Chax Chat to talk about her experience as a native assistive technology user. Kristen walks us through the way she uses NVDA and JAWS, her setting preferences, and how the use of this technology affects her day to day life. Kristen works with Tamman Inc both as an Assistive Technology Communications Expert, as well as the host of the podcast Article 19, the podcast that explores accessibility through stories and experiences that tie us all together.

Effective use of alt text, actual text, extended descriptions, and captions are essential for helping the users of accessibility tools read the document the way you intended. Most documents contain more than words alone. Graphics, graphs, photos, and even stylized formats are used to enhance the reader experience. But oftentimes, these visual elements disrupt or even create a barrier for users of AT. In today’s episode of Chax Chat, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro discuss some of the pitfalls and barriers caused by the misuse of these important information tools. We talk through different real life examples of how alt text and actual text have been used to solve problems introduced by different graphic design and layout elements.

Today on Chax Chat we talk about designing with accessibility in mind. Creating an accessibility-first mindset is essential to the success of creating documents that maximize accessibility from the start and avoid the time drain of accessibility at the end or redoing the work when the inevitable last-minute change comes. Join Chad Chelius and Dax Castro as they break down Designing accessible trifoldsImplementing accessible QR codesCaptionsTable of Contents, and;Reasons to avoid Drop Caps

Adobe InDesign offers several features to manage the tags and content of your document for accessibility, but not all panes are built the same! In today’s episode of Chax Chat, we are going to explore all three of these windows, the benefits and purposes they serve, and when or when not to use them. Today we will be defining assistive technology, unraveling the tags pane, the order panel, and the content pane. We will also be defining assistive technology and learning more about how to work with tags within your PDF document. Related Episode: Part 2: Top 10 Accessibility Questions Newbies AskRelated Episode: Who does the Reading Order affect? This Guest: Sonya Lewis!Related Episode: Guest Leonard Rosenethol - Content Authenticity, Liquid Mode and Read Order Time Stamps: 0:00 - Introduction2:52 - Topic Introduction5:44 - Tags Pane9:28 - Defining Assistive Technology11:28 - Working with Tags in a PDF File14:15 - Order Panel18:43 - Content Pane34:26 - Mislabeling Tools

Microsoft Word is said to be one of the best applications for making accessible documents, but how true is that claim? There are a lot of practices that designers use that set them back while working within Word. Join Chad Chelius and Dax Castro as they talk about some of the most common issues document creators encounter when working within this application, best rules to follow to avoid those issues, and how to remediate your document when issues arise. Listen in and learn why you should use caution with templates, missing or artifact document covers within the header, title tags versus H1 tags, accessible links in the footer, how to turn off auto-generated alt-text, bulleted lists and 2 column layouts, creating an automated table of contents, and layout tables. Episode Resources: How does my Bulleted List Sound DocumentLearn More about axesWord Demonstration Creating Accessible Dot Leaders By Chad Chelius Are Track Changes Accessible? By Dax Castro Time Stamps 0:00 - Introduction2:13 - Introducing the Topic3:03 - Using Caution with Pre-Built Templates5:15 - Document Cover and Headers7:35 - Title Tag Versus H1 Tag13:11 - Accessible Links in the Footer20:04 - How to turn off Auto-generated Alt-text25:05 - Bulleted Lists and 2 Column Layouts29:22 - Manual Table of Contents35:13 - Layout Tables

Learn our favorite tips, tricks, and shortcuts to creating accessible documents in Indesign! Every application has hidden secrets, some so good you wish you knew them sooner. Join Chad Chelius and Dax Castro as they share their experiences behind these shortcuts, how they found them, and how each tip can help you become a quicker, more proficient document accessibility expert. In this episode, we will cover how to name and outline heading levels, adding styles to headers, editing all export tags, different techniques to add Items to the articles panel, using the escape key to select the table cell, creating an object style for artifacting, and creating shortcuts to assign a heading level. Find the Accessible InDesign Starter Template by visiting: https://www.accessibilityunraveled.com/accessible-indesign-styles/ Get a demonstration of MadeToTag by visiting: Accessibilityunraveled.com/axesWord Time Stamps

Avoiding a lawsuit is as easy as implementing accessibility correctly the first time. But as many of us know, we still aren’t quite there yet. There is a lot of work that needs to be done if we are going to truly have an internet that is accessible to everyone. Many businesses and public entities offer services, products, and information that everyone needs access to, regardless of their ability, and sometimes it feels that a lawsuit is the only way to jumpstart that process. To get an inside look at the legal system, we have invited a special guest to join us of CHAX Chat! Eve Hill of Brown Goldstien & Levy is an ADA lawyer and consultant. In this episode, we are going to hear firsthand what happens in an ADA lawsuit, the step-by-step process when a complaint is filed, and steps you can take to start preparing your company now for success, enabling your company or organization to serve everyone.

“Automation does not guarantee compliance!” is the inspiration behind today’s episode. Here at CHAX Accessibility Training. Accessibility Checkers are one such tool. They check for particular issues, but just because a checker does not flag accessibility issues does not mean your documents are compliant. Today we are going to unravel the 7 things that Fail Accessibility but will pass your Checker! Passing the PAC Checker or Acrobat Checker is only the first step to remediating a document. Once you master these 7 items that your checker will miss, you will be ready to test your document with NVDA or JAWS to ensure everyone has the user experience you intend.

There is no doubt that the subject of accessibility and remediation can be a confusing landscape for those just starting out in this wonderful industry. Today, we tackle part two of our Top Ten Questions in accessibility and remediation! Some of these answers might surprise you, as we both learned something new in this episode, too. We discover new tools, like PDFix, review our top applications, discuss some of the oddities in the industry, and so much more. Whether you are new to document remediation or a veteran, there is something to learn every day. This is part 2 of our Top 10 Questions Accessibility Newbies Ask. Part 1 of this two-part episode originally aired Dec 2023.

Understanding how people use accessibility technology is essential to creating accessible media. In this episode, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro dive into the 2024 WebAIM “Screen Reader User Survey #10 Results” to get an inside look on who uses screen reading tools, and where they use them. They cover age, location, favorite reader, and more. Even though we are exploring a relatively small sample size, the information here is invaluable. So sit back, grab your favorite drink, and get our take on the data! Watch the video on our YouTube Channel @A11Y

In this episode Chad Chelius and Dax Castro discuss what it means to understand the user experience of a screen reader as well as accessibility technology at large. Creating documents and digital media has its challenges, but what if your product does not respond the way you expect it to? Learn about how to adapt your understanding to the end user experience in today's episode. We are also excited to share two new A11y terms just for you! Introducing Chax-ified and Chax-essible! Other topics we cover today include our new partnership with Tamman, Inc, the experience of being an accessibility specialist on the Mac series of M1, M2, and M3 computers, our upcoming classes, CSUN, and more!

In this episode, we unravel nested tag structures. Chad and Dax break down lists, TOC, footnotes, and tables. Learn what the most basic way to create a list structure is and how Dax had to hit the books once again to make sure he wasn't telling tales. Chad talks about footnotes and references and why you might hear "Link Link" in your TOC elements. If you struggle to understand which tags get nested inside others, then you definitely want to listen to this episode!

In this episode, we interview Kelly Swanson and Sherri Smith from the Center for Schools and Communities to understand how Sheri was able to initiate interest in document accessibility and start a successful document accessibility program within their organization. Kelly shared key insights from a manager's perspective that can help others in their quest to implement accessibility at a program level.

In this episode, Dax Castro and Chad Chelius talk about the troubles with creating QR codes and reveal the common mistakes people make when trying to make them accessible. They show you how to create them, how to set the placement correctly, and what your options are when it comes to making accessible QR codes for your documents. Chad even shows how you can use InDesign to make your QR codes right in the program. If you struggle with accessible QR codes definitely tune into this episode!

In this final episode for 2023 we look back at the most frequently asked questions by people just starting out in document accessibility. We also dropped a major announcement about the future of Chax Training and Consulting. So you definitely don't want to miss this episode. Top 5 Questions: If you felt like we missed any or want to post a final message for the end of the year, please feel free to post in the comments. We read every single one!

In this episode, Chad and Dax discuss the merits of having form fields inside tables. When is it okay? When should you avoid tables as a means of laying out accessible form-based documents? Listen in and you will learn what to ask and how to determine if it is okay to put your form in a table. We also take a quick look at the new PAC 2024 interface and our thoughts on the new release.