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OS Digital Accessibility Conformance Review Acceptance Criteria

Important: These acceptance criteria do not determine a level of conformance. The criteria determine whether content is in a testable state.

Acceptance criteria are available for common content formats. Each content format contained in the submission must meet respective acceptance criteria.  For example, exportable reports from a web application are extra content formats.  A Microsoft Word document linking to a Microsoft Excel or Microsoft PowerPoint document is another example.

“Yes” must be the answer to each number or a sub-item of a number for acceptance to the queue. Content owners must remedy all unacceptable responses before submitting content.

Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Adobe PDF
Synchronized Media
Website / Web Application / eLearning

Microsoft Word

  1. Does the document open without requiring a password?
    1. If a password is required, has the password been provided?
    2. If a password is required, does the password successfully open the content?
  2. Does Review > Restrict Editing > "Stop Protection" not appear at the bottom of the Restrict Editing pane.
    1. Exception: If there are fillable form fields and sections to the document, then enforcing protection is appropriate.
  3. Is the appropriate language for the document selected from Review > Language > Set Proofing Language?
  4. Are there no embedded objects/files in the document?

Microsoft Excel

  1. Does the document open without requiring a password?
    1. If a password is required, has the password been provided?
    2. If a password is required, does the password successfully open the content? 
  2. Are Review > Protect Sheet > "Select Locked Cells" and "Select Unlocked Cells” checked on each worksheet?
  3. Does File > Options > Language displays the appropriate language for the document?
  4. Are there no embedded objects/files in the document?

Microsoft PowerPoint

  1. Does the document open without requiring a password?
    1. If a password is required, has the password been provided?
    2. If a password is required, does the password successfully open the content? 
  2. Is the slide content editable?
  3. Is the appropriate language for the presentation selected from Review > Language > Set Proofing Language?
  4. Does each slide have “None” selected under the Animation ribbon?
  5. Are there no embedded objects/files in the document?
  6. Are there no embedded media players?

Adobe PDF

  1. Does the document open without requiring a password?
    1. If a password is required, have the credentials been provided?
  2. Is “Yes” displayed next to "Tagged PDF" under Document Properties > Description > Advanced.
    1. If “No” to tagged PDF, then does the PDF Producer list Adobe LiveCycle or Designer?
  3. Does Document Properties > Security > “Content Copying for Accessibility” display “Allowed"?

Synchronized Media

  1. If the synchronized media is accessed through a URL, does the content successfully load?
  2. If the synchronized media is accessed through a URL, does the media successfully play?
  3. Does the media contain audio paired with another format (video) and/or contain interactive components (buttons)?
    1. Do captions automatically appear (open captions) when the content is playing?
    2. If “No” to open captions, then is a Closed Captions (CC) control available on the player navigation bar?
      1. If “Yes” to a CC control, then do captions appear when the CC control is turned on?
  4. Can the player navigation controls be located and triggered with the keyboard?

Website / Web Application / eLearning

  1. Does the web content load in the specified browser, or in either Microsoft Edge or Chrome via the provided URL?
  2. Can the entirety of the content be accessed without authenticating?
    1. If an authentication page is present, are credentials provided?
    2. If an authentication page is present, do the provided credentials successfully authenticate the account?
Content created by Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA)
Content last reviewed March 29, 2023
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