508 compliance & data driven pages

Question

I need to produce a series of maps  - one for each of the U.S. counties - that will be accessible via a website. I can easily do this using data-driven pages. However, each of the pdf files I output must be 508 compliant. ("Section 508 requires that all website content be accessible to people with disabilities. This applies to Web applications, Web pages and all attached files on the Intranet, as well as, the Internet."). Does anyone know if there's a way to automate the process to add the required materials for 508 compliance? Has Esri or some other agency or person done created a tool to do this?

Thanks!

Elaine

ehallisey · Answer

Thank you Karl. This is useful and relevant 508 information, but it still doesn't address the problem of exporting hundreds of pdfs at a time (thousands for all U.S. counties) using data driven pages. We've already implemented design considerations, but would like to avoid having to go back and edit all those pdfs individually. We'd greatly appreciate any added 508 compliance functionality in the future.

Thanks again!

Elaine

KarlFrantz · Answer

Hi Elaine,

In order for your map series (or any PDF export) to be made 508 compliant, there are steps you can take prior to exporting your files from ArcGIS Pro, as well as some post-export editing recommendations. First, while there are no explicit accessibility controls in maps or layouts, ArcGIS Pro allows users to author content in a manner consistent with WCAG 2.0 standards (containing 508 requirements) by accounting for design considerations such as color, typography, proximity, sizing, and contrast to ensure better compliance prior to export. Ensuring appropriate contrast, for example, could aid users with low vision, and avoiding specific color combinations could support users with color blindness.

Here are some resources to help understand WCAG guidelines to aid the design process, as well as design resources to help consider color combinations and contrast:

* WCAG 2.0 (current US standard)

* Understanding WCAG 2.0

* Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0

* Design

* Colorbrewer (accessible color combination and color ramp options for colorblindness)
* WebAIM Contrast Checker (accessible contrast checker between foreground and background)

Once you have accounted for the accessible design of your content in ArcGIS Pro, we recommend making use of Accessibility tools found in editing software such as Adobe Acrobat Pro. Upon export, users can specify several accessibility options in these tools to ensure greater accessibility compliance in PDFs. A blog post was published last year on this very subject by Klara Schmitt (an Esri staff member involved in accessibility with ArcGIS HUB) that would make a great resource, as well as our Help page around Export Options:

* Making an accessible PDF
* ArcGIS Pro Help - Export Options

So, our current recommendation around creating accessible (508 compliant) PDFs in ArcGIS Pro is a combination of focusing on the accessible design of each layout prior to export, as well as enhancement with accessibility tools found in editors such as Acrobat Pro. We are very committed to accessibility, and strive to continually expand and incorporate accessibility capabilities in our products - I appreciate you taking the time to suggest this functionality!

Thank you!

Karl