Update:

I've updated this paper based on feedback I've received from the community. I'd like to thank those people who have provided support in helping clarify the level of Accessibility in the specification.

This report is still in DRAFT form. Again, it is intended to serve as a basis for public comment, and should not be taken as the definitive guide to the accessibility of Open XML. I'd like to thank those who took time to provide input based on what is written in the specification.

Open XML has great support for Accessibility, and we're committed to working with the ATV community as well as the community at large to illustrate how Open XML can be used. I'm attempting to add examples where appropriate as well.

Version 1.01 updates:

·         Corrected issues related to checkpoints that were misrepresented or misunderstood in version 1.

·         Updated specification sections where appropriate to allow others to investigate for themselves

·         Removed "fully" and “partially” supported language to be less ambiguous

·         Explicitly stated support for XML Accessibility Guidelines

·         Stated more specifically which checkpoints are and are not relevant to document formats

Original Post:

Open XML Formats support accessibility in a number of ways. In explaining this support to its customers, partners and assistive technology vendors, Microsoft has created a preliminary draft report describing how Open XML compares to W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and W3C XML Accessibility guidelines.

Microsoft is donating this project to the OpenXMLDeveloper.org community. By doing so, Microsoft hopes to raise the level of awareness and education of the accessibility support in the existing standard, as well as evaluate Open XML using other accessibility criteria.

This project is open for comment and discussion.  The attached dowload contains the report in DOCX, PDF, and HTML formats.