Providing Documentation in Alternative Formats
Some users have difficulty reading or holding conventionally printed documentation, so documentation should also be provided in other more accessible formats, such as online versions.
You should inform the user if he or she has or can obtain online documentation that includes all or almost all of the information in the printed versions. It is also acceptable to have complete online documentation included only with a CD-ROM version of your product rather than on floppy disks. In either case, the user should be able to easily determine if online documentation is available, how complete it is, and how to obtain it. Of course, it is also necessary to make sure that the application presenting the documentation is itself accessible.
Software vendors should allow customers to order the documentation on floppy disk. This type of electronic documentation is normally provided as formatted ASCII text files, and this format addresses a wide variety of needs. For example, customers who are blind or have low vision can read the files in their own word processor using screen review or screen enlarger utilities, and customers with mobility impairments can read them online without holding or turning the pages of a physical book. The ASCII files normally include special tags that identify the structure of the document (that is, tags for headings, footnotes, and so on).
Documentation can also be provided in alternative formats, such as large print, Braille, or audio tapes. Most companies do not provide documentation in these formats, but license instead the source files for documents to users or organizations who want to create accessible versions in those formats.
A list of resources who can provide additional information or can help in translating or distributing your documentation in accessible format can be found in Appendix A, "Additional Resources."