On this page: Background and Purpose | What We Do | Guidelines and Standards
Text Only Alternative (MS Word)
Background and Purpose
This checkpoint was originally created so that if a web page or document could not be made accessible then there would be a text-only alternative provided to convey the information on that webpage or in that document. In addition, while PDF documents are not commonly edited, U.S. Section 508 (2001) guidelines state that if a text-only alternative of a webpage (or document) is provided, then if/when the webpage (or document) is changed or updated, the text-only alternative must be updated as well.
What We Do
CommonLook Office creates accessible and compliant PDF documents from the MS Word file. No text-only alternative is necessary.
Guidelines and Standards
This checkpoint is relevant to the following regulations, guidelines and standards:
| Document | Published | Scope | Conformance Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 508 – 2001 Regulations (USA) | 2001 | “Web-Based Information & Applications” | (k) |
| W3C WCAG 2.0 (REVISED SECTION 508 – 2017) | 2008 | Web Content | Not Specified |
| Health and Human Services – HHS (USA) | 2013 | PDF File 508 Checklist | ID 1.12 |
| ISO 14289 (PDF/UA) | 2012 | PDF Technology | Not Specified |
