[blindlaw] Inaccessible Government PDF Forms

[AZNOR99 at aol.com]

Tai,
 
I contacted a former colleague there and am forwarding you his email  
off-list.  It has the info you need for the 508 coordinator at USCIS and  also 
the folks at CRCL's Office of Accessible Systems and Technology.
 
If anyone else needs this information, email me off-list and I'll send it  
on.
 
 
 
In a message dated 9/21/2011 9:20:04 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
taiablas at gmail.com writes:

Thanks  for the tip, Ronza!  I will report back to the list after I
make  contact with someone at CRCL.

On 9/21/11, AZNOR99 at aol.com  <AZNOR99 at aol.com> wrote:
> Hi Tai,
> I have experience with  the forms to which you are referring.  The  
problem
> has been  that once USCIS finally gets a form to be accessible, they   
release
> a newer version that is no longer so.  I suggest you  contact the  DHS
> Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at  _crcl at dhs.gov_
> (mailto:crcl at dhs.gov)  - if memory serves, they  were  working on helping
> USCIS make their forms
> 508  compliant.  USCIS has a civil  rights office as well, but my  
experience
> is that HQ tends to do a better job of   accountability.
>
> Thanks,
> Ronza
>
>
>  In a message dated 9/21/2011 7:36:32 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>  taiablas at gmail.com writes:
>
> Rob,
>
> Email me  privately off list. I would like to talk to  you about your
>  experiences. Perhaps we could talk via phone. I am a 1l, but  my  school
> has a volunteer program. I am using forms from USCIS and they  are  only
> somewhat accessible.
>
> On 9/21/11,  Dittman, Robert  <rdittman at stmarytx.edu> wrote:
>>  Tai,
>>
>> Are you also  a student attorney, just  asking because I am doing the 
same
>> thing in  the civil clinic  here at St. Mary's University School of Law
> here
>> in   Texas.
>>
>> What version of jaws are you running? Jaws  version 12  seems to be 
working
>> fine on most government forms  from the SSA  although it is still no pick
>> nick. I will be  trying out a Mac as soon  as I can get my paws on one.
>>  Secondly I have had good luck having the  forms converted into word  
form
> and
>> then filling out the forms as  well.   As a third and last resort option,
> you
>> can always go  to  sighted assistance because some of the forms are just
>  not
>> rendered in  an accessible form.
>>
>>  Good luck,
>>  Rob
>>
>>
>> Robert D.  Dittman
>> Student Attorney
>>  St. Mary's University,  Center for Legal and Social Justice (Civil
> Clinic)
>> 2507  N.W. 36th Street
>> San Antonio, TX    78228-3918
>> Phone: (210) 431-5760  fax: (210)  431-5700
>>  Email:  rdittman at mail.stmarytx.edu
>>
>> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:  This  e-mail message, including any
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>>
>>
>> -----Original  Message-----
>>  From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org  [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
>> Behalf Of Tai  Blas
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:09  PM
>>  To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [blindlaw] Inaccessible   Government PDF Forms
>>
>> Hi all. I am working as a  volunteer with  my school's legal clinic 
helping
>> victims of  domestic violence file  immigration forms to get U-visas.
>>  Unfortunately, these PDF forms are  extremely inaccessible with  JAWS.
> When I
>> tab through them, many of the  fields  are unlabeled.
>> Sometimes, the checkboxes are confusing due  to  the way they are 
labeled.
> Can
>> someone please  outline what steps I  should take to address this 
problem?
>  i
>> really want to assist these  clients and don't want the  burden of
>> form-filling to fall to my  sighted colleagues.  Does anyone else have
>> experience with immigration   forms?
>>
>> Any information is  appreciated.
>>
>>  Thanks.
>>
>>  Tai
>>
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