Large Print: Massachusetts, Open Document, and Accessibility

“While the move to ODF seems to offer clear benefits to the
Massachusetts government and citizens in general, a move to ODF and
a change in office application has significant accessibility
implications for people with disabilities. Today people with
disabilities are predominantly on the Microsoft Windows desktop.
The proportion on Windows increases further when you look at
employees of the Executive Branch of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.

“When it comes to the move to ODF for people with disabilities,
there are two basic questions to ask:

1. “Are the applications for creating and reading ODF documents
   accessible to people with disabilities?
2. “Compared to whatever any given individual with a disability is
   using today (typically Microsoft Office), will they be more or less
   efficient and productive with a new application for reading/writing
   ODF documents…?”

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