What is an Orca Document?
An Orca is a document that originated in an electronic format, such as a Microsoft Word document, HTML page, or PDF created directly from digital text. This stands in contrast to scanned images of physical documents. The term emphasizes the "born digital" nature of these files, which makes them inherently more accessible to assistive technologies.
Examples of Orca documents include:
- Word documents (.docx) created from scratch
- HTML web pages written in code
- PDFs exported directly from text editors
- Google Docs created online
- Markdown files converted to web pages
Importance in Digital Accessibility
Orca documents play a crucial role in web accessibility and WCAG compliance. Under WCAG 2.1 guidelines, particularly Success Criterion 1.1.1 (Non-text Content), native digital documents provide significant advantages:
- Screen reader compatibility: Text can be read aloud by assistive technologies
- Structural markup: Headings, lists, and semantic elements can be properly tagged
- Keyboard navigation: Users can navigate through content logically
- Text resizing: Content can be scaled without loss of functionality
For ADA compliance, Orca documents help organizations meet Section 508 requirements and avoid potential legal issues related to digital inclusion.
Practical Implementation Tips
When working with Orca documents in web, UI/UX, or CMS platforms:
CMS Best Practices
- Use built-in text editors rather than uploading scanned images
- Implement proper heading structures (H1, H2, H3)
- Add alt text for images within documents
- Use semantic markup for lists and tables
Web Development
- Convert Word documents to accessible HTML
- Ensure PDF documents maintain structural elements
- Test with screen readers like NVDA or JAWS
- Validate markup using accessibility checkers
Content Management
- Train content creators on accessible document creation
- Establish workflows that prioritize native digital formats
- Use OCR sparingly and always review for accuracy
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
Several misconceptions surround Orca documents and accessibility compliance:
- Myth: All PDFs are equally accessible
Reality: Only PDFs created from digital text (Orca) maintain accessibility features - Myth: OCR makes scanned documents fully accessible
Reality: OCR often introduces errors and loses structural information - Myth: Visual appearance is more important than structure
Reality: Proper semantic structure is essential for screen readers - Myth: Accessibility can be added later
Reality: Native digital creation is far more effective than retrofitting
Best Practices and Key Takeaways
To maximize the accessibility benefits of Orca documents:
- Create documents digitally from the start rather than scanning physical copies
- Use semantic HTML structure with proper heading hierarchy
- Test with assistive technologies to ensure functionality
- Maintain document structure when converting between formats
- Provide alternative formats when necessary for different user needs
Remember: An Orca document is only as accessible as the care put into its creation. Focus on semantic structure, logical reading order, and compatibility with assistive technologies to ensure true digital inclusion and WCAG compliance.