Understanding Alt Text, Actual Text, Extended Descriptions and Captions
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
Release Date: 05/18/2024
The Hidden Trouble with Tables
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
In this episode of Chax Chat, Chad and Dax tackle one of the most misunderstood areas of document accessibility: tables. While they may seem simple to build, the real challenge is designing them in a way that works for assistive technology. We break down how screen readers navigate tables, why column and row headers matter, and how small design decisions can dramatically impact the user experience. From common pitfalls like overcomplicated layouts and unclear headers to practical tips you can apply immediately, this episode is packed with real-world insight. Whether you create, design, or...
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The One Remediation Tool You Should Have...
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
What’s the best tool for making PDFs accessible? It’s the question we get constantly, and the honest answer might surprise you. There isn’t one. In this episode of Chax Chat, Chad and Dax break down how the “best” accessibility tool depends entirely on your starting point. Are you working in Word, InDesign, PowerPoint, Google Docs, or Canva? Do you have a tagged PDF, an untagged PDF, or a scanned document? Each scenario changes the strategy. We discuss why “born accessible” is always better than heavy remediation, when Adobe’s auto-tagging can actually help, why tools like...
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Microsoft’s MathML Win and Adobe’s AI Alt Text Experiment
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
In this episode of ChaxChat, Dax Castro and Chad Chelius unpack two very different approaches to accessibility innovation. First, they dive into Microsoft’s implementation of MathML in Word and PowerPoint and why it represents a genuine win for accessible math. By carrying MathML through to the PDF export with proper tagging and screen reader support, Microsoft demonstrates what it looks like when accessibility is built into the workflow rather than patched on later. They then turn to Adobe InDesign’s new AI-generated alt text feature and explore where it helps, where it falls short, and...
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Accessible Forms: PDF or Web?
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
Accessible forms are more than a technical checklist. They require smart decisions about usability, workflow, and long-term maintenance. In this episode of Chax Chat, Dax Castro and Chad Chelius are joined by Walt Zielinski, a web developer with extensive experience building accessible form experiences. The conversation focuses on a key question: when should you use a web form versus a PDF form? Together, they explore real-world considerations like data collection, offline access, cost, maintenance, and who is responsible for supporting the form over time. They also cover common...
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What 2025 Taught Us About Accessibility - and What Comes Next
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
In this episode, Dax Castro and Chad Chelius take a thoughtful look back at the accessibility lessons that defined 2025 and share what they are most excited about heading into 2026, drawing directly from real client work, remediation challenges, and conference conversations. They unpack why tables and forms continue to be the most persistent pain points for document accessibility, discuss hard-earned wins from complex remediation projects, and reflect on where current tools still fall short. The conversation also explores realistic expectations for AI in accessibility, emerging assistive...
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The Real Cost of Accessibility: Tools, Time, and ROI
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
In this episode Dax Castro and Chad Chelius break down the real-world value of accessibility tools. From essential free tools like NVDA and color contrast analyzers to powerful paid solutions like CommonLook, Access PDF, PDFix, and more, they discuss what actually saves time, what improves quality, and what’s worth the investment. If you’re creating or remediating accessible documents and wondering whether paid tools are justified, this conversation offers practical insights, honest tradeoffs, and ROI-driven advice grounded in everyday accessibility work. You can find the...
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From Fixing to Planning: Accessible Workflow Essentials
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
Join Dax Castro and senior trainer Rob Underwood as they unpack how smarter file management and planning can transform your accessibility projects. They dig into practical strategies for setting up metadata, creating consistent heading structures, choosing and managing accessible color palettes with CC Libraries, and planning alternate formats for charts and tables before you ever hit export to PDF. Along the way, they tackle the realities of inherited files, layout tables, and multi-person workflows, showing how clear roles and reusable systems can save hours of remediation time while...
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Accessible Color Without Killing Your Design
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
Does accessibility really mean ugly charts, boring colors, and pattern fills everywhere? In this episode, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro tackle accessible color head-on: what color contrast actually means, when it applies (and when it doesn’t), and how to handle charts, graphs, heat maps, and logos without trashing your brand. They break down the key WCAG contrast ratios, talk about the logo exemption, and share practical strategies like smarter legends, labels, and selective use of patterns instead of “pattern fill everything.” Learn how building an accessible brand palette up front can...
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Are You Fixing the Wrong Thing?
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
Are you spending hours “fixing” things in a PDF that your screen reader users will never notice? In this episode Chad Chelius and Dax Castro ask a hard question: Are you fixing the wrong thing? We pop open the tags tree and talk about what really affects user experience and what is just busywork. From span tags and container tags that never get voiced, to lists that read like run-on paragraphs, to title tags vs H1s, role maps, and tables without proper scope, we walk through where your time actually matters. If you have ever deleted 200 span tags by hand, fought with a list that...
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Accessible and Amazing! An Author's Journey.
Chax Chat Accessibility Podcast
When a PR and communications pro falls in love with accessibility, what happens next? In this episode of the Chax Chat Podcast, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro sit down with author and educator Matisse Hamel-Nelis to talk about her new book, Accessible Communications: Create Impact, Avoid Missteps and Build Trust, and the journey that brought her there, plus an honest look at what it’s like to build an accessibility-focused career, launch a book and microsite, and teach the next generation of marketers and PR pros. If you create content in any form and want it...
info_outlineEffective use of alt text, actual text, extended descriptions, and captions are essential for helping the users of accessibility tools read the document the way you intended. Most documents contain more than words alone. Graphics, graphs, photos, and even stylized formats are used to enhance the reader experience. But oftentimes, these visual elements disrupt or even create a barrier for users of AT.
In today’s episode of Chax Chat, Chad Chelius and Dax Castro discuss some of the pitfalls and barriers caused by the misuse of these important information tools. We talk through different real life examples of how alt text and actual text have been used to solve problems introduced by different graphic design and layout elements.