Implementation of the OOXML standard since its approval until today

Abstract

The article argues that file format is determinant for the final accessibility on a digital document. This is illustrated through the OOXML example. In the first section the authors review the evolution of the OOXML specification through its different versions, pointing out deficiencies of the versions currently implemented. In the second section the research analyses which elements of Microsoft Word's interface hinder the creation of accessible documents. The methodology was (1) a literature review of articles and technical reports related to OOXML and to digital documents accessibility. Afterwards, (2a) a critical review of accessibility requirements and their implementation was carried out through an analysis of the code generated by OOXML by comparing with the code generated by Open Document Format (ODF). Finally, (2b) a critical review on how the authoring tool interface generates OOXML documents was performed. As a result of the research, it can be stated that strict OOXML is not implemented in practice, and it is the only version which could grant accessibility. Therefore, this format usability and accessibility is jeopardized by the lack of clarity of code and documents predominantly created in the non-strict version.