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Thread: The meaning of 'Change of context' in WCAG 2.0
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From: Steve Green
Date: Sun, Aug 04 2013 7:49AM
Subject: The meaning of 'Change of context' in WCAG 2.0
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WCAG 2.0 defines a changes in context in several ways including a change of content that changes the meaning of the Web page.
In the case of a combobox that changes the language that the page is displayed in, do you consider that a change of context is occurring? In one sense the meaning of the Web page is not changing, but to a person who does not speak the new language it is a profound change from something they understand to something they do not.
We have told a client that a Submit button is required but their developer is challenging this, claiming that the context is not changing so a button is not required.
For the purposes of this question we are ONLY interested in WCAG compliance, not usability (of course we care about usability but we are assessing whether the developer has met their contractual obligation to provide a WCAG-compliant website).
I would appreciate any insights.
Regards,
Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd
5 Percy Street, London W1T 1DG
0800 612 2780 (switchboard)
07957 246 276 (mobile)
020 7692 5517 (fax)
Skype: testpartners
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Connect to me on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/stevegreen2
From: Duff Johnson
Date: Sun, Aug 04 2013 10:56AM
Subject: Re: The meaning of 'Change of context' in WCAG 2.0
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> In the case of a combobox that changes the language that the page is displayed in, do you consider that a change of context is occurring? In one sense the meaning of the Web page is not changing, but to a person who does not speak the new language it is a profound change from something they understand to something they do not.
Whether the context is changing is one question
but isn't the real issue whether or not the change was announced (3.2.2)?
If the combobox is appropriately labeled, doesn't it meet this requirement?
I'm not advocating; I'm just curious.
Duff.
From: Steve Green
Date: Sun, Aug 04 2013 11:18AM
Subject: Re: The meaning of 'Change of context' in WCAG 2.0
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3.2.2 states that compliance can be achieved by advising the user of the behaviour before using the component. My view is that the Select Language label does not do this because it does not indicate that the language will change immediately.
The guideline and techniques do not refer to announcing the change after it has happened, so that would not appear to be a requirement for compliance, nor a means of achieving it.
Steve
From: Duff Johnson
Date: Sun, Aug 04 2013 1:51PM
Subject: Re: The meaning of 'Change of context' in WCAG 2.0
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> 3.2.2 states that compliance can be achieved by advising the user of the behaviour before using the component. My view is that the Select Language label does not do this because it does not indicate that the language will change immediately.
So, they change the label to reflect the fact of an instant change in the language, and then they don't need the button, right?
Seems reasonable.
It's too bad there's no conventional way to indicate that a given interactive component (of any type) takes immediate effect. There are plenty of instances where it might be desirable to expand/reduce (for example) available options based on a combobox selection, checkbox selection
whatever.
Or perhaps there is, and I just don't know it?
Duff.
From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Sun, Aug 04 2013 3:45PM
Subject: Re: The meaning of 'Change of context' in WCAG 2.0
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Adding an explicit warning to the label, to the effect of:
"selecting an option in this combobox will change the display language
of the page"
should suffice as a warning.
However, I wonder if this is sufficient. It must be so that the
selection only becomes active once user tabs away from the combobox,
not when any item within the combobox receives keyboard focus.
If the onChange event is triggered as soon as the user selects an
option in the combobox, screenreader users and people who use keyboard
simlators may be completely unable to select the appropriate language
at all.
This particularly applies to screenreader users who may be completely
unable to work with the page once the language changes to a language
their screenreader does not support, and they are unable to operate
the page after that.
Whilst it may be hard to pin this down to a particular success
criteria (though I strongly feel that 2.1.1 applies here), this can be
a complete blocker for users of some assistive technologies, rendering
the page completely inaccessible to them.
Once you are stuck with a page in a language you do not understand,
and if you do not have sufficient knowledge to locate the combobox
directly to switch back to a language you can work with, that is a
showstopper.
As an added recommendation in this case I would recommend they make
sure that the back button moves user backs to the page with the
previous language setting.
Cheers
-B
Birkir Gunnarsson
Accessibility Subject Matter Expert | Deque Systems
http://www.deque.com
On 8/4/13, Duff Johnson < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>> 3.2.2 states that compliance can be achieved by advising the user of the
>> behaviour before using the component. My view is that the Select Language
>> label does not do this because it does not indicate that the language will
>> change immediately.
>
> So, they change the label to reflect the fact of an instant change in the
> language, and then they don't need the button, right?
>
> Seems reasonable.
>
> It's too bad there's no conventional way to indicate that a given
> interactive component (of any type) takes immediate effect. There are plenty
> of instances where it might be desirable to expand/reduce (for example)
> available options based on a combobox selection, checkbox selection
> whatever.
>
> Or perhaps there is, and I just don't know it?
>
> Duff.
> > > >