Thread Subject: Gaps in Web Requirements - keyboard operation

Return to this mailing list's archives

From: Andi Snow-Weaver
Date: Sun, Dec 17 2006 6:10 AM
Subject: Gaps in Web Requirements - keyboard operation

Do we need to recommend a new requirement on keyboard operation?

Note that WCAG 2.0 has one:

All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard interface
without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes, except where
the underlying task requires analog, time-dependent input.

Andi

From: Hoffman, Allen
Date: Mon, Dec 18 2006 6:40 AM
Subject: Re: Gaps in Web Requirements - keyboardoperation

Andi wrote:
"Do we need to recommend a new requirement on keyboard operation?"

I believe we definitely do.
I also think we have to walk through how it is done carefully due to the
overlapping layers of technologies, but the basic requirement is
definitely needed. Today, it is mostly needed when scripting languages
are used to create interface elements, otherwise any lack of keyboard
navigation is generally directly related to the user-agent.

Allen Hoffman
Department of Homeland Security Office on Accessible systems &
Technology

From: Fratkin, Mike
Date: Mon, Dec 18 2006 6:55 AM
Subject: Re: Gaps in Web Requirements - keyboardoperation

At the present the keyboard requirement (1194.21a) is one of the most
misunderstood requirements primarily due to its wording. The typical
response we see on VPAT's is that mouse keys are supported. Secondly,
it also needs to be included in the web requirements. Additional
considerations include:

Logical tab order
Hotkeys/access keys - when to use, browser conflicts
Testability - number of keystrokes to be comparable to mouse navigation
Voice navigation - should it be separate from keyboard requirement

[Andi wrote]
Do we need to recommend a new requirement on keyboard operation?

Note that WCAG 2.0 has one:

All functionality of the content is operable through a keyboard
interface without requiring specific timings for individual keystrokes,
except where the underlying task requires analog, time-dependent input.

Andi

From: Gregg Vanderheiden
Date: Mon, Dec 18 2006 9:10 AM
Subject: Re: Gaps in Web Requirements -keyboard operation

One of the advantages of using WCAG provisions is that there is a support
document (understanding WCAG) that provides easy to point to descriptions,
examples and techniques that are sufficient to meet the guidelines as well
as known failures. MouseKeys for example is specifically notes as not
sufficient to meet this guideline. The Understanding doc never modifies
the guideline but helps people less familiar understand what the rest of us
would.


Gregg
-- ------------------------------
Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf
> Of Fratkin, Mike
> Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 7:51 AM
> To: TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee
> Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Gaps in Web Requirements -
> keyboard operation
>
> At the present the keyboard requirement (1194.21a) is one of
> the most misunderstood requirements primarily due to its
> wording. The typical response we see on VPAT's is that mouse
> keys are supported. Secondly, it also needs to be included
> in the web requirements. Additional considerations include:
>
> Logical tab order
> Hotkeys/access keys - when to use, browser conflicts
> Testability - number of keystrokes to be comparable to mouse
> navigation Voice navigation - should it be separate from
> keyboard requirement
>
> [Andi wrote]
> Do we need to recommend a new requirement on keyboard operation?
>
> Note that WCAG 2.0 has one:
>
> All functionality of the content is operable through a
> keyboard interface without requiring specific timings for
> individual keystrokes, except where the underlying task
> requires analog, time-dependent input.
>
> Andi
>
>

From: Andi Snow-Weaver
Date: Tue, Jan 09 2007 1:40 PM
Subject: Re: Gaps in Web Requirements - keyboardoperation

At last week's meeting, we discussed the idea of having a keyboard
requirement for Web in 508 as WCAG 2.0 has. There was general consensus for
the idea but concern that it should not be applied in cases where the
content is known to be rendered on a device that doesn't have a keyboard. I
took an action item to propose something that includes some kind of
qualifier phrase like "when software is designed to run on a system that
has a keyboard" (from 21(a)).

So, here is a proposal for discussion on the list and we will discuss at
tomorrow's call:

For Web content or applications that are designed to run on a system that
has a keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where
the function itself or the result of performing a function can be discerned
textually.

When we discussed the existing 508 software requirement (21(a)), concern
was raised that the phrase "discerned textually" is unclear. But no one had
a better proposal.

Andi