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screen readers constantly saying "clickable" with onMouseDown Javascript in a table, is there a better design recommendation for this?

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From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Dec 5, 2011 8:27AM


Hi all

I am working with a library page (in Icelandic admittedly).
The page is
http://hbleit.bbi.is/

To get a sample of a table, type in "Auel" (or any other author you
fancy) in the search field and hit enter (leit = search).
The resulting interface table is a bit clumsy but it does work.
There is a lot of "fancy" drag and drop functionality going on, but
there is sufficient keyboard support to get it done.
The problem I am having with this, and the users complain about, is
that the word "clickable" is read for practically every column,
because there is an onMouseDown event associated with almost every
column and value.
When an Icelandic tts voice is used, but the word clickable is not
translated, you end up with a minor, but irritating user distraction.
I have looked at accessibility commentary for "onMouseDown" but it
only suggest implementing appropriate keyboard support, which is not
the issue, but I can't find anywhere how one could prevent it from
being "vissible" to the screen readers.

Is it possible to either use a different type of event, use ARIa to
hide this functionality, or would you simply recommend a more major
overhaul of how this search result table is implemented?
(the last 3 columns in the result table have options like "add to wish
list" "download" and "order on cd").
We have the vendors attention at the moment, especially for small
accessibility repairs.
I know, in the perfect world, this whole set up should be recoded, and
it is on the agenda for next year, but if there is a quickish type of
fix that could be implemented to prevent the word "clickable" from
being read constantly, it would be a feather in my cap and no misatke.
Thanks all.
-Birkir