WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Accessible Mega Menu and Safari

for

From: Robert Fentress
Date: Mar 30, 2016 10:36AM

Thanks, Paul.

The problem with using down arrow with QuickNav off or Tab, in this
instance, is that this only moves between links and skips over
non-focusable elements. The purpose of the mega menu pattern, as used
here, is that you want to make other structured content besides the
menu links available, for instance, headings or textual cues. That
content is skipped using these navigation methods, at least,
apparently, with how I have VoiceOver set up.

As to the ARIA Authoring Practices, while those are valuable, if your
are doing something application-like, if you are using menus in the
way commonly found on web pages, you would likely violate many users
expectations by following the spec. As others have noted, web
applications--not to mention regular web sites that make sporadic use
of custom controls--are not the same as desktop applications. That
being said, mapping to system APIs does provide value. It is a
difficult nut to crack.

On Wed, Mar 30, 2016 at 11:47 AM, Paul J. Adam < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Looks like it only works if you press the down arrow key with VoiceOver quick navigation turned off. Or Tab into the menu.
>
> It would be smart for JavaScript widgets that have various keyboard navigation methods to display a visible tooltip or show some instructions on how to actually operate the menu. Those instructions being accessible to screen reader users also.
>
> This menu works as you're expecting with VO+Right Arrow key. http://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/AU/after.html <http://www.washington.edu/accesscomputing/AU/after.html>;
>
> Here's the ARIA Authoring Practices with keyboard interaction instructions, https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/#menu <https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/#menu>
>
> Paul J. Adam
> Accessibility Evangelist
> www.deque.com
>
>> On Mar 30, 2016, at 10:18 AM, Robert Fentress < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>>
>> Hi, all.
>>
>> I've just noticed a problem with the way Adobe's Accessible Mega Menu (
>> https://adobe-accessibility.github.io/Accessible-Mega-Menu/) works with
>> Safari and VoiceOver. Basically, when you activate a menu with
>> Control+Option+Space the menu appears, but when you then press
>> Control+Option+Right Arrow to have VO voice the text in the menu, the menu
>> collapses. It only stays open if you tab into the revealed contents.
>> This, of course, kinda defeats one of the points of this pattern, in that
>> it means that you really only have access to the menu options, not the
>> other structured content. In that case, you might as well just make it a
>> more standard menu.
>>
>> I could have sworn I'd tested this before and it had worked. Do you know
>> if anything has changed in recent updates to Safari or VoiceOver that would
>> have affected this, or did I just miss it previously?
>>
>> On a related note, if you are stuck with this basic turducken mega menu
>> pattern, is there an implementation that works better than Adobe's? If I
>> could convince the people I'm making recommendations to to deviate slightly
>> from the strict mega menu pattern, would a mega modal be better and, if so,
>> do you know of some particularly good implementations?
>>
>> Best,
>> Rob
>>
>> --
>> Robert Fentress
>> Senior Accessibility Solutions Designer
>> 540.231.1255
>>
>> Technology-enhanced Learning & Online Strategies
>> Assistive Technologies
>> 1180 Torgersen Hall
>> 620 Drillfield Drive (0434)
>> Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
>> >> >> >> >
> > > > --
Robert Fentress
Senior Accessibility Solutions Designer
540.231.1255

Technology-enhanced Learning & Online Strategies
Assistive Technologies
1180 Torgersen Hall
620 Drillfield Drive (0434)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061