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WebAIM-Forum Digest, Vol 138, Issue 11

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From: Brooks Newton
Date: Sep 13, 2016 3:41PM

If browser manufacturers are left out of the culpability loop for ensuring digital accessibility, we can expect to see sporadic support of accessible user experiences as the norm moving forward. Why on earth would these organizations give up one red cent of profit or one hour of "feature building" to develop and test for accessibility if they aren't compelled by law to do so? I am being facetious here, because I can in fact think of many good reasons, other than direct profit potential, to back standardized accessibility support on the part of user agents and other necessary software.

I'd like to ask why software manufacturers have been very specifically excused from being obligated to support standard accessible interaction patterns via regulations, such as the case with the ADA do-over (Title II SANPRM). Who in this close-knit community of ours is giving the DOJ or other regulators the idea that site owners are the only ones who should have legal obligations to support Web accessibility and what is your rationale?

If anyone is interested in reading more along these lines, I encourage you to read my formal response to the latest ADA SANPRM, and to file your own responses to the landmark ruling that will be coming down the pike as a result of this proposed rule making.

Here is a PDF version of my extended remarks about the absurdity of not holding software manufacturers accountable for upholding their end of the digital accessibility equation.

https://www.regulations.gov/contentStreamer?documentId=DOJ-CRT-2016-0009-0052&attachmentNumber=2&disposition=attachment&contentType=pdf

Here is the link to comment on the proposed regulation of Web accessibility for U.S. state and local entities. The comment deadline has been extended until October 7, 2016.

https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=DOJ-CRT-2016-0009-0047

It looks to me like there have been a grand total of 58 responses submitted and posted to date in regard to this critically important pending regulation. Are people afraid to post personal responses for fear of retribution by their employers? What gives? I know there are at least a hundred passionate followers of this discussion list who have relevant perspectives to share with the Department of Justice on the future of Web accessibility in America.

Brooks Newton


> On Sep 13, 2016, at 12:56 PM, Tim Harshbarger < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> Yes, I agree.
>
> This is one of those types of bugs that does not quite make sense. I am sure new browser versions undergo testing before their public release. You would think testing the functionality of links, including in-page links, would be a fundamental part of that testing and would be fixed when it was found to be broken. It's not even really an accessibility specific feature of HTML.
>
> ----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Whitney Quesenbery
> Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 12:03 PM
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] In-page links and programmatic focus
>
> I appreciate the technical knowledge here,
> But I'm baffled by the question.
>
> If a user clicks on a link, they should go to that link.
> It doesn't matter what it points to
>
> How the heck can someone create a browser that breaks the most basic
> construct in the web: the link?
>
> W
>
> On Mon, Sep 12, 2016 at 5:03 PM Bryan Garaventa <
> <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
>> The following shows the basic concepts.
>>
>>
>> <a href="#st1"
>> onclick="document.getElementById(this.getAttribute('href').slice(1)).focus();
>> return false;"> Skip to something </a>
>>
>> <div> Stuff to skip. </div>
>>
>> <h2 id="st1" tabindex="-1"> Something </h2>
>>
>>
>> Bryan Garaventa
>> Accessibility Fellow
>> SSB BART Group, Inc.
>> <EMAIL REMOVED>
>> 415.624.2709 (o)
>> www.SSBBartGroup.com
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
>> Behalf Of Jim Homme
>> Sent: Monday, September 12, 2016 1:49 PM
>> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] In-page links and programmatic focus
>>
>> Hi,
>> Where can JavaScript be found that shows this technique?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>> =========>> Jim Homme,
>> Accessibility Consultant,
>> Bender HighTest Accessibility Team
>> Bender Consulting Services, Inc.,
>> 412-787-8567,
>> <EMAIL REMOVED>
>>
>> http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
>> E+R=O
>> <http://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutionsE+R=O>;
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
>> Behalf Of Bryan Garaventa
>> Sent: Monday, September 12, 2016 4:43 PM
>> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] In-page links and programmatic focus
>>
>> Some of these bugs still persist, especially on pages such as single page
>> apps or those that include significant client side scripting, largely
>> because the use of an id hash changes the page url and acts almost like a
>> page refresh in some cases. I saw this recently with a modal that included
>> same page links within it.
>>
>> The use of the JavaScript focus() method is still the most reliable method
>> for doing this reliably across all browsers, plus a return false in the
>> script to prevent any automatic submission relating to the clicking of
>> native links that may inadvertently refresh the page.
>>
>> The addition of tabindex="-1" on any targeted static element is still
>> needed to ensure that Tab can be pressed from that location to proceed to
>> the next active element in the tab order, otherwise the visual focus may
>> scroll but keyboard functionality will still be impaired.
>>
>> Bryan Garaventa
>> Accessibility Fellow
>> SSB BART Group, Inc.
>> <EMAIL REMOVED>
>> 415.624.2709 (o)
>> www.SSBBartGroup.com
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
>> Behalf Of Jared Smith
>> Sent: Monday, September 12, 2016 1:11 PM
>> To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
>> Subject: Re: [WebAIM] In-page links and programmatic focus
>>
>> Paul Adam wrote:
>>>
>>> If the in page link goes to a focusable element like with tabindex=-1
>>> then keyboard focus will shift to that element properly.
>>
>> This was not the case for a long time with Chrome and Safari (and IE under
>> some conditions) - thus many people used JavaScript to set focus. I believe
>> these bugs have been fixed within the last year or so.
>>
>> Jared
>> >> >> at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
>> >> >> >> at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
>> >> >> >> at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
>> >> >> >> >> >>
> --
> *Whitney Quesenbery*
> (lists) <EMAIL REMOVED>
> (work) <EMAIL REMOVED>
> > > > Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 13, 2016, at 1:00 PM, <EMAIL REMOVED> wrote:
>
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> 1. Re: In-page links and programmatic focus (Tim Harshbarger)
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