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Re: Accessible Combo Boxes

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From: Tim Harshbarger
Date: Mar 1, 2018 1:08PM

Typically JAWS does not have problems with a combo box if it was created using the HTML select element. In fact, I just had to use a couple such combo boxes with JAWS in IE a bit ago and didn't seem to have any problems doing so. If you need to select multiple items in such a combo box, it can be problematic because you need to remember a rather obscure keyboard shortcut to do that--so one of the examples provided previously might work better in that case.

If you are using an HTML select element to create the combo box and having problems using it, you might want to check that the HTML is valid and also figure out if there is any javascript involved that might be altering the behavior of the combo box.

If you are trying to create a combo box from scratch, you should definitely look at the ones that were previously suggested. Using one of those will save you a lot of work and testing and even if they don't do exactly what you need, it will likely make your life easier if you can build off of them.

Thanks,
Tim
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Caitlin Geier
Sent: Thursday, March 1, 2018 1:09 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Accessible Combo Boxes

My coworker built an accessible combobox. It supports both single select
and multiselect modes. We had the same problem with the native comboboxes,
and needed to roll our own for a product. My coworker open-sourced the
prototype he created for the project.

Demo: https://schne324.github.io/combobo/demo/
Github: https://github.com/schne324/combobo


On Thu, Mar 1, 2018 at 12:38 PM Brandon Keith Biggs <
<EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> Hello,
> AccDC has several that work:
>
> http://whatsock.com/tsg/Coding%20Arena/ARIA%20Comboboxes/ARIA%20Comboboxes%20(Native%20Inputs,%20Editable%20and%20Readonly)/demo.htm
>
>
> http://whatsock.com/tsg/Coding%20Arena/ARIA%20Comboboxes/ARIA%20Comboboxes%20(Native%20Inputs,%20Editable%20with%20Substring%20Match)/demo.htm
>
>
> http://whatsock.com/tsg/Coding%20Arena/ARIA%20Comboboxes/ARIA%20Comboboxes%20(Native%20Inputs,%20Multiselect%20Editable%20with%20Substring%20Match)/demo.htm
>
>
> http://whatsock.com/tsg/Coding%20Arena/ARIA%20Comboboxes/ARIA%20Comboboxes%20(Simulated,%20Readonly%20Multiselect)/demo.htm
>
> There are several more, but you can check them out for yourself. They all
> work for me.
> Thanks,
>
>
> Brandon Keith Biggs <http://brandonkeithbiggs.com/>;
>
> On Thu, Mar 1, 2018 at 7:42 AM, Josh Schroder <
> <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> wrote:
>
> > Hi Kakarla,
> >
> > I believe that combo-boxes have historically been problematic for
> > accessibility.
> >
> > You may be able to implement some workarounds to improve functionality,
> > but the advice over the years has typically been to use checkboxes
> instead.
> >
> > Select2 looks like a promising alternative, but I've not used it myself.
> > https://select2.org/
> >
> > Josh Schroder
> > Web Administrator III
> > Office of Strategic Communications
> > Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
> > (512) 936-8937
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: WebAIM-Forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On
> > Behalf Of Kakarla Meharoon
> > Sent: Thursday, March 1, 2018 4:41 AM
> > To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
> > Subject: [WebAIM] Accessible Combo Boxes
> >
> > *Hi All,*
> > *Combo boxes are not working with JAWS in IE Browser. Any inputs?*
> > > > > > at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > >
--
Caitlin Geier
User Experience Designer
Deque Systems