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Re: [EXTERNAL] Navigation in application mode

for

From: Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Date: Jun 22, 2018 1:53PM

The
W3C spec never specifies exactly how a user agent should behave, but
strongly hints at it.
If NVDA does not switch into application mode inside a grid that's an
NVDA bug (unless the grid is marked as readonly).
This is why authors still use the application role on a grid, like we
did with the datepicker, but screen readers should address these
issues. I will go look at NVDA issues and file one if needed.



On 6/22/18, glen walker < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Birkir, when you say that navigation to a grid should automatically switch
> to application/forms mode, are you saying a well-behaved screen reader
> should do that for you or that the web developer should be forcing it
> somehow?
>
> The spec for the grid role doesn't explicitly say a user agent should
> switch modes but it does say the author should manage the focus.
>
> When navigating to a grid, NVDA doesn't give an audible notification that
> forms mode switched but JAWS does. Using the right arrow after entering a
> grid, NVDA just reads character by character whereas JAWS will navigate to
> the next grid cell.
>
> So it sounds like JAWS handles the grid as you explained but NVDA does not.
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 11:50 AM, Birkir R. Gunnarsson <
> <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
>> I would go with a grid
>> http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/#grid
>> Once inside a grid the screen reader should automatically switch to
>> application/forms mode passing keys through to the webpage.
>> Then you can set up keyboard listeners to respond to the arrow key
>> presses.
>> For the JQuery script see this example of an accessible date picker:
>> https://dequeuniversity.com/library/aria/date-pickers/sf-date-picker
>> I workd with a developer to create this. As it was done in 2014 when
>> the grid role was poorly supported we used role="application" to force
>> the application mode, I believe that is no longer necessary.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 6/22/18, Brandon Keith Biggs < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>> > Hello,
>> > Here is a good design for a calendar:
>> > http://whatsock.com/tsg/Coding%20Arena/ARIA%20Date%
>> 20Pickers/ARIA%20Date%20Picker%20(Basic)/demo.htm
>> >
>> > If you want to add in appointments, tell the user how many appointments
>> > there are each day and allow them to hit enter to see what is on that
>> > day
>> > and escape to exit back to the date picker.
>> > Thanks,
>> >
>> > Brandon Keith Biggs <http://brandonkeithbiggs.com/>;
>> >
>> >
>> > On Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 6:23 AM Tim Harshbarger <
>> > <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Instead of using role="application", it would be better to use an ARIA
>> >> design pattern that more closely matched the interaction.
>> >>
>> >> The thing with role="application" is that, while it puts screen reader
>> >> users in forms mode, it doesn't really tell us how to get around the
>> >> application. So using role="application" for one part of the page is
>> not
>> >> likely to inform screen reader users that pressing the up and down
>> >> arrow
>> >> keys will move from meeting to meeting and pressing the left and right
>> >> arrow keys will move between days.
>> >>
>> >> A listbox might work because a screen reader user will expect the up
>> >> and
>> >> down arrow keys to move up and down the list. Unfortunately, there is
>> >> also
>> >> an expectation that using the left and right arrow keys will do the
>> >> same
>> >> exact thing as using the up and down arrow keys. Users would not
>> >> expect
>> >> the left and right arrow keys to move between days. If you used a
>> >> listbox,
>> >> you likely would need to explicitly inform users of what the left and
>> >> right
>> >> arrow keys do differently.
>> >>
>> >> To me, this sounds more like a grid. In a grid, there would likely be
>> a
>> >> better expectation that the up and down arrow keys would move within
>> >> the
>> >> day while the left and right arrow keys move between days.
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >> Tim
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>