WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: 2.4.7 or 2.1.1 on "hidden" submenu elements?

for

From: Jared Smith
Date: May 6, 2020 2:44PM


I think it's clearly a 2.4.7 (focus visible) error, but I'd fail under
2.1.1 also. This states "All functionality of the content is operable
through a keyboard interface..." and I think it's very hard to argue
that the "functionality" (defined as "processes and outcomes") is
actually "operable" using a keyboard if a keyboard user has no idea
what the keyboard interactions are doing. Saying it passes 2.1.1 would
be like saying a video passes captioning requirements when the
captions are there, but totally transparent and invisible, or like
saying sufficient alternative text is present, when it is hidden from
screen reader users.

This is further clarified in G202
(https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques/general/G202.html) which
states, "When all functionality of content can be operated through a
keyboard or keyboard interface, it can be operated by those with no
vision as well as by those who must use alternate keyboards or input
devices that act as keyboard emulators like speech input software or
on-screen keyboards."

Jared