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Re: Tab controls and WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow

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From: Geethavani.Shamanna
Date: Mar 31, 2022 5:33AM

I have a related question regarding tab panels.

I am currently testing a page where there are four tabs. When in the Focus mode of NVDA, on selecting a tab and pressing the Tab key, the contents of the tab panel are not read out. NVDA merely says 'Property page'. However, on selecting a tab in the Browse/Document mode, on pressing the Tab key, NVDA reads out the contents of the tab panel. Should this not work in the Focus mode as well?

In the following example, the tab panel contents are not read out in the Focus mode:
https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/examples/tabs/tabs-2/tabs.html

Many thanks.
Geetha
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Steve Green
Sent: 31 March 2022 07:01
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Tab controls and WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow

CAUTION: This mail comes from outside the University. Please consider this before opening attachments, clicking links, or acting on the content.

This exact issue came up last week in an IAAP discussion, and our team discussed it internally for more than an hour. It seems simple at first, but it raises the question of what "scrolling" means, among other things. The WCAG authors must have assumed it's obvious, because they do not provide a definition.

Opinion was split, both in IAAP and in our team. My view is that a Tab component does not require two-dimensional layout, and that the tabs can perfectly well wrap onto two or more lines. Indeed, I failed one of our clients' sites on this exact issue.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd


-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Laurence Lewis
Sent: 31 March 2022 06:53
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: [WebAIM] Tab controls and WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow

Hello

I have a situation where a Tab component design had multiple tabs horizontally. If the screen is resized, or zoomed, some of the tabs are hidden from view in the sized container div. In some cases the tab name can be truncated with half the tab in view.

The tabs can be scrolled in the container which opens other problems, however for WCAG 2.2 I think this will be a Visible Controls fail. but, is this a Reflow fail? I believe it may be because a Tab component does nor require a two-dimensional layout to be meaningful and thus the Tabs can be stacked in view.

I would like to hear the opinion of other A11y people on potential accessibility issues.


All the best
Laurence
Digital Accessibility Senior Specialist Telstra