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Re: Including non-interactive elements in the tab order

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From: tim.harshbarger
Date: Feb 27, 2024 10:05AM

So I will offer a pro-screen reader tip. If your screen reader provides an application/forms mode and a document/browse mode, you can avoid having the error messages appear if you review the form using the document/browse mode. This is because tabbing through these types of forms in application/forms mode will trigger the events that validate the fields. This won't happen if you tab while in document/browse mode.

I do understand there are definitely many people who find inline validation annoying--whether or not they use a screen reader. However, keep in mind that from an accessibility viewpoint that if messages are popping up as the user tabs through the interface, some kind of approach needs to be used to inform screen reader users when those messages appear.

If the developers involved in the original question believe that they are not allowed to use live regions to inform screen reader users as the messages appear, then making those error messages part of the tab order is likely the only solution they could come up with for making the inline validation accessible.

Thanks!
Tim