Re: Focus onto control that only appears on focus?

Hi Michael and others,

I am coming late to this thread, and I am wondering if the question should be reframed?

For example, why does the element have zero opacity? What is the context of the zero opacity? Is the element a control?

Is the element supposed to be communicating a disabled state (case 1) or is meant to be hidden all together from everyone (case 2)?

In case 1, if the element is disabled, it should communicate that state in a way that is perceivable to everyone.
In case 2, if the element is completely hidden visually, and meant to be hidden all together, a visible focus event seems out of context, and if that focus event is not communicating a hidden or disabled state, I think there is a mismatch that should constitute a fail of some kind.

In the example of skip links, I would think the link’s focus outline should be accompanied by a visually displayed accessible name and with screen reader software the name and function would be spoken out loud, for example, “Skip to Main Content, link”.

I do not do these kinds of reviews, so I am not basing my opinion on experience with interpreting the guidelines, but in my humble opinion, a focus link is non-text content and according to 1.1.1 
“If non-text content is a control or accepts user input, then it has a name <https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#dfn-name> that describes its purpose. (Refer to Success Criterion 4.1.2 <https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#name-role-value> for additional requirements for controls and content that accepts user input.)”

I hope that is helpful.

Taliesin
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Taliesin L. Smith
talilief@gmail.com 
taliesin.smith@colorado.edu 

Inclusive Design Research Specialist
PhET Interactive Simulations
http://phet.colorado.edu/
Department of Physics
University of Colorado, Boulder






> On Feb 13, 2024, at 00:12, Adam Cooper <cooperad@bigpond.com> wrote:
> 
> Does tabbing/swiping elements with zero opacity work on all platforms? I seem to recall a browser not focusing elements with zero opacity when tabbing from the address bar … might be a flashback to IE.
>  
>  
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> From: Michael Livesey <mike.j.livesey@gmail.com <mailto:mike.j.livesey@gmail.com>> 
> Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 8:25 AM
> To: Jeremy Echols <jechols@uoregon.edu <mailto:jechols@uoregon.edu>>
> Cc: WAI Interest Group discussion list <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org <mailto:w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>>
> Subject: Re: Focus onto control that only appears on focus?
>  
> Thanks, Jeremy,
> 
> Yes, I totally forgot about skip links good point.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> On Monday, February 12, 2024, Jeremy Echols <jechols@uoregon.edu <mailto:jechols@uoregon.edu>> wrote:
> > I think this is pretty common for skip links and paragraph permalinks a lot of sites use. I don’t know that it’s even bad UX, but for accessibility it is definitely *good*, even when it can be a little unexpected. Always-visible links that only help keyboard users would arguably be worse UX.
> >
> >  
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> > From: Michael Livesey <mike.j.livesey@gmail.com <mailto:mike.j.livesey@gmail.com>>
> > Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 01:39
> > To: WAI Interest Group discussion list <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org <mailto:w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>>
> > Subject: Focus onto control that only appears on focus?
> >
> >  
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> >  
> >
> > I have a question about focusing onto a control that is opacity: 0 when not focused.
> >
> >  
> >
> > So you hit "Tab" and you are taken to a control that has opacity: 1 set on its :focus pseudo selector, thus it was invisible and it only appears on focus.
> >
> > When focused, the control will have a focus ring.
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> >  
> >
> > I know this isn't ideal UX, but is this disallowed under any criteria please? 
> >
> > Thank you