RE: ATAG 2.0 Focus indicator during navigation

To give you some background of why WCAG has 2.4.7 in AA.  The simple answer is that web developers cannot control focus visibility except in some relatively sophisticated scenarios.  Visibility of focus is mostly controlled by the browser and the OS.  The working group tried to balance between impact and achievability when we designed WCAG.

Barring unforeseen change in my schedule, I should be able to attend the call Monday.  We can discuss further.

-----Original Message-----
From: Richards, Jan [mailto:jrichards@ocadu.ca]
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2013 12:29 PM
To: Alex Li; w3c-wai-au@w3.org
Subject: RE: ATAG 2.0 Focus indicator during navigation

Hi Alex,

I suggest a modified wording because the SC is only level AA in WCAG2, but I would like to see it level A in ATAG2 - because in my opinion sequential keyboard navigation of even moderately complex user interfaces is impossible without it.

I don't know why WCAG set it at AA, but perhaps:

1. on web pages with just a few links, it's not quite so important
- but in ATAG2 we're talking about authoring tool UIs which tend to have more on-screen controls

2. browsers typically display the URI of links (e.g. in the status bar) which might give the user some hint of which link has focus (e.g. if a "Tools" button links to "tools.html")
- but in ATAG we're also talking about non-Web-based tools which won't provide URI hints

3. the WCAG wording "keyboard operable user interface" could be applied to direct keyboard navigation interfaces, where a focus indicator is not necessary (e.g. Press 1 for English, 2 for French, 3 for Spanish)
- so I thought that by making the wording specific to sequential keyboard access, a level A could be better justified.

Cheers,
Jan


(MR) JAN RICHARDS
PROJECT MANAGER
INCLUSIVE DESIGN RESEARCH CENTRE (IDRC)
OCAD UNIVERSITY

T 416 977 6000 x3957
F 416 977 9844
E jrichards@ocadu.ca<mailto:jrichards@ocadu.ca>


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alex Li [mailto:alli@microsoft.com]
> Sent: February-07-13 12:55 PM
> To: Richards, Jan; w3c-wai-au@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-au@w3.org>
> Subject: RE: ATAG 2.0 Focus indicator during navigation
>
> No serious objection, but why are we deviating from WCAG 2.4.7?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richards, Jan [mailto:jrichards@ocadu.ca]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2013 6:15 AM
> To: w3c-wai-au@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-au@w3.org>
> Subject: RE: ATAG 2.0 Focus indicator during navigation
>
> Sorry, I pressed send to quickly on the previous email.
>
> Here's the proposal for a new ATAG 2.0 SC. The wording is adjusted
> from that of WCAG [1] and makes use of the ATAG2 term "sequential keyboard access":
>
> A.3.1.2 Focus Visible: If the *authoring tool* provides *sequential
> keyboard access*, then a keyboard focus indicator can be visible.
> (Level A)
>
> ---
>
> [1] 2.4.7 Focus Visible: Any keyboard operable user interface has a
> mode of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible.
> (Level AA)
>
>  [2] ATAG2.0 Glossary: sequential keyboard access: Using a keyboard
> interface to navigate the focus one-by-one through all of the items in
> an ordered set (e.g., menu items, form fields) until the desired item
> is reached and activated. This is in contrast to direct keyboard
> access methods such as keyboard shortcuts and the use of bypass links.
>
> (MR) JAN RICHARDS
> PROJECT MANAGER
> INCLUSIVE DESIGN RESEARCH CENTRE (IDRC) OCAD UNIVERSITY
>
> T 416 977 6000 x3957
> F 416 977 9844
> E jrichards@ocadu.ca<mailto:jrichards@ocadu.ca>
>
>
>
>