Submit Event: RE: Automatic submission of forms and screen changes

This raises an issue I have struggled with pertaining to the Form Submit
button. Pardon me if this has been discussed previously.

The default behavior of the Form Submit button is to fire the Submit
Event when the ENTER key is pressed.

This interferes with the JAWS screen reading program, in that this
program requires use of the ENTER key to activate "forms mode", which
allows JAWS users to complete Forms. The default behavior of the Submit
button hinders JAWS users entering "forms mode." Often the Form is
unintentionally submitted. Admittedly, this is a JAWS software issue.

However, there have also been studies that show users who are unfamiliar
with the Web and some with cognitive disabilities press the ENTER key
after typing in a text box, again unintentionally submitting the Form.
This could be considered an "unexpected action" and "change of context".

My solution is to not use the Form input type "submit" but rather to use
type "button" and add script to fire the Submit Event.

Comments?

Chris Brainerd
Instructional Designer
Real Choices ACCESS
Center on Disability Studies
University of Hawaii
Chris.brainerd@cds.hawaii.edu
808-956-9356


-----Original Message-----
From: Kerstin Goldsmith [mailto:kerstin.goldsmith@oracle.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 6:31 PM
To: w3c-wai-gl
Subject: Automatic submission of forms and screen changes



Hi,

Question: the NFB put together a list of guidelines for the web, and one

of them seems quite pertinent;  I know that we have run into it in 
several ways, and it's definitely disorienting for a vision-impaired 
user.  I am wondering where similar language is found in the current 
WCAG 2.0 draft, if at all.  If it's not there, does anyone have any 
thoughts on the requirement?

"Ensure that menus and other navigation controls can be operated without

causing form submission or screen changes."  For us, there has to at 
least be some warning to the user, or there has to be some kind of user 
action required before form submission or screen change.

I tried to find this under Guideline 2 somewhere, but maybe it's too 
late at night for that?  <smile>

Thanks for any guidance/thoughts,

-kerstin

Received on Thursday, 26 June 2003 17:16:44 UTC