RE: Graphics contrast comments overview

  *   +1  I would support that in the AAA SC, with an additional 'note' in the Understanding that encourages that, even at the AA level (without specifically mandating it. I.e. - a strong 'hint' would be beneficial)

+1 as well.  The disabled state of a control is important visually because it tells the user the control is there is that somehow the control can be made enabled if something occurs.  This is a visual clue that is important and is lost if the contrast is not sufficient.  If the control was not needed and the disabled state was truly useless then the control should be removed.  If it isn’t removed then it serves some visual purpose that people with low vision have a right to access.

Jonathan

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From: John Foliot [mailto:john.foliot@deque.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 12:15 PM
To: Michael Gower <michael.gower@ca.ibm.com>
Cc: Alastair Campbell <acampbell@nomensa.com>; Jonathan Avila <jon.avila@levelaccess.com>; WCAG <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
Subject: Re: Graphics contrast comments overview

> At the least, can we work disabled controls into the AAA SC discussed?

+1  I would support that in the AAA SC, with an additional 'note' in the Understanding that encourages that, even at the AA level (without specifically mandating it. I.e. - a strong 'hint' would be beneficial)

JF

On Wed, Nov 15, 2017 at 9:43 AM, Michael Gower <michael.gower@ca.ibm.com<mailto:michael.gower@ca.ibm.com>> wrote:
There is no language requiring a contrast minimum between the states themselves. I would really like that to at least be captured in the Understanding doc, if it can't be part of the SC, because being unable to differentiate between states is as much of a problem as not being able to differentiate between controls.
The same concern applies for disabled versus enabled controls.

Speaking of disabled controls, we exclude disabled controls from contrast considerations completely, but I've always felt that if a designer bothers to put a disabled element in the UI, that element's visual presence is important, and should be discernible with some minimum contrast (even if it is reduced). Every designer balks when I say 'Okay, if it's not important, why not remove it from your design entirely until it is active?'

At the least, can we work disabled controls into the AAA SC discussed? Alastair, I'd be happy to help try to craft that.

Michael Gower
IBM Accessibility
Research

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From:        Alastair Campbell <acampbell@nomensa.com<mailto:acampbell@nomensa.com>>
To:        Jonathan Avila <jon.avila@levelaccess.com<mailto:jon.avila@levelaccess.com>>, WCAG <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org<mailto:w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>>
Date:        2017-11-15 08:28 AM
Subject:        Re: Graphics contrast comments overview
________________________________



Hi Jon,

> if the author uses a border to communicate the role of something
> then the aspect has to meet the contrast requirements.

Agree. Also, I noticed we missed out the default-appearance exception, so I’ve updated that to say:
“Visual information used to indicate state for active user interface components, except where the appearance of the component is determined by the user agent and not modified by the author.”

> It doesn't require an author provide that affordance if they didn't.  So if I choose to make a piece of text blue and have it function like a button nothing needs to be done other than the contrast of the blue text in the non-focused state or non-pressed state of that button.

Agree.

> If I use a solid background to make something look like a button then I have to make sure the edge of the background has sufficient contrast from the surrounding pixels outside of the focused or pressed state.

Agree.

> If I have multiple buttons with some in pressed and others in non-pressed states the difference between the colors used for the pressed states need to have a 3:1 ratio as well.

Agree. It is also worth considering the ‘adjacent’ aspect, if buttons are not immediately adjacent, then they do not have to contrast with each other.

> Focus indicators need to provide 3:1 contrast as well.  Is that right?

Yes, although with-what depends on what they are adjacent to.

Cheers,

-Alastair






--
John Foliot
Principal Accessibility Strategist
Deque Systems Inc.
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