RE: Publishing Updates to Understanding Documents

Hi John,

I think the PR you’re looking for is this one:
https://github.com/w3c/wcag/pull/373/files


As discussed in multiple the calls and recorded in the surveys, we didn’t get consensus on failing default-focus-indicators due to background changes.

The title, description and examples of F78 refer to the element, not the background.

I’ll check why the changes haven’t come through to the published version, I thought they had.

Kind regards,

-Alastair


From: John Foliot

Hi All,

While I cannot put my hands on the GitHub notification that the Understanding document for SC 1.4.11 has been updated, we reached a concensus position a few weeks back to add the following Techniques to the understanding document for SC 1.4.11:

Success Technique: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Techniques/general/G195

Description

The objective of this technique is enhance the focus indicator in the browser, by creating a highly visible one in the content. The default focus indicator in many browsers is a thin,dotted, black line. It can be difficult to see the line when it is around a form element which already has an outline, when the focused element is inside a table cell, when the focused element is very small, or when the background of the page is a dark color.

In this technique, when the user places focus on an element, using the mouse, tab key, arrow keys, keyboard shortcuts, or any other method, the application makes that focus more visible, using a combination of a highly contrasting color, a thick line, and other visual indicators such as a glow.
Now... here, "highly visible" (or for that matter "visible") is undefined, at least in WCAG 2.0. I assert that 1.4.11 now defines that as a contrast minimum, and since this Technique is now attached to the Understanding 1.4.11, I further assert this is true and intentional.

Also:

Failure Technique: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/F78.html


Description
This describes a failure condition that occurs when the user agent's default visual indication of keyboard focus is turned off or rendered non-visible by other styling on the page without providing an author-supplied visual focus indicator.
​

As noted on today's call, the officially published version of the Understanding Document for SC 1.4.11 has not been updated (and I struggle to find the Git version to point people to). It is hoped that this update can be addressed in a timely fashion.

Thanks.

JF
--
John Foliot
Principal Accessibility Strategist
Deque Systems Inc.
john.foliot@deque.com<mailto:john.foliot@deque.com>

Advancing the mission of digital accessibility and inclusion