My concern about ACT rule "Element in sequential focus order has visible focus"

Just that it doesn't get lost (since discussion was cut short in the 
telco):

My concern about the rule "Element in sequential focus order has visible 
focus" ( 
https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/act/rules/oj04fd/proposed/ )

...is that it refers to ANY element taking fokus while the normative 
text of 2.4.7 to which this rule is tied states:

"2.4.7 Focus Visible: Any *keyboard operable user interface* has a mode 
of operation where the keyboard focus indicator is visible."

To me, non interactive elements taking focus due to tabindex="0" should 
be out of scope for the rule since they are not part of the user 
interface (they are not tied to any action).

So giving the SC a strict reading, I think the rule should be scoped to 
just user interface (i.e. interactive) elements, and say nothing about 
tab stops that are not on user interface elements.
Needless to say that invisible tabstops are to be avoided, but a single 
invisible tab stop where the overall focus visibility is good strikes me 
as a rather minor accessibility issue.
Whatever take you have on that, it seems it would need another rule to 
cover focus on elements that are not part of the user element (whether 
they should recieive focus at all, and if they do, whether that focus 
must be visible).


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Detlev Fischer
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