Re: Global Shortcut Keys and Screen Reader Accessibility?

Any time you use a keyboard shortcut, it is important to consider and
include the following:
 * A way to turn the keyboard shortcut(s) off
 * An alternative (and accessible) way to access the same functionality
without the keyboard (e.g. button elements on the page)
 * How the keyboard shortcut affects different assistive technologies
 * Whether it is useful to allow shortcuts to be turned on/off as a group
as well as individually
 * An accessible way to teach all users how to use the keyboard shortcut(s)

The spacebar is often used as a play/pause shortcut.



On Tue, Apr 28, 2020 at 7:00 AM Taliesin Smith <talilief@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Matt,
> I agree, it will be awesome to make the hotkey customizable. I hope to
> make that part of future research.
>
> For now we’ve got Alt + k implemented as the hotkey to toggle between
> paused and playing states no matter where the learner’s current keyboard
> focus is.
>
> Basically, once the action in the simulation has been started, i.e. once
> the photons are firing at the molecule; the hotkey combination can be used
> to pause and play the action without the learner needing to move their
> focus to the actual Pause/Play button.
>
> As for role application, we only use it for custom interactions where a
> native HTML option is not available. For example, we have successfully used
> role application to make a grabbed balloon moveable in four directions. As
> the learner grabs the balloon with a native button interaction, role
> application is launched creating a 4-way custom drag interaction, enabling
> a learner to move the grabbed balloon in any direction. The learner can
> then use the arrow keys (or alternative letter keys WASD) to move the
> balloon to rub it against a sweater or a wall to explore how static
> electricity works. The balloon is released in the same way to was grabbed.
>
> From the beginning of our research on making interactive science
> simulations accessible, we treaded very carefully with role application.
> Our research with users tells us that our native and custom interactions
> are quite intuitive and accessible to blind learners. That said, we have
> found, thus far, that starting a custom interaction with a native one, like
> a button, works better for blind learners than immediately presenting a
> custom interaction upon focus.
>
> The suggestions, advice, comments, perspectives I am exposed to on this
> list are awesome.
>
> Taliesin
>
> ~.~.~
> Available off list at Taliesin.Smith@colorado.edu
> Inclusive Design Researcher
> PhET Interactive Simulations
> https://phet.colorado.edu/en/accessibility
> Physics Department
> University of Colorado, Boulder
>
> > On Apr 28, 2020, at 4:18 AM, Matt King <a11ythinker@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Customizable is definitely good.
> >
> > I'd recommend avoid using role application. Please carefully read the
> spec for role application before deciding whether to go down that path.
> >
> > Matt
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Taliesin Smith <talilief@gmail.com>
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2020 1:33 PM
> > To: Karen Lewellen <klewellen@shellworld.net>
> > Cc: WAI IG <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
> > Subject: Re: Global Shortcut Keys and Screen Reader Accessibility?
> >
> > Hi Karen,
> > Great question. The answer, unfortunately is no.
> >
> > For our simulations (PhET Interactive Simulations) we test in these
> three pairs (VO & Safari, NVDA & FF, and JAWS & Chrome). That said, while
> presenting at the CSUN conference a couple of years ago a person in the
> audience tweeted that the simulation I was demoing worked great in Orca on
> Linux.
> >
> > I agree, the challenge is finding an intuitive combination that does
> conflict with anything else.
> >
> > I liked Jonathan’s idea of making the shortcut customizable. We are
> currently doing research on adaptive features.
> >
> > Taliesin
> >
> >> On Apr 15, 2020, at 5:48 PM, Karen Lewellen <klewellen@shellworld.net>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Do you intend testing with Linux and its various  screen reader
> programs?
> >> Your goals are terrific, with my one concern being finding a key
> combination that is not used by  one of the scores of screen readers a
> person might choose  for their individual accommodating needs.
> >> Karen
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, 15 Apr 2020, Taliesin Smith wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hi Folks,
> >>> I am looking into the feasibility of global hotkey or Keyboard
> Shortcut that would toggle a Pause/Play button in a simulated learning
> environment regardless of where the keyboard focus is currently at in the
> application.
> >>>
> >>> While the Pause/Play button interaction is somewhat akin to how a
> video player works, it is not exactly the same kind of experience in our
> situation.
> >>>
> >>> We are currently working on a science simulation called Molecules and
> Light <
> https://phet-dev.colorado.edu/html/molecules-and-light/1.5.0-dev.44/phet/molecules-and-light_en_phet.htm>
> (note to hear the interactive descriptions you need to use a screen reader
> - VO & Safari, NVDA & FF or JAWS & Chrome).
> >>>
> >>> In this simulated environment a learner turns a light source to fire
> photons at a molecule. The learner can change the light source and the
> molecule on the fly and observe what happens.
> >>>
> >>> Learners can also Pause the action (the firing of photons) without
> turning the light source off. When the action is paused, the learner can
> use a Step Forward button to move the action (the photons) forward little
> by little to examine more closely what happens when a photon passes through
> or is absorbed by the molecule.
> >>>
> >>> In interviews with blind learners, we found that learners were
> confused by the Pause/Play and Step Forward buttons, especially when the
> light source had not already been turned on. And if the simulation was set
> to Pause, they were often temporarily confused why the light source button
> would no longer fire photons.
> >>>
> >>> We have made improvements to the descriptive experience by adding
> aria-live alerts that indicate if the light source is off or if the sim is
> paused, and why it might be useful to use the Step Forward button when the
> Pause button is activated. We think these aria-live alerts will create a
> much more intuitive experience (more user testing is pending).
> >>>
> >>> That said, a few learners requested a global keyboard shortcut to
> quickly Pause and Play the action no matter where their focus was. My
> question to the list is, does any one have any experience or resources on
> making a global keyboard shortcut that does not rely on focus and works
> when screen reader software is enabled. I am assuming we would need to use
> a modifier key. Something like Control + k or Alt + k.
> >>>
> >>> This kind of Pause/Play and Step Forward interaction is used in many
> of our interactive science simulations. A global hot key could be useful
> for all learners whether they use screen readers or not.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks in advance for any resources on accessible global keyboard
> shortcuts. I have read this great medium article by Sasha Maximova, J, K,
> or How to choose keyboard shortcuts for web applications <
> https://medium.com/@sashika/j-k-or-how-to-choose-keyboard-shortcuts-for-web-applications-a7c3b7b408ee>,
> several times, and am looking for more resources.
> >>>
> >>> Taliesin
> >>> ~.~.~
> >>> Also available off list at: Taliesin.Smith@colorado.edu Inclusive
> >>> Design Researcher PhET Interactive Simulations
> >>> https://phet.colorado.edu/en/accessibility
> >>> Physics Department
> >>> University of Colorado, Boulder
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>