RE: Operating web functionality using other devices such as pointers

Anyone can use a mouse to test the two “pointer” success criteria as long as they understand them. If you can’t use a mouse, you will need help from someone who can.

To the best of my knowledge, native HTML elements and CSS will not violate those success criteria, so any non-conformances can only arise from the use of JavaScript. I hope someone will correct me if I’m wrong on that. I am not aware of any tools that can do these tests, so you will have to do manual tests unless your website does not use any JavaScript at all. Tools might help you find potential issues such as mousedown events, but you would still have to do the tests yourself.

As with most WCAG success criteria, I don’t think you can reduce the tests to a simple set of steps that will work on any arbitrary website.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd


From: Louise Lister <Louise.Lister@iop.org>
Sent: 04 August 2021 10:15
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Operating web functionality using other devices such as pointers


Hello all,

Here is my second question for today. Sorry I know you are all far more advanced than me. In terms of checking accessibility for items such as single pointer use, or other methods outside keyboard and screen reader, I am a bit stuck. I can’t validate these items personally and confirm confidently that, “Yes, we meet these requirements”, could anyone confirm whether this requires outsourcing some testing to users who do use alternative methods?

It seems I can’t look at our editorial decisions or the HTML or ask the developer to look at all the bits I don’t have access to for this. It seems like it needs someone who uses pointers and the like to confirm? Or is there an easy way to validate without external testing.

Can anyone suggest how they handled validating that they met such requirements?

With kind regards
Louise

________________________________
This email (and attachments) are confidential and intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient please immediately notify the sender, permanently and securely delete any copies and do not take action with it or in reliance on it. Any views expressed are the author's and do not represent those of IOP, except where specifically stated. IOP takes reasonable precautions to protect against viruses but accepts no responsibility for loss or damage arising from virus infection. For the protection of IOP's systems and staff emails are scanned automatically..

Institute of Physics. Registered charity no. 293851 (England & Wales) and SCO40092 (Scotland)
Registered Office:  37 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9BU<https://goo.gl/maps/DUHbKcbzuUN2>
Your privacy is important to us. For information about how IOP uses your personal data, please see our Privacy Policy<https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iop.org%2Fprivacy%2Findex.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7C6716aa3c6fd84da5102808d5c0b234a0%7Cf9ee42e6bad04e639115f704f9ccceed%7C0%7C0%7C636626793962820374&sdata=RI6OT4MumRlklNzF5i2M9ZxS6P%2FxxLg%2FJwcnMJ%2B0480%3D&reserved=0>
________________________________