Re: highlighting the focus

Jon Gunderson wrote:
> 
> Loretta,
> It is much easier for people using screen readers if one element in a
> graphical window has [focus] the when a new window is opened and configured to
> receive focus. 

Can you explain why this is the case? If I understand correctly, the
goal
is to have an idea where one is when a new window opens. It sounds like 
an implementation detail that ATs use the focus to orient the user. They
could use, for example, the document title instead when the focus has
not been set. Is it easier for people using *today's* screen readers?

 _ Ian


> We do not require that an element in the new window have
> focus in the guidelines when it opens, only that the user have control of
> how focus changes when a new window opens automatically (checkpoint 4.18
> and 4.20).  The window that has the focus needs to be highlighted according
> to the OS conventions per checkpoint 8.6.
> 
> Is there a particular product that you have questions about?
> 
> Jon
> 
> At 08:20 AM 12/9/2000 -0800, Loretta Guarino Reid wrote:
> >I think it is possible for no window or element to have focus. However, if
> >keystrokes are being delivered to some window, then that window has focus,
> >even if no element within it has the focus. Does the window that receives
> >keystrokes need to be highlighted? Is it the case that different keystrokes
> >will be delivered to different windows, so that there is no unique focus?
> >
> >         Loretta
> >
> > > I agree with Al, here. I don't think that some element must have focus
> >at
> > > all times. [Do assistive technology developers assume that some element
> > > has the focus at all times? If so, why do they make that assumption?]
> >
> >  - Ian
> 
> Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
> Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
> Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
> MC-574
> College of Applied Life Studies
> University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
> 1207 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL  61820
> 
> Voice: (217) 244-5870
> Fax: (217) 333-0248
> 
> E-mail: jongund@uiuc.edu
> 
> WWW: http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~jongund
> WWW: http://www.w3.org/wai/ua

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel:                         +1 831 457-2842
Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

Received on Monday, 11 December 2000 12:02:49 UTC