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Re: reCAPTCHA implementation problems

From: Gez Lemon <gez.lemon@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 01:16:32 +0100
Message-ID: <e2a28a920707131716p2430ba6bm2cbabac5107e8364@mail.gmail.com>
To: "Ben Maurer" <bmaurer@andrew.cmu.edu>
Cc: "Gregory J. Rosmaita" <oedipus@hicom.net>, wai-xtech@w3.org, "Colin McMillen" <mcmillen@cs.cmu.edu>

Hi Ben,

In relation to ensuring that links or buttons are available from the
keyboard ...
On 14/07/07, Ben Maurer <bmaurer@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:

<quote>
Hrm, the problem is, it *REALLY* breaks the average case if we make
refresh, etc the next result of tab. For example, imagine this form (from
wordpress)

Please enter a comment

Name <textbox>
Email <textbox>
Website <textbox>
Comment <textarea>

<recaptcha>

<submit>

When playing around with reCAPTCHA, I found that if I didn't have
tabindex=-1 on stuff like refresh, what i'd do is to fill out the CAPTCHA
then go <tab> <enter>. Because refresh had focus, i'd refresh the CAPTCHA
destroying my work.

Any thoughts on how to make a balanced decision here?
</quote>

There are two things you could do to improve the accessibility of the
links/buttons:

1: Put the refresh, toggle, and help link/buttons before the edit box
containing the challenge. Linearly, it doesn't make sense to ask
someone a question, and then tell them after they answer the challenge
that they could have changed the question if they thought it was too
difficult, change it to a different format, or get help. Personally, I
strongly disagree with the notion that humans are detected by their
ability to perform a task, but if that route it taken, there should be
a summary that there will be a challenge/response, followed by options
to change the challenge and/or get help with the challenge, and then
finally, the challenge.

2: Another thing that could help with the problem you raise would be
to highlight the links/buttons visually when they have focus (for
example, changing the background colour), so that it is evident that
the submit button doesn't have focus.

Gez


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Received on Saturday, 14 July 2007 00:16:36 UTC

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