RE: [STYLEGUIDE] Tab Panel discussion

> My concern with this approach is that when in Firefox or internet 
> explorer, screen readers like JAWS will consume the left and right 
> arrow keystrokes not allowing for switching tabs.

When you are navigating a page in Firefox with ARIA implemented, using 
JAWS virtual pc cursor mode off or Window-Eyes browse mode off will allow 
you to navigate using the arrow keys. 

My concern is that typical AT users are not going to be as technically 
savy as people reading these notes and that functioning with JAWS virtual 
pc cursor mode off or Window-Eyes browse mode off is going to be 
confusing. Also, how does the screen-reader user know when these modes are 
to be on/off? Is this documented somewhere within the ARIA spec or is it 
going to be an implementation detail? For example, I encounter a tab panel 
and need to be alerted somehow that I am to switch tabs using the arrow 
keys with the appropriate mode off; I then resume, at some point, with 
Virtual PC or Browse mode on again.


--> Mike Squillace
IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center
Austin, TX

W:512.823.7423
M:512.970.0066

masquill@us.ibm.com
www.ibm.com/able



"Becky Gibson" <Becky_Gibson@notesdev.ibm.com> 
Sent by: wai-xtech-request@w3.org
05/30/2007 09:19 AM

To
wai-xtech@w3.org
cc

Subject
RE: [STYLEGUIDE] Tab Panel discussion







"Don Raikes" <don.raikes@oracle.com> wrote on 05/29/2007 06:02:27 PM:

> 
> > There is a proposal for tab panel behavior in the wiki [1]. 
> > The style guide working group has discussed tab pane to some 
> > extent and I believe we 
> > agree that the panel would become active when the tab 
> > receives focus.   I 
> > updated the key behavior section with the following information:
> > 
> > tab - only the active tab is in the tab order. The user 
> > reaches the tabbed panel component by pressing the tab key 
> > until the active tab title receives focus. 
> 
> How would someone using a screen reader know it is a tab, and how 
> would he know what the other tabs are?

I am planning to use the Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARAI) 
techniques that allow me to identify the tabs.  Using the ARIA techniques 
and running with JAWS or Window-Eyes in Firefox will identify the tabs to 
the user. 
> > 
> > left arrow - with focus on a tab, pressing the left arrow 
> > will move focus to the previous tab in the tab list and 
> > activate that tab. Pressing the left arrow when the focus is 
> > on the first tab in the tab list will move focus and activate 
> > the last tab in the list. 
> > 
> > right arrow - with focus on a tab, pressing the right arrow 
> > will move focus to the next tab in the tab list and activate 
> > that tab. Pressing the right arrow when the focus is on the 
> > last tab in the tab list will move focus to and activate the 
> > first tab in the list.
> My concern with this approach is that when in Firefox or internet 
> explorer, screen readers like JAWS will consume the left and right 
> arrow keystrokes not allowing for switching tabs.

When you are navigating a page in Firefox with ARIA implemented, using 
JAWS virtual pc cursor mode off or Window-Eyes browse mode off will allow 
you to navigate using the arrow keys. 

Becky Gibson
Web Accessibility Architect
 
IBM Emerging Internet Technologies
5 Technology Park Drive
Westford, MA 01886
Voice: 978 399-6101; t/l 333-6101
Email: gibsonb@us.ibm.com