Why do I need to ensure all my functionality is available from a keyboard?

Deepa Daniels

August 03, 2017 14:32

It feels like a big ask, why is this needed? 

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• Official comment

  

  Deepa Daniels

  August 03, 2017 14:35 Edited

  The intent of this Success Criterion is to ensure that, wherever possible, content can be operated through a keyboard or keyboard interface (so an alternate keyboard can be used). When content can be operated through a keyboard or alternate keyboard, it is operable by people with no vision (who cannot use devices such as mice that require eye-hand coordination) as well as by people who must use alternate keyboards or input devices that act as keyboard emulators. Keyboard emulators include speech input software, sip-and-puff software, on-screen keyboards, scanning software and a variety of assistive technologies and alternate keyboards. Individuals with low vision also may have trouble tracking a pointer and find the use of software much easier (or only possible) if they can control it from the keyboard.

   
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  Deepa Daniels

  August 03, 2017 14:33

  The WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.1. Keyboard Accessible was created based on that principle stating: Make all functionality available from a keyboard.

  Keyboard Accessible Best Practices

  • Create links and link text using the link annotation (the link button) and link structure elements in PDF documents.
  • Provide interactive form controls when building web forms and forms in PDF documents.
  • Ensure correct tab and reading order, this facilitates a user who is using the tab key to move around the content in the correct order, especially in PDF documents.
  • Provide keyboard-triggered event handlers

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