Using the accessibility API features of a technology to expose names and roles, to allow user-settable properties to be directly set, and to provide notification of changes

ID: G135

Technology: general

Type: Technique

When to Use

programming technologies that have standard components that are programmed to interface with accessibility APIs

Description

The objective of this technique is to allow assistive technology to understand Web content so that it can convey equivalent information to the user through an alternate user interface.

Sometimes content is not created using markup language but rather using a programming language or tools. In many cases, these technologies have interface components that are already programmed to interface with accessibility APIs. If an author uses these components and fills in the properties (e.g., name, etc) the resulting user interface components in the content will be accessible to assistive technology.

Examples

A Web page uses java to create an applet. Java swing objects (e.g., pushbutton) are used because they have accessibility properties built in that can be accessed from assistive technology written in Java and, with the Java Access Bridge, those written in other languages that use the Accessibility API of the operating system. The author fills in the values for the components and the result is accessible to AT.

Tests

Procedure

Render content using an accessible User Agent
Use an Accessibility Tool designed for the Accessibility API of the User agent to evaluate each user interface component
Check that name and role for each user interface component are found by the tool.

Expected Results

Step #3 is true for each user interface component