Navigating via a web site utilizing solely a keyboard will be difficult. At Sage, we discover options for the challenges that may prohibit accessibility for customers counting on keyboard navigation to entry our content material.
It’s a part of our core values to champion buyer inclusivity relating to our merchandise and net pages, and keyboard accessibility is only one facet of this. On this weblog we cowl concepts and steering on how one can make digital experiences extra accessible for customers utilizing keyboards to navigate their method across the net.
Accessibility and keyboard navigation
Customers with motor or cognitive disabilities typically use keyboard navigation to hold out duties as a result of there are bodily limitations to utilizing a conventional keyboard and mouse.
Nonetheless, with out monitor pads, mouse clicks, or a contact pad, it may be tougher to browse if a keyboard is your solely technique of navigation. Duties comparable to including objects to a basket, finishing a purchase order, navigating via articles, opening hyperlinks to new net pages, and viewing video content material can turn out to be inaccessible with out the best options in place.
Usually, customers utilizing keyboard navigation can discover themselves getting misplaced or caught, making the expertise more difficult.
It may be a wrestle, even on the very best web sites on the market.
Consistent with Internet Content material Accessibility Tips (WCAG), right here’s what must be in place:
- Each management (hyperlink, button, or kind area) will be targeted on utilizing the tab key
- Seen indicators should be current on each management when it has focus
- The order of things that may obtain focus ought to be mirrored as left to proper, prime to backside to observe studying route
- The web page ought to be scrollable utilizing the arrow keys and the area bar
- Pop-up modals work properly with the keyboard, and will be dismissed with the escape key
- Type controls will be interacted with utilizing the tab key, area bar, arrow keys, and the enter/return key, in addition to typing.
There are a selection of keyboard strokes and brief cuts that can be utilized when navigating round purposes or web sites; many are detailed by the WebAIM .
At Sage we want to make our websites extra accessible and useable for all, so we work to incorporate all of the above concerns when designing and growing each merchandise and net pages.