Spinner: accessibility

[ezufelt]

Firefox 7.0.1 JAWS 13 Spinner demo 1.9pre

Problem

1. JAWS reports as a spinner, but doesn't indicate that up / down arrows change value. Perhaps, since this is a relatively new control on the web a default, or recommended, tooltip would be useful.
2. Up button has no name, down button has name of 'black down pointing triangle'.
3. Up / down buttons do not appear to receive focus.

Solution

1. Make sure that up / down buttons have appropriate accessible names
2. Make sure that up / down buttons can receive keyboard focus * this may be annoying as for N spinners there would be N*3 tab stops, thoughts?

[Scott González]

We're intentionally forcing focus to the text field when you interact with the buttons. The idea is that screen reader users should just use the arrow keys instead of the buttons. What kind of interaction do you get from a desktop spinner field?

[ezufelt]

I just tested a spinner (font size) in Firefox options. When tabbing to the spinner JAWS reads: "Size combo box. To change selection use the arrow keys".

This is likely a true combo and not a spinner. I do see what you're saying, I tab to, and then past, the spinner, without landing on the up / down buttons (if they are present).

Since all of the functionality is available without access to the buttons, and since the buttons clutter the set of focusable controls, I agree that they should remain as they are now.

[Jörn Zaefferer]

I've talked to Hans twice about the right role, and our use of role=spinbutton is correct. I don't see how we could get the screenreader to announce that up/key cursor keys can be used.

[Scott González]

I'll post to free-aria abou this.

[Scott González]

​https://groups.google.com/group/free-aria/browse_thread/thread/d1665e71df3a7bf6

[Scott González]

There doesn't appear to be anything we should be doing differently.