Sarah Higley explores the challenges of building accessible custom select controls, comparing native <select> behavior across platforms with ARIA combobox and listbox patterns. The article examines semantics, keyboard interaction, multi-select, autocomplete, and the accessibility tradeoffs of custom UI.
Tag: keyboard accessibility
Keyboard accessibility is a fundamental part of creating inclusive digital experiences, ensuring that websites and applications can be navigated and operated without a mouse or other pointing device.
This collection of 24 Accessibility articles explores keyboard accessibility from practical, technical, and strategic perspectives, covering topics such as keyboard navigation, focus management, focus indicators, keyboard traps, interactive controls, and WCAG requirements. Together, these articles provide insights for designers, developers, testers, and accessibility professionals seeking to build digital products that work effectively for keyboard-only users and people who rely on assistive technologies.
I Threw Away my Mouse
In today’s article, Manuel Matuzovic shares how he ditched his mouse, going keyboard-only. He shares the results of his research on 200 different pages and the issues that impact keyboard-only users.
Not Your Father’s Navigation Strategy: There’s More Than Just the TAB Key
Rachel Olivero explains how blind screen reader users efficiently navigate websites and web applications without relying solely on the Tab key. The article explores page summaries, element lists, headings, landmarks, quick navigation keys, and semantic HTML, offering valuable insight for accessibility testers and developers.
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The Three Developers and the Insightful User Tester
Scott O’Hara uses a Three Little Pigs-inspired story to show how developers can create accessibility barriers through poor HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and ARIA choices. He highlights semantic HTML, keyboard access, accessibility testing, and learning from users with disabilities.