[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #21283: Keyboard focus in the theme customizer should be on left options panel

[WordPress Trac]

#21283: Keyboard focus in the theme customizer should be on left options panel
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 Reporter:  pjad           |       Owner:
     Type:  defect (bug)   |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal         |   Milestone:  3.5
Component:  Accessibility  |     Version:  3.4.1
 Severity:  normal         |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                 |
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Comment (by grahamarmfield):

 Perhaps I can suggest the way this should work to be accessible to users
 who can't/don't use a mouse. Quite happy to debate it.

 The user is on the Appearance -> Themes page and they tab to and action
 the Customize link. (Ideally this link should indicate that new panel will
 open).

 As the panel for theme customization opens the focus should be moved into
 the panel - maybe onto the Close button but Saved is OK. But alternatively
 you could put a heading of 'Customization Options' at the top and make
 that the destination item of the in-page link. That might work better for
 screen readers as it reassures those users that they're in the right
 place.

 It should obviously be possible to tab to each of the option groupings and
 toggle them open and shut and make it obvious how to do that. When focus
 lands on each item it needs to voice what it is and show it has focus. The
 individual items in each grouping need to be able to get focus and show
 visibly that they have got focus. All the individual items need to be able
 to be keyboard operated - the colour pickers have accompanying text boxes
 which is good but they have no labels. But the selection of the background
 images may need rethinking to make that keyboard operable.

 I'd recommend repeating the Save and Publish button at the bottom of all
 the groupings. It's a more logical place for those tabbing using keyboards
 to see it/find it.

 When the user clicks on the Close button and the panel shuts the focus
 must be transferred back to somewhere useful - suggest the Customize
 button that launched the whole thing in the first place.

 If focus is to be kept within the customiser panel until user explicitly
 shuts it that's OK. But is focus could 'bleed' back onto the underlying
 Appearance screen then this should be spotted and the panel closed and
 focus put back to the Customize button.

 As a nice to have, help text would be really useful in this whole area. I
 can see and work out what's going on but not all site admins will
 necessary get how to use this really useful functionality.

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Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/21283#comment:3>
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