[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:  major          |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                 |
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Comment (by grahamarmfield):

 Replying to [comment:5 helenyhou]:
 > Would having a keyboard shortcut of ctrl/cmd-s to save and publish and
 using esc to cancel be an acceptable alternative to repeating the buttons
 per section? Just brainstorming a bit.
 helenyhou I hadn't imagined having a button for each section - just
 repeating the close and save buttons at the bottom of all the groups of
 options.

 The issue with keyboard shortcuts is threefold (in my view):

 1) '''Discoverability - How do you let people know what they are?''' There
 would always need to be some findable instructions somewhere about that.
 And they would need to visible too - I'm thinking of sighted keyboard
 users, those with cognitive impairments etc

 2) '''Consistency'''. Are similar keyboard shortcodes used in other places
 within the WordPress admin? If keystrokes are different in each block of
 functionality then we'd end up with a real confusing mess.

 3) '''Hijacking keyboard shortcodes from assistive technology (AT)'''.
 There are many forms of assistive technology out there - screen readers
 being the most well know example but by no means the only example. Each
 piece of AT will have it's own control mechanisms, which in the case of
 screen readers is a huge suite of keyboard shortcuts. If websites/apps use
 keystroke combinations that clash with those used by some AT then these
 sites can effectively take away key functionality of the AT.

 For that reason my own recommendation would be to not employ keystrokes
 here.

 The options in the various groupings - Site Title, Colors, Layout etc do
 persist when you move to another group so I think it would be OK for there
 to be just one button for save and publish, or a repeated one at the
 bottom too - as Custom Menu builder which would fall nicely under a
 forward tabbing user rather than them having to go right back up to the
 top again.

 Opening the panel for each group with the enter key is acceptable - that's
 like Custom Menu too, although of course the Custom Menu area has it's own
 share of accessibility problems - see #21289

 From what I'm seeing, the biggest challenge in this area is to get
 everything to meaningfully accept focus, show it, and allow screen readers
 to voice what it's for, and then to accept choosing by keyboard. Some
 clear instructions at the top would be nice too.

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Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/21283#comment:6>
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