The Great
Accessibility
Bake Off

@cordeliadillon
Tech Lead, Web Accessibility
Design Systems at Dropbox

This morning,
we’re talking about
accessibility!

Making products, services, and
spaces that everyone can use
and enjoy in all contexts,
regardless of their abilities

Visual

Visual Motor

Visual Motor Auditory

Visual Motor Auditory Cognitive

Creating flexible systems that
consider all users’ experiences
from the very start, not just via
tacked-on accommodations

Baking accessibility in

Set Timer

Set Timer
<div
class=“button--primary”
onClick=“setTimer()”>
Set Timer
</div>

Set Timer
<div
class=“button--primary”
onClick=“setTimer()”
tabindex=“0”>
Set Timer
</div>

Set Timer
<div
class=“button--primary”
onClick=“setTimer()”
tabindex=“0”
onKeyDown=“setTimer(e)”>
Set Timer
</div>

Set Timer
<div
class=“button--primary”
onClick=“setTimer”
tabindex=“0”
onKeyDown=“setTimer(e)”
role=“button”>
Set Timer
</div>

Set Timer
<button
onClick=“setTimer()”>
Set Timer
</button>

Set Timer
<button
class=“button--primary”
onClick=“setTimer()”>
Set Timer
</button>

Image sources: http://ind.pn/2qIL6Qp and http://bit.ly/2pCoqDD

Image sources: http://ind.pn/2qIL6Qp and http://bit.ly/2pCoqDD

Image source: https://www.yahoo.com/style/anglophiles-and-baking-enthusiasts-received-a-106546370621.html

Image source: http://ind.pn/2qINXsS

You don’t have to be an
accessibility expert to make
great, accessible UIs.

Image source: https://www.yahoo.com/style/anglophiles-and-baking-enthusiasts-received-a-106546370621.html

Image source: http://ind.pn/2qINXsS

Main Ingredients

You will need...
❏ Semantic HTML
❏ A dash of ARIA
❏ Alt attributes for images
❏ Names for all interactive items
❏ Sufficient text contrast
❏ Mouse-keyboard parity
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/

Semantic HTML is the
core ingredient for
accessible web UIs.

<button>
<article>
<input>
<table>
<main> <ul>
<nav> <li>
<a href>
<h1> <h2>
<section> <div> <span> <a>

...but as we move from
websites to web apps,
sometimes we need to spice
up our HTML with ARIA.

Accessible Rich Internet Applications

https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-1.1/
Accessible Rich Internet Applications

ARIA can communicate elements’
role, state, and properties to
assistive technology when
semantic HTML won’t suffice.

ARIA can communicate elements’
role, state, and properties to
assistive technology when
semantic HTML won’t suffice.

Use alternative text to
make sure images’
meaning comes through.

Informational: Short, descriptive alt text
<img alt=“Cupcake” src=“icon-final-FINAL.png”/>

Informational: Short, descriptive alt text
<img alt=“Cupcake with cherry on top” src=“cupcake1.png”/>
<img alt=“Cupcake with sprinkles” src=“cupcake2.png”/>

Redundant or decorative: Empty alt text
<img alt=“” src=“icon-final-final.png”/>
<span class=“uppercase”>Cupcakes</span>
CUPCAKES
<svg aria-hidden=“true”>...</svg>
<span class=“uppercase”>Cupcakes</span>

Use good text contrast.

WCAG 2.0 AA Guidelines:
4.5:1 for regular text
3:1 for large text
http://leaverou.github.io/contrast-ratio/
http://wave.webaim.org

Good morning, Respond Conf!
I’m happy to be in Melbourne.
Talking with y’all about baking.
What’s your favorite cake?
Do you say “frosting” or “icing”?
Is quiche a pastry?
Do you like chocolate?
Can you still see me?
Shout “CUPCAKES!” if you can read this.

Good morning, Respond Conf!
I’m happy to be in Melbourne.
Talking with y’all about baking.
What’s your favorite cake?
Do you say “frosting” or “icing”?
Is quiche a pastry?
Do you like chocolate?
Can you still see me?
Shout “CUPCAKES!” if you can read this.
21:1
9.89:1
5.74:1
2.85:1
2.01:1
1.61:1
1.41:1
1.15:1
1.14:1

Judging Criteria

Does it look amazing?
Does it taste amazing?
Is it well-baked?

Does it look amazing?
Does it taste amazing?
Is it well-baked?
Does it look amazing?
Does it function as expected?
Did you over/under-engineer it?

Test everything you make with...
❏ a mouse
❏ a keyboard
❏ a screen reader
❏ multiple screen readers
❏ NVDA + Firefox
❏ JAWS + IE 11
❏ VoiceOver + Safari
❏ grayscale mode
❏ real users!

Signature
Challenge

Subscribe
<input type=“text”/>
<input type=“email” required />
<input type=“checkbox” />
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
1. The fields themselves

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input id=“name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input id=“email” type=“email” required />
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
2. Associated, visible labels
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input placeholder=“Name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input placeholder=“Email” type=“email”
required />
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
No placeholders as labels
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
Name
Email*

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input placeholder=“Name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input placeholder=“Email” type=“email”
required />
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
No placeholders as labels
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?
Email*

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input id=“name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input id=“email” type=“email” required />
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
2. Associated, visible labels
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?

3. Visible focus indicators
Subscribe
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?
:focus {
outline: none;
}
Don’t just remove default

3. Visible focus indicators
Subscribe
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?
:focus {
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgb(103, 78, 167);
}
:focus {
outline: none;
}
Don’t just remove default
Replace it with something!

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input id=“name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input id=“email” type=“email” required
aria-describedby=“email-error” />
<span class=“error” id=“email-error”>
Your email…
</span>
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
4. Associated errors
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?
Email address must include @ sign.

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input id=“name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input id=“email” type=“email” required
aria-describedby=“email-error” />
<span class=“error” id=“email-error”>
Your email…
</span>
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
5. No color reliance
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?
Email address must include @ sign.

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input id=“name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input id=“email” type=“email” required
aria-describedby=“email-error” />
<span class=“error” id=“email-error”>
Your email…
</span>
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
5. No color reliance
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?
Email address must include @ sign.

Subscribe
<label for=“name”>Name</label>
<input id=“name” type=“text”/>
<label for=“email”>Email</label>
<input id=“email” type=“email” required
aria-describedby=“email-error” />
<span class=“error” id=“email-error”>
Your email…
</span>
<input id=“bakeoff” type=“checkbox” />
<label for=“bakeoff”>Yes, …</label>
<input type=“submit” value=“Subscribe” />
5. No color reliance
Name
Email*
Yes, I want to be a
contestant on “The Great
Accessibility Bake Off.”
What should I put here again?
Email address must include @ sign.

https://www.sitepoint.com/replacing-radio-buttons-without-replacing-radio-buttons/

Technical
Challenge

Our tried-and-true
semantic HTML isn’t
sufficient in this case.

Let’s follow the given
ARIA recipe.

https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/#TreeView

https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/#TreeView

https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/#TreeView

https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/#TreeView

https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/#TreeView

What do you do if it’s not working?
1. Double check the spec
2. Double check your code
3. Google it
4. Check for known bugs in browsers and screen readers
http://whoseline.a11yideas.com/bugs.html
5. Ask around!
http://web-a11y.herokuapp.com/

http://accessibleculture.org/articles/2013/02/not-so-simple-aria-tree-views-and-screen-readers/

Showstopper
Challenge

Think less about the
method and more
about the outcome.

Think less about the
method and more
about the outcome.
Drag-and-drop Move something

Put into buckets

Put into buckets Rearrange lists

Put into buckets Rearrange lists Move on canvas

Put into buckets Rearrange lists Move on canvas

Salesforce’s Opportunity Kanban board

Salesforce’s Opportunity Kanban board

Salesforce’s Opportunity Kanban board

Putting things in buckets
1. Press Space on an item to open a menu of buckets.
2. Press Arrow keys to select a bucket in that list.
3. Press Enter to move item into that bucket.
Inform user of interaction pattern:
“Press space bar to select and move.”

Wait, what about ARIA?
● ARIA 1.0
○ drag-and-drop authoring suggestions
○ aria-grabbed attribute
○ aria-dropeffect attribute
● ARIA 1.1
○ no authoring suggestions
○ aria-grabbed and aria-dropeffect are deprecated
○ (but don’t worry too much!)

https://www.sitepoint.com/accessible-drag-drop/

Putting things in buckets, using ARIA spec
1. Press Space on an item to select it.
2. Optionally Ctrl+Space on other items to multi-select.
3. Press Tab key to select a bucket.
4. Press Enter or Ctrl+M to move item into that bucket.
More specifics:
● ARIA Authoring Practices
● SitePoint’s Drag-and-Drop Tutorial
● WhatSock Training

Dropbox file browsing

Dropbox file browsing

Even more ways to move!
● Delete key for moving things into Trash bins
● Cut, Copy, and Paste support
Positioning on a canvas
x: 100 px 42 pxy:
● Arrow keys
● Input fields

Give users choice
and flexibility.
They’ll decide which methods
are best for them.

Thanks!
@cordeliadillon