Accessibility Testing Procedure

Focus Order

Guideline

If a Web page can be navigated sequentially and the navigation sequences affect meaning or operation, focusable components receive focus in an order that preserves meaning and operability.

Intent

The intent of this regulation is to ensure that when users navigate sequentially through content, they encounter information in an order that is consistent with the meaning of the content and can be operated from the keyboard. This reduces confusion by letting users form a consistent mental model of the content. There may be different orders that reflect logical relationships in the content. For example, moving through components in a table one row at a time or one column at a time both reflect the logical relationships in the content. Either order may satisfy this requirement.

The way that sequential navigation order is determined in Web content is defined by the technology of the content. For example, simple HTML defines sequential navigation via the notion of tabbing order. Dynamic HTML may modify the navigation sequence using scripting along with the addition of a tabindex attribute to allow focus to additional elements. If no scripting or tabindex attributes are used, the navigation order is the order that components appear in the content stream.

Note: It's important that when additional content is displayed on the screen (i.e. dynamically as a result of an action, such as an error message) focus is not moved to that element. Unless the user can perform an action on an element, focus should not be moved to that element.

For clarity:

1. Focusable components need to receive focus in an order that preserves meaning and operability only when navigation sequences affect meaning and operability.
2. In those cases where it is required, there may be more than one order that will preserve meaning and operability.
3. If there is more than one order that preserves meaning and operability, only one of them needs to be provided.

Finding Applicable Components

1. Examine the interface to determine the groupings and logical order.
2. Find components that repeat on multiple pages or software screens (e.g., navigation menus).
3. Find instances of interface components that reveal hidden content, such as dialog boxes, light boxes, pop-ups, content accordions, drop-down menus.

Inspecting and Using Components

1. Use the keyboard to navigate through the components. Be careful to address any hidden content. Note any instances where the order deviates from logical groupings, and logical order between individual components.
2. Where components are repeated on multiple pages or software screens, note any changes to the relative order of the repeated components.
3. If there are instances of interface components that reveal hidden content, move the focus to the control that reveals hidden content, activate the control with the keyboard, and then determine whether focus is in the revealed content. It may be necessary to TAB once to find the focus. Continue to move through the revealed content using the keyboard.
   • If focus does not shift to the revealed content, an accurate description of the content change event must be provided.

Without exception, focus must shift to modal dialog boxes (must meet step 3, above) and remain within the dialog box until the box is closed by the user.

Section 508/WCAG 2.0 Failure Conditions

1. There are mismatches between the TAB order and the logical order.
   • Fails 1194.31(a): Use without vision.
   • Fails 1194.31(b): Use with low vision.
   • Fails 2.4.3 Focus Order
2. The relative order of repeated components changes between pages / software screens.
   • Fails 1194.31(a): Use without vision.
   • Fails 1194.31(b): Use with low vision.
   • Fails 2.4.3 Focus Order
   • Fails 3.2.3 Consistent Navigation
3. A modal dialog box does not receive focus or is not announced to AT when it is opened.
   • Fails 1194.21(c): Visual Focus.
   • Fails 2.4.3 Focus Order
4. A modal dialog box allows focus to move off the dialog box before the box is closed by a user's actions.
   • Fails 1194.21(c): Visual Focus.
   • Fails 2.4.3 Focus Order
5. Revealed content is not announced to AT and no description of the content change is provided.
   • Fails 1194.31(a): Use without vision.
   • Fails 1194.31(b): Use with low vision.
   • Fails 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.

Reporting Test Results

• Any failure of conditions 1 -2 in Section 508 Failure Conditions results in: Fails Baseline Requirement #3.
• Any failure of conditions 3- 5 in Section 508 Failure Conditions results in: Fails Baseline Requirement #4.
• If the TAB order matches the logical order and the order of repeated components remains constant between pages then: Passes Baseline Requirement #3.
• If focus moves to the revealed content, or instructions/status are provided when focus does not move to hidden content then: Passes Baseline Requirement #4.

For sharing test results between Agencies, the results of Section 508 Conditions and Reporting Test Results must be reported.