There are many different ways to use the web besides a mouse and a pair of eyes. Users navigate for example with a keyboard only or with their voice.

All the functionality, including menus, links and forms should work using a keyboard only. This is essential for all assistive technology to work properly. The only way to test this, at the moment, is manually. The best time to test this is during development.

How to keyboard test:

Tab through your pages, links and forms to do the following tests:

  • Confirm that all links can be reached and activated via keyboard, including any in dropdown submenus.
  • Confirm that all links get a visible focus indicator (e.g., a border highlight).
  • Confirm that all visually hidden links (e.g. skip links) become visible when in focus.
  • Confirm that all form input fields and buttons can be accessed and used via keyboard.
  • Confirm that all interactions, buttons, and other controls can be triggered via keyboard — any action you can complete with a mouse must also be performable via keyboard.
  • Confirm that focus doesn’t move in unexpected ways around the page.
  • Confirm that using shift+tab to move backwards works as well.

Resources

Written by

Related Posts

Template: Comments Disabled

This post has its comments, pingbacks, and trackbacks disabled. There should be no comment reply form, but should display pingbacks and trackbacks.

Read More

Template: Pingbacks And Trackbacks

This post has many pingpacks and trackbacks. There are a few ways to list them. Above the comments Below the comments Included within the normal flow of comments

Read More

Template: More Tag

This content is before the more tag. Right after this sentence should be a “continue reading” button of some sort on list pages of themes that show full content....

Read More