ABSTRACT: It’s always better to bake in accessibility from the very beginning of your project than tack it on after the fact. Making accessibility decisions up front in your web app can save your users a lot of frustration and save you a lot of development time. But how do you know what to bake in, how to mix it all together, and whether you’re doing it right? (Originally presented at Respond '17: http://www.webdirections.org/respond/)

1. The Great
Accessibility
Bake Off

2. @cordeliadillon
Tech Lead, Web Accessibility
Design Systems at Dropbox

3. This morning,
we’re talking about
accessibility!

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

5. Visual

6. Visual Motor

7. Visual Motor Auditory

8. Visual Motor Auditory Cognitive

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

10. Baking accessibility in

15. Set Timer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

44. Main Ingredients

45. 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/

46. Semantic HTML is the
core ingredient for
accessible web UIs.

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

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

49. Accessible Rich Internet Applications

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

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

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

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

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

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

56. 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>

57. Use good text contrast.

58. 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

59. 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.

60. 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

61. Judging Criteria

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

63. 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?

64. 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!

65. Signature
Challenge

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

68. 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.”

69. 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*

70. 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*

71. 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?

72. 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

73. 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!

74. 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.

75. 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.

76. 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.

77. 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.

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

79. Technical
Challenge

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

82. Let’s follow the given
ARIA recipe.

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

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

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

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

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

89. 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/

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

93. Showstopper
Challenge

95. Think less about the
method and more
about the outcome.

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

97. Put into buckets

98. Put into buckets Rearrange lists

99. Put into buckets Rearrange lists Move on canvas

100. Put into buckets Rearrange lists Move on canvas

101. Salesforce’s Opportunity Kanban board

102. Salesforce’s Opportunity Kanban board

103. Salesforce’s Opportunity Kanban board

104. 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.”

105. 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!)

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

107. 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

108. Dropbox file browsing

109. Dropbox file browsing

110. 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

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

115. Thanks!
@cordeliadillon