Users can navigate sites with a Keyboard Access Key without use of a mouse. Users surfing this way may be blind or have physical disabilities. Users will find keyboard-friendly sites accessible not only when surfing the internet on a computer without a mouse but also when accessing the internet via a PDA or mobile phone.
People with physical disabilities who do not have complete use of their arms or hands or who may suffer from tremors or spasms will often need to access websites without a mouse. Some people work their computer entirely through use of one button. They use this one button or switch to tab between links and through content and menus. Tabbing through long lists of links takes a great deal of effort. Keep navigational links to a minimum and provide ways to skip straight into the main content or straight to the main navigation. Do not employ any navigation or JavaScripts that require use of a mouse or activate immediately upon receiving focus.
As keyboard users tab between links and functions the mere act of landing on an item should not cause it to activate. It should require an additional keystroke.
Read more about how Focus criterion scoring works.
Users accessing the web using only a keyboard may have a physical disability that makes typing very difficult. They may have a condition such as cerebral palsy or Parkinson's disease which causes their hands to shake. Or they may have one button access activating a switch or using a puff and sip device. This means they may make typographical errors simply because of the physical constraints of using a computer. By offering suggestions, spelling corrections or even the ability to go back and fix errors you will help improve their user experience.
Read more about how Formfill criterion scoring works.
If you must use a server side image map make sure you have redundant text links as well because someone using a keyboard cannot tab through hotspots.
Read about how Image Maps criterion scoring works.
Provide a transcript of any multimedia. Users only using a keyboard may not have trouble accessing your multimedia content or may use screen reading software without a monitor.
Read about how Multimedia Sight criterion scoring works.
Where necessary provide access to a free plug-in that meets UAAG guidelines that people who do not have a mouse can use. If you cannot then provide a static version of the content with as much detail as possible.
Read about how Plug-ins criterion scoring works.
Provide ways to skip over long lists of links or if your content appears first to skip straight to navigation. Tabbing through long lists of links takes a lot of time and effort for many people.
Read about how Skip Navigation criterion scoring works.
Make sure your page has a logical tab order. Users should arrive at the most important places on your page first and skip to content/navigation links, search boxes and the main content. You can do this using CSS and divs or through a Tab Index but make certain it will not confuse the user.
Read about how Tabindex criterion scoring works.
If time outs occur on a page you should at the very least provide a warning of how long a user has to complete an activity. If possible, offer users a way to extend how long they have. You should aim to have no functions which require time outs. A person with a physical disability accessing the internet will take a lot longer to tab through a page or to fill out a form or complete an action than someone without a disability who has use of a mouse. Many users with disabilities will have only one-button access or may control their computer through use of a switch or a puff and sip device. Navigating like this takes a great deal of time and effort. If a page times out on a user halfway through filling out a form they will find it impossible to use your site.
Read about how Time Outs criterion scoring works.
Use access keys for important links or form fields BUT make certain they do not clash with hotkeys for Windows or popular screen reading/magnification software. The less keystrokes to get to an important object on the page the better but keyboard users need to access the functions of their software. Setting up access keys that clash will override their ability to do this.
Read about how Use Access Keys criterion scoring works.
Using valid code will help non-mouse users navigate your pages more easily. It also helps non-traditional devices such as PDAs or mobile phones render the pages correctly.
Read about how Valid Document criterion scoring works.
Make it possible to activate all functions via a keyboard.
Read about how With Keyboard criterion scoring works.
Your site should work without JavaScript. Keyboard users may have difficulty activating JavaScript functions or may have scripting turned off or have a text-only browser for convenience. Portable/mobile devices may not recognise JavaScripts either.
Read about how Without JavaScript criterion scoring works.