The Problem of Custom Wigets

Problem

• Starting in 2000 people started using HTML+CSS+Javascript to create custom widgets (e.g. interactive controls) for web pages.
• There was no standard and interoperable way to make these custom widgets accessible.

Issues

• Keyboard support.
• Describing the widget behavior (e.g. role).
• Labeling the features of the widget (e.g. accessible name).
• Identifying properties and states. (e.g. checked, exapnded, has popup)
• Communicating information through platform specific accessibility APIs.
• Interoperability between browser and accessibility APIs.