Java Application Accessibility Awareness Lawrence Najjar

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Java Application Accessibility AwarenessLawrence
Najjar
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Outline

• Purpose
• Definitions
• Section 508
• Screen Readers
• Some Accessibility Requirements
• Some Accessibility Suggestions
• For Best Results Use
• Testing
• Accessibility at BMC
• Accessibility Resources
• Summary

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Purpose

• Improve Java application accessibility
  awareness

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Definitions

• Disability -- Functional limitation in vision,
  hearing, movement, manipulation (for example,
  fine movements to use mouse), speech, and
  interpretation of information (for example,
  dyslexia and other cognitive impairments)
• Accessibility Providing persons with
  disabilities comparable access to and use of
  information and data as persons without
  disabilities

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Section 508

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
  amendments of 1998 (http//www.section508.gov/inde
  x.cfm?FuseActionContentID12Web)
• For Federal purchases of information technology
• Requires Federal employees and members of the
  public with disabilities have access to and use
  of information and data comparable to that of
  employees and members of the public without
  disabilities
• Is spreading beyond Federal government
  (http//www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/26304-1
  .html)

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Screen Readers

• http//www.doit.wisc.edu/accessibility/video/intro
  _scrn_rdrs.mov

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Some Accessibility Requirements

• Provide keyboard-only access to all functions
  (example)
• Provide keyboard mnemonics (ex. ALT-F for File
  menu) for menu bar menus, frequently-used
  components, and all dialog window components
• Duplicate toolbar buttons in menu or provide
  keyboard access to toolbar
• Use Swing keyboard bindings (ex. F6 to move
  between panes) (http//java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/doc
  s/api/javax/swing/doc-files/Key-Index.html)
• Provide functional keyboard equivalents for mouse
  functions

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Example for Provide keyboard-only access to all
functions
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Some Java Accessibility Requirements (Continued)

• Dont interfere with accessibility features
  (ex. inverse video, sticky keys)
• Show focus visually and programmatically
  (example)
• Make all user interface elements (ex. icons)
  available via text
• Use operating system to display textual info
  (ex. text, text input carat, text attributes)
• Do not override user-selected color, contrast,
  font size, keyboard repeat rate, etc. (example)
• Allow users to turn off animated info, but
  still get the info
• Dont use color as only way to convey
  information (example)
• Dont blink between 2 Hz and 55 Hz
• Make forms accessible (ex. place prompt left of
  entry field)

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Example for Show focus visually and
programmatically
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Example for Do not override user-selected color,
contrast, font size, etc.
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Example of Dont use color as only way to convey
information

• Before
• After

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Some Accessibility Suggestions

• Provide high contrast for text (example)
• Use tab order that makes sense to users
  (example)
• Dont use unnecessary graphics (example)
• Provide default focus on every window
• Set a component to execute the java.awt.Componentr
  equestFocus method
• Describe icons and other functional graphics
• Call the setIcon( ) method
• Use the setDescription( ) class
• Label all components
• Implement the AccessibleName method on all
  objects
• Implement the AccessibleDescription Method
• Allow users to see visual version of audio
  alert
• Enable Windows sound accessibility flashed title
  bar, window, or desktop can also flash status
  indicator on taskbar, etc,
• Dont use timed responses if you must, allow
  users to extend the time

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Example for Provide high contrast for text

• Before
• After

Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
Date (mm/dd/yyyy)
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Example for Use tab order that makes sense to
users
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Example of Dont use unnecessary graphics

• http//www.flamingtext.com/

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For Best Results Use

• Java 2
• Java Foundation Classes Swing User Interface
  Components
• Java Accessibility Application Program
  Interface
• Java Access Bridge for Windows 1.1
  (http//java.sun.com/products/accessbridge/)
• Dont use applets (some assistive technology
  browsers dont support them) use Sun Web Start

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Java Access Bridge

• Communicates between assistive technology (ex.
  JAWS) and native code of Java Access Bridge
• Bridge for Java Accessibility API between Java
  virtual machine and Windows
• Uses two Windows Dynamic Link Libraries and one
  Java language classfile
• Note Users need Java Access Bridge on their
  machines.

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Testing

• Use Java Accessibility Helper
  (http//java.sun.com/developer/earlyAccess/jaccess
  helper/)
• Use application with only keyboard
  (http//java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/javax/swi
  ng/doc-files/Key-Index.html)
• Use JAWS screen reader (http//www.freedomscient
  ific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp)
• Print screens on black white printer
• Use BMC accessibility checklist
  (http//cww/internal/ResearchAndDevelopment/Usabil
  ity/attachments/SmartNumber_section508_assessment.
  doc)
• Use IBM Java accessibility checklist
  (http//www-306.ibm.com/able/guidelines/java/acces
  sjava.html)

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Accessibility at BMC

• Accessibility program lead named (Chris Meier)
• Accessibility consultant hired (The Paciello
  Group)
• Reviewed SmartDBA and Metropolis
• Delivered 20-minute-long Webinars
• Will provide half-day Java accessibility
  training
• Accessibility awareness program begun (CWW, Brown
  Bags)
• Accessibility section added to BMC RD Usability
  portal (example)
• Over 500 products evaluated using BMC Section 508
  Product Assessment Form
• Completed accessibility form now required for
  products release to market process
• Federal agencies now requiring information on
  when BMC products will conform to Section 508

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Accessibility in RD Usability Portal
http//cww/portal/site/CWW/index.jsp?chid69da4c9a
711eaf00VgnVCMServerd30611acRCRD
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Accessibility Resources

• Andrews, M. Accessibility and the Swing Set
  On-line. Available http//java.sun.com/products
  /jfc/tsc/articles/accessibility/
• BMC Accessibility Intranet site
  http//cww/portal/site/CWW/index.jsp?chidbada4c9a
  711eaf00VgnVCMServerd30611acRCRD
• Dunn, J. (2002, June 2). Developing accessible
  JFC applications On-line. Available
  http//www.sun.com/access/developers/developing-ac
  cessible-apps/
• Feigenbaum, B. A. (2002, October 1). Coding for
  accessibility Use JFC/Swing to build
  accessibility into your Java applications
  On-line. Available http//www-106.ibm.com/de
  veloperworks/java/library/j-access/
• IBM (2002). IBM Java accessibility checklist
  On-line. Available http//www-306.ibm.com/able/
  guidelines/java/accessjava.html
• Schwerdtfeger, R. S. (2000, August 24). IBMs
  guidelines for writing accessible applications
  using 100 pure Java On-line. Available
  http//www-3.ibm.com/able/guidelines/java/snsjavag
  .html
• Section 508 On-line. Available
  http//www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseActionCon
  tentID12Web
• Sun Microsystems (2003). Accessibility quick
  reference On-line. Available
  http//www.sun.com/access/ developers/access.qui
  ck.ref.htmlapptips
• Sun Microsystems. Swing component keystroke
  assignments On-line. Available
  http//java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/docs/api/javax/swin
  g/doc-files/Key-Index.html

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Summary

• For maximum accessibility
• Design in accessibility from the start
• Verify accessibility with checklists, tools, and
  accessibility tests

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Thank You

• To get a copy of this presentation
• E-mail Lawrence Najjar
• Or, go to the RD Portal, Programs and Services,
  Usability and Interface Design,
  Accessibility/Section 508, White Paper and
  Presentations, Java Accessibility Awareness Brown
  Bag
• To get accessibility services
• Contact Tony Haverda, manager, Interface Design
  and Usability