FLASH15: Using the tabIndex property to specify a logical reading order and a logical tab order in Flash

The objective of this technique is to control the Flash Movie's reading order and tab order by assigning tabIndex values to its elements.

The tab order is the order in which objects receive input focus when users press the Tab key. The tab order does not necessarily contain the same elements as the reading order does, as the reading order can also contain elements that are not focusable. However, both the reading order and tab order can be controlled using tab index values.

Flash Player uses a default tab index order from left to right and top to bottom.

To create a custom reading order, assign a tab index value to every instance on the stage, either through action script or through the Accessibility Panel. Create a tabindex value for every accessible object, not just the focusable objects. For example, dynamic text must have tab indexes, even though a user cannot tab to dynamic text.

You can create a custom tab-order index in the Accessibility panel for keyboard navigation for the following objects:

• Dynamic text

• Input text

• Buttons

• Movie clips, including compiled movie clips

• Components

• Screens

Tab focus occurs in numerical order, starting from the lowest index number. After tab focus reaches the highest tab index, focus returns to the lowest index number. When you move tab-indexed objects that are user-defined in your document, or to another document, Flash retains the index attributes. Check for and resolve index conflicts (for example, two different objects on the Stage with the same tab-index number). If two or more objects have the same tab index in any given frame, Flash follows the order in which the objects were placed on the Stage.

To add a tabindex value using the Accessibility Panel, perform the following steps for every accessible object on the stage:

1. Select the element by clicking on it.

2. In the Accessibility Panel, enter a numeric value in the "Tab index" field. The value must be a positive integer (up to 65535) that reflects the order in which the selected object should be read. Elements with higher tab index values will be read after elements with lower values. If two or more objects have the same tab index in any given frame, Flash follows the order in which the objects were placed on the Stage.

3. To visualize the currently defined tab order, select View > Show Tab Order. Tab index numbers for individual objects appear in the upper-left corner of the object.

These steps are illustrated in the screenshots below

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• Adobe Flash CS4 documentation regarding reading and tab order

• G57: Ordering the content in a meaningful sequence
• G59: Placing the interactive elements in an order that follows sequences and relationships within the content

Procedure

1. Use a screen reader to navigate through the Flash movie, one element at a time.

2. Check that the order in which the screen reader announces the content, matches the logical visual order.

3. When focus has been placed inside the Flash movie, press the tab order repeatedly to traverse its contents by keyboard.

4. Verify that all interactive and focusable elements are reachable by keyboard, in a logical order.

Expected Results

• Checks #2 and #4 are true.

If this is a sufficient technique for a success criterion, failing this test procedure does not necessarily mean that the success criterion has not been satisfied in some other way, only that this technique has not been successfully implemented and can not be used to claim conformance.