Website Accessibility Tip of the Week: Prevent Keyboard Traps
No Keyboard Trap Best Practices
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Ensure that website users do not get trapped in content.
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A calendar widget allows users to add, remove or update items in their calendar using the keyboard. The controls in the widget must be part of the tab order within the Web page, allowing users to tab through the controls in the widget as well as to any links or controls that follow.
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If a web application opens up a dialog box users must not become caught inside of the box without having the ability to exit back out of it and resume their position back on the previous web page. Notification must also be provided explaining that the user is being moved away.
See the additional resources below to learn more details about the WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.1 and Success Criterion 2.1.2:
The no keyboard trap success criterion is based on the second Web Content Accessible Guide (WCAG) 2.0 principle, Level A: Principle 2 – Operable and states: User interface components and navigation must be operable. This means that users must be able to operate the interface (the interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform).
The WCAG 2.0 Guideline 2.1 - Keyboard Accessible was created based on that principle stating: Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
The WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 2.1.2 - No Keyboard Trap states: If keyboard focus can be moved to a component of the page using a keyboard interface, then focus can be moved away from that component using only a keyboard interface, and, if it requires more than unmodified arrow or tab keys or other standard exit methods, the user is advised of the method for moving focus away.
- Note: Since any content that does not meet this success criterion can interfere with a user's ability to use the whole page, all content on the Web page (whether it is used to meet other success criteria or not) must meet this success criterion. See Conformance Requirement 5: Non-Interference.
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Posted on March 27, 2017
