Get familiar with non-visual design
Accessible Flash currently only supported in IE/Win
Uese MSAA, Microsoft Active Accessibility
- supported by 3 screen readers (JAWS, 2 others)
Accessibility Goals
When to use Flash?
- immersive content helps kids learn
Best Practices
- read Bob Regan's blog & whitepaper
- Flash documentation
- Rich Media Accessibility Center
Basic Strategies
- place code in a frame, do not attach it to an instance on the stage
- dont' use empty hit areas (confuses screen readers)
Providing keyboard shortcuts for some controls may be helpful.
- so you don't have to tab a lot to get to essential controls
- assign a key listener or event handler
- dont' use one that's already used by browser or screen reader
- example: Microsoft's keyboard shortcut hints
Might need to manage focus with javascript for older Flash plug-in users, or use a separate window (faster tabbing).
Use onSetFocus and onKillFocus
- don't disable keyboard focus (yellow rectangle), shows method in case you do
Default Flash read order not always correct
- so give all instances names
- assign .tabindex property to every instance, even stuff you don't want screenreader to read
- troubleshoot by assigning bottom element index of 1
- don't use static text
Can use ActionScript to dynamically update accessibility properties (e.g. silent)
Screen reader doesn't have to read everything
- simplify what it shows
Use descriptions to
- provide context
- expose state (e.g. "level is set to easy")