Flex custom component first item not read by JAWS

Question

Flex application is being made accessibility compliant. When a custom component is made visible based on some condition, the first item (either text or formitem or textarea) inside the component is skipped by Jaws. It reads from the second item. On pressing UP arrow, the first item is then read. Is there a way to make the first item accessible without need for pressing UP arrow?

Just adding the pseudo code here. <mx:Application><com:CustomComp1 ../><com:CustomComp2 id="comp2" ../></mx:Application> Here, the CustomComp2 will be made visible=false at first. Based on some condition satisfied in Application, CustomComp2 is made visible in script using comp2.visible=true. In this case, the first control inside the CustomComp2 is skipped by the Screen reader JAWS. Also pressing tab key also skips the first control when JAWS software is running. If I switch off JAWS, and then tab key press works just fine - does not skip the first control of the custom component. Any help? — user839631

Nate Nate · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-11T23:08:44

This is likely going to be related to focus management.

You're likely going to want to assign componentId.setFocus() to the first component in the current view when the view state changes.

You need to re-assess the focus when the state of your display changes. If you post how you are managing display state I can suggest exactly how to trigger that via an event or in your custom state method.

Also, if that doesn't work, try this once your screen is ready / state changed :

focusManager.moveFocus(mx.events.FocusRequestDirection.TOP);

Flex custom component first item not read by JAWS

1 Answers