Continuing on my course of study by following the WAS Body of Knowledge (BOK), I’ve moved onto Accessible JavaScript, AJAX, and interactive content for the coming week. The BOK offers a basic list of things to consider when writing dynamic content and code:
- Manage focus
- Use semantic HTML
- Keep content and its changes perceivable
- Create device-independent event handlers
- Consider DOM order when adding new content dynamically, and
- Simplify events.
However, this list isn’t exhaustive, and the BOK doesn’t go into greater detail about what I need to study for or be more knowledgeable about. It does encourage me that I don’t have to be a JavaScript expert to understand the concepts, principles, and strategies for creating accessible code and content.
All that being said, I’d like to get a handle on the basic concepts provided, learn from good examples of accessible JavaScript, and discover other strategies that could be important for the WAS exam and my future as a digital accessibility consultant.
Things I accomplished
I gave myself a bit of slack today since it’s Christmas Eve, and my family time is more important than my study habits during holidays. However, I did dedicate 45 minutes to remain consistent and get a jump on the next section of the BOK.
- Read the first two pages of WebAIM’s Accessible JavaScript.
- Started another sheet in my study spreadsheet to be prepared for new concepts and related ideas.
What I learned today
- JavaScript is not inherently good or evil. Dependent upon the programmer, the use of JavaScript can create barriers or improve accessibility.
- WCAG 2.0 requires that JavaScript, when enabled, must be accessible.
- The Enter key doesn’t always trigger an onClick event if used on an non-link or non-control element (i.e. a div element). In those cases, the Enter or Spacebar will have to be detected for interaction.
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