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Supported accessible run-time behavior

Updated on February 7, 2022

Accessible UI components provide run-time behavior that helps users who rely on assistive technology (AT) navigate your application with less effort. Pega Platform includes a number of out-of-the-box components that reduce the workload for accessibility development.

UI components in Pega Platform are developed in accordance with WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices 1.1. Consequently, most Pega UI components support accessible navigation without additional markup or configuration.

Keyboard navigation

Keyboard accessibility, or the ability to reach and operate any UI element by keyboard alone, is necessary for users with motor and visual disabilities.

Keyboard users typically press the Tab button to move between interactive elements of an interface, such as controls or fields. When a UI element is in focus, they should be able to control it with a standard keyboard, for example, by using arrow keys to navigate a table. As a best practice, your interface cannot include too many navigation items, because tabbing through a lengthy interface might be difficult for users with motor disabilities.

For the most up-to-date guidelines on keyboard accessibility, see the WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices 1.1 document at the W3C website.

Accessible UI components

The following table lists the most important accessibility components in Pega Platform.

Control/featureKeyboard navigationAdditional information
ButtonsEnter or Spacebar to activateUnique IDs to help AT manage page focus
Collapsed textArrow keys to navigateNon-editable when collapsed
Controls
  • Enter or Spacebar to activate
  • Arrow keys to navigate
Dynamic layoutsTab to change focusAT support
Error messagesNo
Field-level error messagesNoReadable when a change causes the error, such as a failed validation
IconsYesAlternative text
Modal windowsEsc to close
OverlaysYes
Read-write controlsYesLabels and text alternatives
Registry of keyboard shortcutsN/ATabs, arrows, and all modifier keys stored in a single file location
Rich Text EditorYesFully editable by keyboard
Skip to content areaYes
SmartInfoTab to change focus
Smart tipsYesFocus on the parent control
Structural elements of portalsYes
TablesYes
TabsTab to change focusActivates automatically on focus
Wait indicatorN/AAbility to inform AT about loading status; editable load text in the pyThrobberLoadingText rule

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