Audit #1 – General Overview when logged in – Checkbox in Files Table opens dialog in DOM above Files Table

[marcus-herrmann]

Connected to Audit 1, see #4300
1.2 General Overview when logged in, URL: https://ocis-a11y.owncloud.works/#/files/list

Issue

When you are a non-visual user and you interact with the checkboxes next to files and folders, you don't recognize that context/bulk actions for the selected file(s) appear ABOVE the FilesList (visually and in DOM terms). These newly loaded actions can only be found if a screen reader users traverses the DOM in reverse after checkbox interaction, which is unlikely.

Remediation

In my research, I haven't found a perfect solution for this. GMail has the same concept, though. What happens there is that upon every checkbox interaction, a live region announces: "X items selected". I would go even further and make this message. "X items selected. Bulk actions for these items are available above the file table" or something like this.
Usually, and under those circumstances I would recommend focus management (putting the focus to the bulk actions). But what if the screen reader user wanted to stay inside the table to either check other checkboxes, go into a folder/share/delete? Thus, only a live message. This has to be massively user-tested! My suggestion is nothing but a sophisticated guess!

WCAG/BITV criteria affected: Possibly 2.4.3. Definetely 4.1.3