This sim is ready for Interactive Description Implementation

[terracoda]

A11y Features for this sim:

• Keyboard Navigation (except ruler details: shortcut keys, large and small steps)
• Simple Description - Started: July 23, 2018 ??
• Full Description - Started: July 23, 2018??; Implementation started October 18, 2018; Description design complete with the Grab,Move, Release responses for the ruler on Nov 28, 2019.
• Sonification - (near complete, similar to GFL Basics with some changes to mass sliders, and an enhanced sound for the moving the ruler)
• Mobile A11y - large range for mass sliders could be a challenge
• RC created - Jan 27, 2020 - RC test: Gravity Force Lab 2.2.0-rc.1 qa#471

Link to GFL A11y Design Main

Implementation of State Descriptions (PDOM)

• Change focus order to match the design document

• Static State descriptions

  • Regions, Headings (H1, H2s, H3s)
    • H1 for title
    • H2s for Play Area and Control Area
    • Sim-specific H3s in Play Area and/or Control Area
  • Labels and help text for all interactive items in Play Area
    • Sphere position sliders
    • Mass Controls sliders
    • Measure Distance Ruler (accessible name, aria-roledescription, & help text)
  • Labels and help text for interactive items in Control Area
    • Labels for checkboxes
    • Help text for checkboxes
    • Reset All button
  • Sim Resources (region & H2)
    • Keyboard Shortcuts Dialog
      • Visual Keyboard Shortcuts Dialog
      • Keyboard Shortcuts button added
      • Accessible content in Keyboard Shortcuts added
      • Related Interaction hint is in scene/screen summary

• Dynamic State descriptions are ready for PDOM, but only single examples (may need more examples)

  • Dynamic descriptions for the state of the sim (a dynamic list in this case)
  • Dynamic descriptions for Mass Spheres (a dynamic list in this case)
  • Comparable density scale for when Constant Size is checked (implemented in Basics needs verification in Regular)

Responsive Descriptions (drafted & ready for implementation):
Simple Context Responses

• Alerts for checking/unchecking checkboxes
• Reset All alert, verified

Complex Object and Context Responses

• Position slider (on focus)
  • aria-valuetext
  • brief focus alert read out on focus
  • edge cases - implemented but needs more work
• Position sliders increase/decrease information
  • dynamic aria-valuetext (distance and progress)
  • edge cases - implemented but needs work
• Mass sliders (on focus)
  • aria-valuetext
  • brief force alerts read out on focus
• Mass sliders: mass increase/decrease information
  • aria-valuetext (value and comparative size)
  • mass-force increase/decrease alerts
  • edge cases where a mass increase affects position of same or other sphere - implemented and fixed (at least fixed in BASICS)

Checklist for making Measure Distance Ruler accessible

• keyboard: native button with application role and aria-roledescription="movable" on button activation
• gesture: custom (double tap and hold) interaction with aria-roledescription="movable" and aria-describedby to deliver automatic instructions for first 2 grabs
• platform-specific responses containing specific instructions for first 2 grabs
• general platform-independent responses for grab, move, and releases after initial 2 grabs
  • ready for implementation in Ruler Movement Repsonses ready for implementation #215
• platform-specific responses for custom keyboard jump shortcuts
  • also ready for implementation in Ruler Movement Repsonses ready for implementation #215

Update Keyboard Shortcuts Dialog (ready)

• Updates to Visual dialog (ready for implementation in Keyboard dialog updates for both visual and accessible content #214)
• Updates to A11y content for dialog (ready for implementation in Keyboard dialog updates for both visual and accessible content #214)

Check and Update credits before publishing see issue #180

• Software Development: Michael Barlow, Michael Kauzmann
• Team: Emily B. Moore, Taliesin Smith, Brianna Tomlinson
• Sound design: Ashton Morris

Review notes after testing & listening (June 11th)

• don't hear "closest" region see Hard coded region tables are hard to maintain a11y-research#146 and closed issue No "closest" region name when spheres are the closest they can be. #178
• Scientific Notation checkable again related to PhET-iO - see Scientific Notation checkable when Forces Values is not checked #207
• Scientific Notation checkbox still checkable when Force Values not checked. It should be disabled in this case - see Scientific Notation is checkable when disbaled #110
• Rounding for mass controls see Should Mass values round to an even 50 kg or 100 kg with default steps? #133
• New mass sphere descriptions in Play Area Remove meter mark and adjust phrasing in Sphere descriptions #169
• Quantitative distance fro moving the spheres? Describing distance quantitatively: design question #156 - yes on "Distance-checked" experience
• No mention of track in screen summary - see issue Screen Summary Tweak: Add idea of a track #159
• Meter mark heard in m1 description - see updates in Change m1 and m2 spheres' dynamic state descriptions #160
• No comparative size in sphere descriptions - see also Change m1 and m2 spheres' dynamic state descriptions #160 see also Remove meter mark and adjust phrasing in Sphere descriptions #169
• Beyond max/min mass mass alerts - see Consider beyond-edge force alerts for mass controls? #155
• List structure around mass controls - see Remove list structures around mass controls #161
• Keyboard dialog (size?) - Move Mass Controls block under Move Spheres block - see KeyboardHelpDialog extends into nav bar #144
• When Force Values in Scientific Notation, I hear “&times” read out - see The times sign (HTML entity) is not correctly read by Voice Over #131
• Use “Force vectors” instead of “Vectors” alone when Force Values not checked - see updated Use "Force vectors" in place of "Vectors" in all alerts #149. Design doc updated.
• Add Grab button interaction and custom shortcuts - Add grab interaction to the ruler #140

More on the Ruler Interaction

• Placement: Grab Ruler comes after Sphere Distance/Position sliders. Should we move it to end of Play Area, or end of Control Area? Yes - see Change to PDOM Order: Move Grab Ruler (ruler) to just before Rest All button. #158
• Measure Distance Ruler, changed default step to large step and Shift key makes a small step
• Need to make custom shortcuts, alerts, etc.
• Based on what was learned in Friction, what should the Grab button's name/description be. Need to review Grab button for Friction.
• Ruler jumping Keyboard Shortcuts Create 2 jumping Keyboard Shortcuts for the grabbed ruler #138

Edited Nov 29, 2019 - added: items to Ruler section, Keyboard dialog updates, Scientific Notation issue.
Edited Apr 10 - Added Ruler section - no items yet.
Edited Mar 6 - Added Update Credits
Edited Jan 22, 2019: After review updated how items were described, checked off implemented items, added notes where there are implementation issues.
Edited Jan 10, 2019: Added Keyboard Shortcuts Dialog to list
Edited: unchecked Mass slider alerts, and will create issues
Edited: added heading for descriptions.
Edited again: added specific items for PDOM, but not sure if we need this granularity.
Edited again Oct 30: added link to Keyboard Dialog section, adjusted details for the Play Area's interactive items.

[terracoda]

@mbarlow12, this is check-list alert to get us started. Please let me know if this works for you. I am excited to work on this sim with you!

[mbarlow12]

@terracoda the checklist is great! I've been noticing that QA has done a lot of work with testing/issue templates, and I think we should bring this to the rest of the a11y team to review & refine as a general checklist for implementing these features.

[mbarlow12]

@terracoda @emily-phet I've completed work on the screen summary. Moving on to the other PDOM elements later this week.

https://phet-dev.colorado.edu/html/gravity-force-lab/2.2.0-dev.7/phet/gravity-force-lab_en_phet.html?ea&accessibility

https://phet-dev.colorado.edu/html/gravity-force-lab/2.2.0-dev.7/phet/gravity-force-lab_a11y_view.html

[terracoda]

@mbarlow12, thanks for the update. I'll check it out.

[emily-phet]

@terracoda I'm just seconding that this checklist looks helpful!

[terracoda]

Oops, I didn't mean to close the issue, only comment.

[terracoda]

@mbarlow12, I've updated the checklist to be more specific. I hope this is helpful.

I've checked off the items that are present in 2.2.0-dev.7

[terracoda]

Oh, just going to check dev.8 now ;-)

[terracoda]

@mbarlow12, PDOM is sounding much more complete and the focus order is good.

Any chance you can get an accessible Keyboard Shortcuts button in there, and potentially an accessible Keyboard Shortcuts dialog?

[terracoda]

@mbarlow12, the PDOM is sounding good.
When you next work this the PDOM still needs:

• Label and help text for Ruler
• Help text for Mass Control sliders (1 for both)
• Keyboard Dialog items (Button, Visual & A11y Content for dialog)
• Help text for the Control Area checkboxes

[mbarlow12]

Latest dev release at:
https://phet-dev.colorado.edu/html/gravity-force-lab/2.2.0-dev.11/phet/gravity-force-lab_en_phet.html
and
https://phet-dev.colorado.edu/html/gravity-force-lab/2.2.0-dev.11/phet/gravity-force-lab_a11y_view.html

I believe the aria-valuetext content is correct for the mass and position sliders for most if not all edge cases. Alerts for the position sliders also appear to be correct.

The mass controls still have some issues, and focus alerts won't be handled until phetsims/scenery#920 is fixed.

[terracoda]

@mbarlow12, thanks for all your hard work and these new links!

[terracoda]

@zepumph can you reference this issue when you make commits to GFL Regular?

[zepumph]

@terracoda anything else for this issue?

[terracoda]

From my notes in the design doc which I did not add to this issues (apologies). I think everything but #233 has been verified:

• Ruler interaction - changed to Measure Distance Ruler, moveable (done)
• Description Design ready for keyboard and gesture (done)
• Measure Distance Ruler shortcuts (done)
• Measure Distance Ruler essential responses (done)
• Measure Distance Ruler movement responses (Ruler Movement Repsonses ready for implementation #215) (done)
• General drag instructions in PDOM (Change help text for Measure Distance Ruler (keyboard only) #216) (done)
• Sonification of Measure Distance Ruler (done)
• Integration of general Sonification design (done - move mass sound to enhanced sounds)
• Changes to PDOM (PDOM order change: Considering putting Measure Distance Ruler in Play Area  #204, Scientific Notation checkable when Forces Values is not checked #207, Screen Summary updates caused by Changes in PDOM #218)
• Force Values interaction - changed to radiogroup (closed) Scientific Notation checkable when Forces Values is not checked #207
• Move Ruler into Play Area after PDOM order change: Considering putting Measure Distance Ruler in Play Area  #204 and Scientific Notation checkable when Forces Values is not checked #207 (closed)
• Do not hear ruler movement responses on mobile VO #233 - Move responses on iOS - @terracoda to verify today

[zepumph]

Awesome! And #233 is now closed. Thanks @terracoda.

[terracoda]

I think we can close this issue. Everything in it is implemented, and all things outstanding (a11y related or not) are being tracked in other issues.