IBM Guidelines for Writing Accessible Applications Using 100% Pure Java™

Application developers should consider the special needs of disabled users when they develop software programs in Java. Meeting the needs of disabled users will benefit all users, including those of new pervasive devices. In these guidelines, we discuss the following topics:

• Essential accessibility programming practices that make applications usable by people with disabilities.
• The Java Foundation Classes (JFC), also known as Swing, and their implementation of accessibility methods in the user interface components. Application developers should take advantage of this easy way to incorporate accessibility into their designs.
• The Java Accessibility API. If developers choose to create components themselves, they should implement this API.

These topics are covered in detail with supporting rationale, citing specific Java code. Examples are provided where appropriate.

These guidelines highlight the Java accessibility features and provide guidance for creating accessible Java-based software. This is the industry's first set of 100% pure Java application development guidelines for accessibility. The guidelines are designed to be interactive, available online, and easy to update. To print the guidelines document it is best to print all linked documents. The latest version of this document, as well as additional accessibility resource information, can be found in the Accessibility References section of this document.

• Notices
• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.1 Disability Needs
  • 1.2 Why Java for Accessibility?
• 2.0 Essential Accessibility Programming Practices
  • 2.1 Make Your Application Keyboard Accessible
    • 2.1.1 Provide Keyboard Equivalents for all Actions
    • 2.1.2 ObserveOperating System Keyboard Conventions
    • 2.1.3 Set Mnemonics on Components
    • 2.1.4 Use Accelerators for Commonly Used Functions
    • 2.1.5 Provide a Logical Keyboard Tabbing Order
    • 2.1.6 ProvideElectronic Access to Keyboard Navigation Documentation
  • 2.2 SupportMultimedia Access Essentials.
    • 2.2.1 Provide Visual Alternatives to Significant Audio and Video.
    • 2.2.2 Provide an Option to Adjust the Volume.
  • 2.3 Providing Focus
  • 2.4 Using Alerts and Dialogs
  • 2.5 Avoid Using AWTand Native Windowing Invocations
  • 2.6 Multi-ThreadingYour Application - Be Access Aware
  • 2.7 Provide aLogical Component Layout
  • 2.8 Provide Accessible Relationships
    • 2.8.1 Label Components
    • 2.8.2 Name Logical Groups
  • 2.9 Describe Icons and Graphics
  • 2.10 Support DisplayAccess Essentials for Java
    • 2.10.1 Support System Settings for Font, Size, and Color
    • 2.10.2 Use Color only as an Enhancement
    • 2.10.3 Variety of Color
    • 2.10.4 Support System Settings for High Contrast
    • 2.10.5 Provide Client AreaZooming
    • 2.10.6 Provide Option to Turn off Patterned Backgrounds
    • 2.10.7 Animation
  • 2.11 Support TimingAccess Essentials
    • 2.11.1 Allow Response Time Adjustment
    • 2.11.2 Avoid Blinking Text, Objects, or other elements
• 3.0 Java Foundation Classes (JFC) - A Foundation for
  Accessibility
  • 3.1 Why Use the JFC?
  • 3.2 Setting up the JFCDevelopment Environment
• 4.0 Using JFC to Build Accessible Applications
  • 4.1 Using the JFCComponents Unmodified
  • 4.2 EnhancingJTextComponents
    • 4.2.1AttributeSet, MutableAttributeSet, and StyleConstants Classes
  • 4.3 Changing DataModels and Cell Renderers
  • 4.4 Creating NewComponents Based on the JFC
• 5.0 Building Custom Accessible Components
  • 5.1 Start with a BaseComponent
    • 5.1.1 Starting with JFC'sJComponent as a Base
    • 5.1.2 Starting with an AWT Component
  • 5.2 Implement the Accessibility API based on Role
  • 5.3 Managing Children
    • 5.3.1 Managing Events
    • 5.3.2 Managing Selection
    • 5.3.3 List Box Proxy Example
  • 5.4 Peered Objects
  • 5.5 Menus
  • 5.6 Text Components
  • 5.7 Tips
• 6.0 TheAccessibility API
  • 6.1 InterfaceAccessible
    • 6.1.1 Interfaces
    • 6.1.2 Using Interface Accessible
  • 6.2 AccessibleContext
    • 6.2.1 Basic Accessible Information
      • 6.2.1.1 AccessibleName
      • 6.2.1.2 AccessibleDescription
      • 6.2.1.3 AccessibleValue
      • 6.2.1.4 Locale
      • 6.2.1.5 AccessibleSelection
      • 6.2.1.6 AccessibleComponent
      • 6.2.1.7 AccessibleText
        • 6.2.1.7.1 Text Attributes
        • 6.2.1.7.2 Embedding Objects
        • 6.2.1.7.3 Referencing the Indexed Character String
        • 6.2.1.7.4 Caret Position and SelectedText
        • 6.2.1.7.5 Property Changes
    • 6.2.2 Parent/Child Information
      • 6.2.2.1 getAccessibleChild(n)
      • 6.2.2.2 getAccessibleChildCount()
      • 6.2.2.3getAccessibleParent()
      • 6.2.2.4getAccessibleIndexInParent()
    • 6.2.3 Role and State Information
      • 6.2.3.1 AccessibleRole
      • 6.2.3.2AccessibleState
    • 6.2.4 Property Change Notification
    • 6.2.5 National Language Information
      • 6.2.5.1 AccessibleBundle
      • 6.2.5.2 AccessibleResourceBundle
    • 6.2.6AccessibleAction
    • 6.2.7 AccessibleTable
      • 6.2.7.1AccessibleTable Events
    • 6.2.8 AccessibleRelation and AccessibleRelationSet
    • 6.2.9 AccessibleIcon
    • 6.2.10 AccessibleHypertext
    • 6.2.11 AccessibleHyperlink
• 7.0 Java DevelopmentTool Designers
• 8.0 Testing forAccessibility
  • 8.1 Accessibility testing checklist
• 9.0 Documentation, Online Information and Help
  • 9.1 Documentation in an Accessible Format
  • 9.2 Document Accessibility Features.
• 10.0 Appendix
  • 10.1 Keyboard Binding
    • 10.1.1 JFC Keyboard Bindings for Windows95/NT Components
    • 10.1.2 Difference Evaluation: JFC Keyboard Bindings for Windows95/NT and CDE/Motif
    • 10.1.3 ReservedKey Mappings for Mobility Access Features
  • 10.2 Acknowledgments
  • 10.3 Accessibility References
  • 10.4 Trademarks
• 11.0 Feedback
• 12.0 Changes from Version 2.1