Guideline 3.2 - Predictable
Outline
This article details a point in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and what the implications are for creating accessible course content in Evolve and is part of a larger path.
To view the full guidelines, please visit the Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 and Evolve path.
Guideline 3.2.1
On Focus Level A When any user interface component receives focus, it does not initiate a change of context.
Explanation
This means when you tab to an item with your keyboard it doesn’t immediately activate. For example, a fail would be tabbing to a link that immediately activates once you have tabbed to it, rather than when you press enter to activate.
What does this mean for your content in Evolve?
Nothing in Evolve activates by virtue of tabbing on to it (there is a single exception to this in the Simulation Component, where you can assign a ‘hover on’ action onto an included element, but you would have to create this and assign the action to it, so it’s easily avoided). We do not recommend Simulation for inclusion in an accessible course.
Guideline 3.2.2
On Input Level A Changing the setting of any user interface component does not automatically cause a change of context unless the user has been advised of the behavior before using the component.
Explanation
Expanding on the previous issue, this time it refers to actions such as filling out an open text field and the field immediately activating on your response, rather than waiting for you to activate a submit button.
What does this mean for your content in Evolve?
While components such as MCQ and GMCQ can be set up in such a way as to perform actions with just selecting options and not pressing a submit button, these can easily be configured in such a way as to avoid this.
Guideline 3.2.3
Consistent Navigation Level AA Navigational mechanisms that are repeated on multiple Web pages within a set of Web pages occur in the same relative order each time they are repeated unless a change is initiated by the user.
Explanation
Any navigational items should retain the same position when they are repeated on multiple pages.
What does this mean for your content in Evolve?
Navigation items in Evolve will retain the same position when used on multiple pages (an example would be footer navigation - this is always going to be in the same place when used on multiple pages).
Guideline 3.2.4
Consistent Identification Level AA Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web pages are identified consistently.
Explanation
This means that interactive elements that are used repeatedly are identified in the same way.
What does this mean for your content in Evolve?
This means you shouldn’t use the same buttons or icons for different purposes that could confuse a learner.
For instance, if you used the Action Button Component in two different places, both with the same icon and label ‘completion’ and you set one to complete a page and one to complete the whole course, that would understandably be confusing.
This is obviously an unlikely scenario, and like 3.2.3 something you need to consider when creating courses. This guideline does provide some exceptions — for instance, if your navigation footer said ‘go to page 2’ and then on the next page ‘go to page 3’, this wouldn’t fail as the overall meaning hasn’t changed.
Guideline 3.2.5
Change on Request Level AAA Changes of context are initiated only by user request or a mechanism is available to turn off such changes.
Explanation
A change of context would be something like launching a new window, or submitting a form - and this triple A requirement asks that the user have full control over any changes.
What does this mean for your content in Evolve?
This is more relevant to web content than eLearning, but there are things you can do to help, like alerting learners to the fact that links will open in a new window.
For other changes of context within Evolve, nothing is going to happen without the learner performing an action to make it happen.
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