- Success Criterion 2.1.1
- Conformance level A
Hover-Only Menu With No Way to Open It by Keyboard
2.1.1 — Keyboard
Scenario
Setting
A hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler
What’s wrong
Hover-only menus with no keyboard-open equivalent (submenu items unreachable).
Example
Here's what happens on a hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler: hover-only menus with no keyboard-open equivalent (submenu items unreachable).
Why it matters
Blind users, people with motor disabilities, and anyone operating the interface without a pointer. In this case (a hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler), they get stuck and can't reach the control.
How to test
Tab to a menu trigger (don't hover): if opening the menu requires mouse hover with no keyboard-triggered equivalent, submenu items are unreachable.
How to fix
Open menus on Enter/Space and let arrow keys traverse submenu items.
Outcome
Once corrected, a hospital's patient portal appointment scheduler lets them keep track of where they are on the page.
Who is affected
Blind users, people with motor disabilities, and anyone operating the interface without a pointer.
Learn more
- Understanding Understanding document (opens in a new tab)
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