Current versions of SC and Definitions

• SC for viewing | SC for editing
• Character Key definition for viewing | Character Key definition for editing
• Keyboard Shortcut for viewing | keyboard shortcut definition for editing
• Understanding document for viewing | Understanding document for editing
• SC in full draft guideline

Open issues and Surveys

Open issues: https://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/wiki/WCAG_2.1_SC_status#Issue_69_-_Single_key_shortcut_alternative
Surveys:
(Links to surveys require W3C Member access)

• Results of Questionnaire Timeouts April 18, 2017

SC Shortname

Character Key Shortcuts

SC Text

If a keyboard shortcut consisting entirely of one or more character keys is implemented by the content, then a mechanism is available to turn it off or to remap it to a shortcut that uses at least one non-character key.

Suggestion for Priority Level (A/AA/AAA)

Level A

Related Glossary additions or changes:

Keyboard shortcut: An alternative means of triggering an action by the pressing of one or more keys.

Character key: single printable Unicode code point, any keyboard character that is printable, i.e. letters of the alphabet including capitals, punctuation, numbers, and symbols. Note that the Space and Enter keys, which return empty spaces rather than characters, are not character keys.

What Principle and Guideline the SC falls within.

Principle 2, guideline 4

Description

Speech Input users generally work in a single mode where they can use a mix of dictation and speech commands. This works well because the user knows to pause before and after commands, and commands are usually at least two words long. So, for instance, a user might say a bit of dictation, e.g. "the small boat", then pause, and say a command to delete that dictation, e.g. "Delete Line". In contrast, if the user were to say the two phrases together without a pause, the whole phrase would come out as dictation, e.g. "the small boat delete line". Although speech input programs often include modes that listen only for dictation or only for commands, most speech users use the all-encompassing mode all the time because it is a much more efficient workflow (it would increase command inefficiency by 300% if users were to change to command mode and back before and after issuing a command).

Speech users can also speak most keyboard commands, e.g. "press Control Foxtrot" without any problems. If the website or app is keyboard enabled, the speech user can also write a native speech macro that calls the keyboard command, e.g. "This Print" to carry out "Ctrl+F"

Single key shortcuts are the exception. While using single letter keys as controls might be appropriate and efficient for keyboard users, single key shortcuts are disastrous for speech users. Because only a single key is used to trip a command, a spoken word can become a barrage of single key commands if the cursor focus happens to be in the wrong place.

If the cursor focus is in the gmail main window, for instance, and someone enters an office and says "Hey Kim" and the speech user's microphone picks that up, "y" archives the current message. "k" moves down one conversation and "m" mutes a message or thread. Or, if the speech user looks up and says "Hey Mike" without remembering to turn off the microphone, the same three things happen in a different sequence. In contrast, in a webpage or app that doesn't use single-character shortcuts nothing happens (or if the focus is in text field there's a bit of stray text that be easily seen and undone.)

So to fully include speech users, single-key shortcuts must not be implemented to carry out a control, or a mechanism must be available to turn off all single key shortcuts.

This success criterion is becoming increasingly important in the mobile realm as growing number of apps more fully enable keyboard controls (see resources).

Note that this doesn’t affect components such as list boxes and drop-down menus that contain words that may be selected by one or more character keys, because the container is first accessed or opened with an initial, non-single character shortcut, e.g. “ALT” or “ALT-F”. This makes the full path to invoking a menu or drop-down item a two-step shortcut that includes a nonprinting key.

Note that Accesskeys are not affected because they include modifier keys.

Benefits

Speech users will be able to turn off single key shortcuts so they can avoid accidentally firing batches of them at once. This will allow speech users to make full use of programs that offer single key shortcuts to keyboard users.

Keyboard-only users who have mobility issues can also be prone to accidentally hitting keys. Those users would be able to to avoid problematic single character shortcuts by turning off or modifying the shortcuts to include more than one key.Keyboard-only users who have mobility issues can also be prone to accidentally hitting keys. Those users would be able to to avoid problematic single character shortcuts by turning off or modifying the shortcuts to include more than one key.

Example 1

A speech user is checking Gmail. A colleague enters the office and says "Hey Kim" before the speech user can turn off her microphone and the microphone picks up the colleagues greeting. Because the speech user has turned off single key shortcuts, The three letters that, when they are single key shortcuts, carry out actions – "y" for archive, "k" for move down one conversation and "m" form you conversation – did not carry out any actions.

Example 2

A keyboard-only user is using Github and is in a long issues thread. While reading the thread she accidentally hits the “s” key, which moves focus to the search bar at the top of the document. This causes her to lose her place and her train of thought. She changes the shortcut to include another key so she can avoid future interruptions.

Testability

Identify all shortcuts that can be used. If single key shortcuts are used, check if the user can turn off shortcuts or remap them to other shortcut keys.

Techniques

1. Allow users to turn off single key shortcuts
2. Provide a way for users to remap shortcut keys
3. The user can adjust any customizable key shortcut on the webpage to an alternative control of a string of up to 25 Characters, including spaces.