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WCAG 2.1.1 Keyboard

WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 2.1.1 requires all functionality to be operable through a keyboard interface. OpenKeyNav supplies reusable implementation paths: Click Mode routes users to detected actions, and Move Mode routes them through configured source-and-destination workflows. Teams establish coverage by completing each process and reaching every intended outcome from the keyboard.

OpenKeyNav
Provides direct target selection, navigation routes, and source-and-destination workflow hooks.
You
Map every function to a conventional, OpenKeyNav, or application-specific keyboard route and verify each outcome.

ResultEvery function in each complete process is operable through a keyboard interface.

The OpenKeyNav implementation path​

Detected targets​

Click Mode scans the visible page when a user invokes it, assigns short labels to the targets it detects, and lets the user focus or activate one by typing its label. This supplies an on-demand keyboard path to each detected target in the current view.

Configured movement​

Move Mode lets an application define valid source elements, destination elements, and a completion callback. A user chooses both endpoints from the keyboard. Use this model for endpoint-based dragging, moving, sorting, and placement workflows when the movement path itself is not the function.

Direct navigation​

Heading, scroll-region, and Structural Navigation commands route real focus through the current page and shorten the path to relevant content and controls.

Establish coverage​

  1. Inventory every function and outcome in each complete process.
  2. Verify that Click Mode discovers each expected action in every application state; assign a conventional or application-specific route to the rest.
  3. Configure sources, destinations, callbacks, and status feedback for movement workflows.
  4. Connect application-specific commands to specialized actions and state models.
  5. Repeat the inventory after route changes, dynamic updates, validation errors, dialogs, and responsive layout changes.

Evaluate covered or offscreen elements, delegated or listener-only actions, Shadow DOM, cross-origin frames, and specialized widgets in each application state. Give every remaining function a conventional or application-specific keyboard route.

Make the mode discoverable​

Provide a visible, keyboard-operable explanation or control for OpenKeyNav. Tell users how to:

  • turn the command layer on and off;
  • enter Click Mode and any configured Move Mode;
  • select a displayed label;
  • cancel or leave a mode; and
  • find application-specific movement instructions.

Communicate mode state and workflow results visually and programmatically.

Verification checklist​

  1. Complete each process using only a keyboard interface.
  2. Confirm that each pointer outcome has a conventional, OpenKeyNav, or application-specific keyboard route.
  3. Confirm that label selection performs the intended action once and leaves the interface in a usable state.
  4. Confirm that every configured movement produces the intended outcome at each valid destination.
  5. Check accessible names, roles, values, states, focus order, visible focus, and status feedback.
  6. Enter and exit every mode without timed keystrokes.
  7. Test supported browsers, screen readers, speech input, switches, and alternate keyboard interfaces.
  8. Include disabled keyboard users in task-based evaluation.