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Accessibility QA Test Case: Firefox - Windows keyboard accessibility features

Firefox user interface on Microsoft Windows: Windows keyboard accessibility function support

Description

This test case describes the approach and methods used to verify that Firefox does not interfere with keyboard accessibility features built into the operating system. For Microsoft Windows, the following keyboard accessibility features will be tested.

• Sticky Keys
• Filter Keys
• Toggle Keys
• Mouse Keys
• Standard Microsoft Windows keystrokes

This test case is based on IBM Software Accessibility Checklist version 3.5.1, checkpoint 1.2.

Scope of test

This test is to verify that Firefox does not interfere with the operation of the operating system's keyboard accessibility features. These features will be tested at random places in the Firefox application, install process, and uninstall process.

Note: This test should be run for a sampling of Firefox menu items and dialogs.

Test Environment2

Operating system: Microsoft Windows (any version).

• Use the Windows help functions to see whether Windows support for these accessibility features has changed in the version of Windows used.

Tools required

No software tools are required for this test.

There should be no assistive technologies (such as screen readers or screen magnifiers) running during the execution of this test case.

Test Case Instructions

The following sections describe testing to be done for the various Windows keyboard accessibility features.

Setup information

Various keyboard features will need to be configured for this test case. Here is how to open the accessibility options dialog in Windows.

1. To open the Windows Accessibility Options dialog:
   • Open the Windows Start menu
   • select Control Panel
   • then select Accessibility Options.
2. Select the Keyboard tab to configure the following features:
   • Sticky Keys, Filter Keys, and Toggle Keys
3. Select the Mouse tab to configure the following feature:
   • Mouse Keys

Test Sticky Keys

Description of Sticky Keys

The Sticky Keys feature provides the ability to use multiple key combinations by pressing only one key at a time. For example, when pressing Alt+F to open the File menu bar pulldown, a user would normally hold the Alt key down, then press the F key, and finally release both keys at the same time. With Sticky Keys active, the user can press and release the Alt key, and then press the F key to complete the keystroke, so that only one key is physically held down at a time.

Only certain keys act as "sticky" keys. These are the keys that are used to modify the function of other keys on the keyboard. When pressed, these keys will remain in the depressed (or "stuck") state, until another non-sticky-key is pressed. You can have more than one sticky key in its depressed state at once... this allows sequences like Ctrl+Alt+Del to be accomplished by users who can press only one key at a time.

The operating system will allow the following keys to "stick".

1. Alt
2. Ctrl
3. Shift
4. Windows Logo Key (if the keyboard is so equipped)

Testing Sticky Keys

Choose at least one multiple-key combination from each menu pulldown list (File, View, etc.) and verify that they key combination can be activated by pressing only one key at a time, with Sticky Keys activated, as described here. (Some specific examples are described in the steps below.)

1. In the "Use StickyKeys", settings dialog, select all sticky key options.
   • (Hint: the Settings button for Use StickyKeys is on the Keyboard tab of the Accessibility Options dialog.)
2. With the Firefox application window in focus, activate Sticky Keys using the keyboard shortcut:
   1. Press the Shift key five (5) times to activate sticky keys.
   2. Verify that the sticky keys activation window pops up, and a chirp is heard from the PC speakers when the sticky keys function is activated.
3. Menu pulldowns: Open each of the applications menu pulldowns using only one finger to press the Alt + access key combination. (For example, press the Alt key, then press the F key to open the file menu pulldown, Alt, then E for edit, and so on.) Verify that each menu pulldown opens properly.
4. Shortcut keys: Test at least one shortcut key combination from each menu pulldown, if one exists. Verify that the shortcut key can be activated by pressing only one key at a time (one finger). At minimum, test these shortcuts:
   
   1. Ctrl+N Open new window
   2. Ctrl+T Open new tab
   3. Ctrl+L Open new location
   4. Ctrl+F Find on this page
   5. Ctrl+R Reload page
   6. Alt+LeftArrow Back
   7. Alt+RightArrow Forward
   8. Alt+Home Load Home page
   9. Ctrl+H History
   
   
5. When complete, go to Windows accessibility options and deactivate Sticky Keys.
   • Alternatively, press the Shift key 5 times to turn off Sticky Keys

Test Filter Keys

Description of Filter Keys

Filter Keys can be used to control the keyboard in the following ways.

• Ignore repeated keystrokes - If a user accidentally presses a key more than once within a specified period, the system will act as if the key was pressed only once.
• Ignore quick keystrokes - The system will ignore all keystrokes unless the key is pressed down for a specified period. If a user accidentally presses keys that were not intended, the system will ignore them.
• Set the repeat delay - When a user presses a key and holds it down, the system first accepts the key as a single keystroke. After a specified time, the key will start to repeat. The period between the time the keystroke is first accepted, and the time the keystroke begins to repeat, is called the repeat delay.
• Set the repeat rate - When a key is held down and begins to repeat, the repeat rate specifies the rate at which the key should be repeated by the system.

Testing Filter Keys

Each of the above Filter Key options must be tested. However, not every element in the Firefox application need be tested. These instructions will use the Firefox "location" field, but feel free to place keyboard focus in any keyboard input field when testing these options.

1. Instructions for testing "Ignore repeated keystrokes"
   1. Open the "Use FilterKeys" settings dialog and select the following options.
      • (Hint: the Settings button for Use FilterKeys is on the Keyboard tab of the Accessibility Options dialog.)
      • Select the Use shortcut option.
      • Select the Beep when keys pressed or accepted option.
      • Select the Ignore repeated keystrokes checkbox
      • Open the Settings dialog for "Ignore repeated keystrokes" and take note of the timer value for that option. (The default value is 0.5 seconds. You may change it to a larger value, if desired.)
      • Save the settings and return to the Firefox application.
   2. With the Firefox application window in focus, activate Filter Keys using the keyboard shortcut:
      • Press and hold the Shift key down for eight (8) seconds to activate filter keys. Verify that the filter keys activation window pops up, and a chirp is heard from the PC speakers when filter keys is activated.
   3. Testing the "Ignore Repeat key" option:
      • Move focus to location field (you can press Ctrl+L to do this).
      • Press any alphanumeric character key on the keyboard.
      • Verify that you hear the chirp from the PC speaker when the keystroke is accepted.
      • Press a key multiple times, at a rate faster than the repeated keystroke setting noted above. (If you selected the default, you must press the key faster than twice per second.)
      • Verify that only the keystroke is accepted only the first time the key is pressed, and not for any subsequent pressing of the key.
      • Press a key at a rate slower than the repeated keystroke setting.
      • Verify that every subsequent keystroke is accepted, when the proper time delay is used.
2. Instructions for testing "Ignore quick keystrokes", "Repeat rate", and "Repeat delay"
   1. Open the Settings for FilterKeys dialog and select the following options.
      1. Select the Ignore quick keystrokes and slow down the repeat rate checkbox.
      2. Open the Settings dialog for the Ignore quick keystrokes&
      3. Select "Slot down keyboard repeat rates"
      4. Select three different values for the timing options. For example:
         • Set the Repeat delay to 1 second
         • Set the Repeat rate to 1.5 seconds
         • Set the Slow Keys setting to 2 seconds.
      5. (You may come back and adjust these rates to more convenient settings, as you wish.)
      6. Save the settings and return to the Firefox application.
   2. Testing the Ignore quick keystrokes& etc. options
      1. Move focus to any text input field in Firefox (e.g., the location field).
      2. Press any key and hold it down until the keystroke is accepted.
      3. Verify that the key is not accepted until the Slow Keys delay time has passed (2 seconds, as configured above).
      4. Press any key and hold it down until the key automatically repeats a few times.
      5. Verify that the Slow Keys delay (2 seconds) passes before the key is first accepted.
      6. Verify that the Repeat delay (1 second) passes after the key is first accepted, before it is accepted again (for the first repeat of the key).
      7. Verify that the Repeat rate delay (1.5 seconds) passes between each subsequent acceptance of the key.
3. When complete, go to Windows accessibility options and deactivate Filter Keys.

Test Toggle Keys

Description of Toggle Keys

The Toggle Keys feature causes a warning beep to sound when pressing Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock keys.

Testing Filter Keys

Toggle Keys can be tested from anywhere in the Firefox application. (Be sure that Firefox has the current keyboard focus when running this test.)

1. Open the "Use ToggleKeys" settings dialog and select the following options.
   • (Hint: the Settings button for Use ToggleKeys is on the Keyboard tab of the Accessibility Options dialog.)
   • Select the "Use shortcut" option.
2. With the Firefox application window in focus, activate Toggle Keys using the keyboard shortcut:
   • Press and hold the Num Lock key down for five (5) seconds to activate toggle keys.
   • Verify that the toggle keys activation window pops up, and a chirp is heard from the PC speakers when the toggle keys feature is activated.
3. Testing the Caps Lock toggle key:
   • Press the Caps Lock key.
   • Verify that you hear a high pitched tone from the PC speaker when the keystroke is accepted, and the Caps Lock light on the keyboard turns on.
   • Press the Caps Lock key again.
   • Verify that you hear a lower pitched tone when Caps Lock is turned off, and the Caps Lock light turns off.
4. Testing the Scroll Lock toggle key:
   • Press the Scroll Lock key.
   • Verify that you hear a high pitched tone from the PC speaker when the keystroke is accepted, and the Scroll Lock light on the keyboard turns on.
   • Press the Scroll Lock key again.
   • Verify that you hear a lower pitched tone when Scroll Lock is turned off, and the Scroll Lock light turns off.
5. Testing the Num Lock toggle key:
   • Press the Num Lock key.
   • Verify that you hear a high pitched tone from the PC speaker when the keystroke is accepted, and the Num Lock light on the keyboard turns on.
   • Press the Num Lock key again.
   • Verify that you hear a lower pitched tone when Num Lock is turned off, and the Num Lock light turns off.
6. When complete, go to Windows accessibility options and deactivate Toggle Keys.

Test Mouse Keys

Description of Mouse Keys

The Mouse Keys feature allows a user to control the mouse pointer using the arrow keys on the keyboard.

The numeric keypad keys are used with the Mouse Keys feature. Here is a list that maps the keys with their Mouse Key function. (In this list, the term "Numpad" is used in place of the phrase "Numeric Keypad".)

Mouse Movement keys

• [Numpad 1] End - move mouse diagonally, down and left
• [Numpad 2] Down Arrow - move mouse down
• [Numpad 3] Page Down - move mouse diagonally, down and right
• [Numpad 4] Left Arrow - move mouse left
• [Numpad 6] Right Arrow - move mouse right
• [Numpad 7] Home - move mouse diagonally, up and left
• [Numpad 8] Up Arrow - move mouse up
• [Numpad 9] Page Up - move mouse diagonally, up and right

Mouse Button keys

• [Numpad 5] - click left mouse button
• [Numpad -] then [Numpad 5] - Double click left mouse button
• [Numpad 0] Ins - click and hold left mouse button (to drag)
• [Numpad .] Del - release left mouse button (to drop, or release, when drag/dropping)

Testing Filter Keys

Mouse Keys can be tested from anywhere in the Firefox application.

1. Open the Use MouseKeys settings dialog and select the following options.
   • (Hint: the Settings button for Use MouseKeys is on the Mouse tab of the Accessibility Options dialog.)
   • Select the Use shortcut option.
2. With the Firefox application window in focus, activate Mouse Keys using the keyboard shortcut:
   • Press the Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock keys to activate mouse keys.
   • Verify that the mouse keys activation window pops up, and a chirp is heard from the PC speakers when the mouse keys function is activated.
3. Testing mouse movement keys:
   • With the Firefox application in focus, use the Numeric keypad Up, Down, Left, and Right Arrow keys to move the mouse in those directions.
   • Press the Numeric keypad Home,Page-Up, End, and Page-Down keys to move diagonally.
   • Verify that all mouse movement keys work properly.
4. Testing single click (normal left mouse button click):
   • Use the mouse movement keys described above to move the mouse to a clickable object in the Firefox window, such as the File menu pulldown.
   • Press the Numeric Keypad 5 key to click.
   • Verify that the File dropdown menu is displayed as a result of the click. Press Esc to cancel the menu.
5. Testing right mouse button click:
   • Move the mouse to an object in the Firefox window. (You can just move the mouse to the middle of the browser window if you like.)
   • Press Numeric Keypad Minus (-) then press Numeric Keypad 5.
   • Verify that this results in the proper context menu, as if you clicked the right mouse button.
   • (Use the actual mouse to verify the same menu appears when clicking the right mouse button.)
6. Testing Double Click:
   • Move the mouse to an object in the Firefox window, such as the Location field, and press the Numeric Keypad Plus (+) key to double click.
   • Verify that the proper double-click action occurs. (In a text entry field such as the location bar, double clicking will highlight one word or one line of the text.)
   • Use the actual mouse to verify the same action occurs when you double click the mouse.
7. Testing Drag and Drop:
   • In the Firefox View menu bar pulldown, select the Toolbars, Customize& option.
   • Use the mouse movement keys to move the mouse to an icon in the Customize Toolbar dialog. These instructions use the History icon.
   • Press Numeric Keypad Insert key to hold down mouse button and thus select the history icon.
   • Use the mouse movement keys to move the history icon up to the toolbar in the main Firefox window.
   • Press Numeric Keypad Delete key to release the mouse button.
   • Verify that the history icon is now found on the Firefox toolbar.
8. When complete, go to Windows accessibility options and deactivate Mouse Keys.

Standard Windows Keys

Description of Standard Windows Keys

Microsoft Windows defines a number of standard keyboard shortcuts that are used by many applications. Firefox should use the same keyboard shortcuts, where applicable. Here are some examples:

• Tab - Move forward through options
• Shift+Tab - Move backward through options
• Ctrl+Tab - Move forward through notebook tabs
• Ctrl+Shift+Tab - Move backward through notebook tabs
• F6 - Move forward through frames
• Enter - Activate current control (such as pushbutton)
• Spacebar - toggle checkbox state (checked or unchecked), activated selected pushbutton
• Ctrl+C - Copy selected text into system clipboard
• Ctrl+X - Cut selected text into system clipboard
• Ctrl+V - Past text from system clipboard

This is a short list of examples of Windows keyboard shortcuts. Search the Windows Help and Support Center for more information on Windows keyboard shortcuts.

Testing Standard Windows Keys

There are no formal steps for testing Firefox coexistence and interoperability with standard Windows keys. In short:

• Be aware of the standard Windows keystrokes used for keyboard navigation and when activating user control elements in applications (such as push buttons and check boxes.
• When navigating the Firefox application with the keyboard, use standard Windows keystrokes. If they do not work, it may be a Firefox bug.
• Check the Firefox documentation to see if an alternate keyboard shortcut or navigation technique is provided by Firefox.