Lotus Notes checklist

Checkpoint 2.2: Text labels for buttons

Provide text labels for all buttons.


Applicable user interfaces

This checkpoint only applies to Lotus Notes applications viewed through the Notes client.

Note: Applications that support both the Notes client interface and the Web interface must complete both the Web checklist and the Lotus Notes checklist. When completing the Web checklist, related techniques and example for Domino developers are found in Web checkpoint 1.1a: Text alternatives.

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Rationale

Screen readers use the text label on a button to describe the purpose of the button. If the button label is blank or the label is a graphic or icon, the button is not accessible. When buttons have graphic labels, sighted users can see the label and determine its function. For example, if an action button has a printer icon, a sighted user would know they would use the button to print a document. Someone who is blind uses a screen reader to read the button. The screen reader does not have information about the icon, so it says "button" and the user does not know the purpose of the button. If the action button is included in the Actions menu, it is still not accessible because it will have a blank title. If the button has no text label, the screen reader will say "button" when the user arrows down through the list of actions.

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Required development techniques

The following techniques are the minimum required to meet Checkpoint 2.2 from the Lotus Notes Application Accessibility Checklist:

  1. Add labels for Hotspot buttons, Navigator buttons and Layout region buttons:
    1. Select the button Press Shift-F10 and select Button Properties box.
    2. On the ButtonInfo tab, go to the Label field and enter a name for the button.

Example 1

This example shows the "Start the course" button labeled using the Label field in the Button properties box.

Start the course
Screen shot of Button Properties Box with label Start the course entered in the label field
  • Add a name for Action buttons: Select the button and open the Action Properties box. On the Action Info tab, go to the Name field and enter a name for the button. If you include an icon, do not select the option "Only show icon in button bar".

Example 2

In this example, the name has been added to the Action button. Note that the action is displayed in the Action menu (Notes Checkpoint 2.1) and the option to "Only show icon in Action bar" is not checked.

Notes action button

  • Graphic buttons: Do not use graphic buttons on Layout regions or Navigators. Graphic buttons cannot be labeled and will not be accessible to someone using a screen reader.

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Required test techniques

Test the application to ensure that it complies with accessibility requirements.

Tools

Install the following tools to test this checkpoint:

  • A screen reader for testing with the Notes client user interface.

Techniques


The following techniques are required to verify this checkpoint:
Action Result

1

Using the Notes client user interface, verify that a screen reader can read all button labels. Use the keyboard to tab to each button and verify the text label is spoken.

Pass:

  • The text label is read for each button.

Fail:

  • There is no text label defined, and the assistive technology just reads "button".

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©2009 IBM Corporation

Last updated September 28, 2009.


Checkpoint 2.1

Lotus Notes checklist

Checkpoint 3.1