Text labels for buttons

Lotus Notes checkpoint 2.2

Provide text labels for all buttons.

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.

Development techniques

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

Hotspot buttons: Select the button and open the Button Properties box. On the Button Info tab, go to the Label field and enter a name for the button.
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".
Layout region buttons: Do not use graphic buttons on layout regions because the graphic cannot be labeled. Select the button. Open the Button Properties box. On the Button Info tab, go to the Label field and enter a name for the button.
Navigator buttons: Do not use graphic buttons on navigators because the graphic cannot be labeled. Select the button. Open the Button Properties box. On the Button Info tab, go to the Label field and enter a name for the button.

The following example shows how the hotspot button "Start the course" was labeled correctly using the Label field in the Button properties box.

Testing techniques

Test the Web site 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 or applications that support the Domino Web 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".
2.	This step applies only if the application uses the Web interface. Read each form or page that has buttons using a screen reader. Using the keyboard, 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".

Last updated February 08, 2008.

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