Accessibility Notes for the Administration Console

      

Accessibility Notes for the Administration Console

 

Overview

Currently a variety of accessibility features are available in the WebLogic Server Administration Console and its associated online help. The application itself provides the appropriate information to ensure pages can be rendered in assistive technology. Accessibility features provided by the Web browser lets you control of the application with the keyboard and customize of the look-and-feel of the application.

Oracle is dedicated to providing high quality information technology that is accessible to people with disabilities. In particular, Oracle is committed to ensuring full compliance with the Section 508 accessibility standards. To this end, Oracle has undertaken a substantial project to ensure the accessibility of Oracle WebLogic Server. Oracle is implementing these enhancements and will continue to address all accessibility issues that come to its attention.

 

Accessibility Features

 

Keyboard Access

All functions of the WebLogic Server Administration Console are accessible and usable from the keyboard. The application supports the standard keyboard controls found in Web browsers and does not interfere with the operating system standard keyboard controls.

 

Customizable Appearance

The WebLogic Server Administration Console supports your ability to define and use custom style sheets. This allows you to control the manner in which the application appears in the browser. You can use your own custom style sheets or simply revert the page to default formatting using the appropriate browser commands.

 

Recommended Assistive Technology Configuration

Oracle provides certain recommended configuration options for industry leading assistive technologies. These configuration options ensure that the accessibility enhancements present in the application are available to the assistive technology user. Configuration options are currently available for the JAWS™ screen reader produced by Freedom Scientific, Inc.and the Windows Eyes™ screen reader produced by GW Micro, Inc. Other assistive technology configuration options are available on request from Oracle.

 

Using JAWS Link Verbosity

You should ensure that the full text of each link is spoken when JAWS encounters a link. To do this:

  1. Open JAWS and select the “Utilities – Configuration Manager” option (Insert+F2).

  2. Once the Configuration Manager is open, select “Set options – HTML options...”.

  3. For JAWS 5.x-6.x, open the Links tab and select the User Title option in the “Text Link Options” section.

  4. Click OK to save the configuration.

 

Using Windows Eyes

To configure Windows Eyes for use with the WebLogic Server Administration Console, perform the following steps:

  1. Using Windows Eyes, focus on the application you want to configure and confirm MSAA mode is active (Control+Shift+A).

  2. Open the “MSAA Verbosity Dialog” (Insert+V).

  3. Select “Object” and ensure “Expose Alternative Text” is enabled.

  4. Click OK to save the configuration.

 

Known Issues

The WebLogic Server Administration Console currently exhibits several known issues relating to 508 compliance. The issues are described in more detail below.

 

Drop Down Menus Triggering Navigation

Certain drop-down menus (select lists) cause automatic navigation when you select a different element of the list. To avoid this behavior you should open each drop-down menu before browsing the contents. You can open menus using the ALT + down arrow.

 

Chooser Control

Chooser controls such as those found in the "Customize this table" section of Table pages present some challenges to keyboard-only users. Currently, the requirement of selecting and deselecting specific items in these lists is met in a limited fashion. Please use the following steps when using a Chooser control through the keyboard:

To move items from the Available list to the Chosen list:

  1. Tab into the Available column. This keyboard action selects the first item in the list.

  2. Tab through successive items in the list, thus selecting all items in the Available column.

  3. Tab to the right-arrow button.

  4. Press the Enter key. The selected items are moved to the Chosen list.

To move items from the Chosen list to the Available list:

  1. Tab into the Chosen column. This keyboard action selects the first item in the list.

  2. Tab through successive items in the list.

  3. Shift-Tab (reverse Tab) to the left-arrow button.

  4. Press the Enter key. The selected items are moved to the Available list.