Clarify and improve checkbox accessibility #1

MultisampledNight commented 2025年09月27日 09:41:08 +02:00

Situation

Atm the checkboxes are mere cetz canvas-es, barely possible to interact with from a textonly perspective.

Problems

1. This may confuse screenreader/braille display users.
   A checkbox being ticked, in progress or empty is highly relevant as for the context and interpretation of a list item. I am not sure how this is atm, but I would guess it's just missing. Empirical evidence is required for the status quo.
2. Checkboxes are not selectable. This makes it impossible to copy+paste them into other applications.

Solution

Provide a text-based fallback for the checkboxes, possibly just visually hidden while still being selectable and screenreader-findable.

Plan

1. Establish the situation quo.
   • How do screenreaders speak a checkbox?
   • How do they do it in other software, e.g. browsers?
   • What about braille displays?
2. Confirm if the solution here is in fact the best way to move forward.
3. Implement.
   • Probably via some stack hacks with fully transparent text (or drawn behind the cetz canvas)

#### Situation Atm the checkboxes are mere cetz canvas-es, barely possible to interact with from a textonly perspective. #### Problems 1. This may confuse screenreader/braille display users. A checkbox being ticked, in progress or empty is highly relevant as for the context and interpretation of a list item. I am not sure how this is atm, but I would guess it's just missing. Empirical evidence is required for the status quo. 2. Checkboxes are not selectable. This makes it impossible to copy+paste them into other applications. #### Solution Provide a text-based fallback for the checkboxes, possibly just visually hidden while still being selectable and screenreader-findable. #### Plan 1. [ ] Establish the situation quo. - How do screenreaders speak a checkbox? - How do they do it in other software, e.g. browsers? - What about braille displays? 2. [ ] Confirm if the solution here is in fact the best way to move forward. 3. [ ] Implement. - Probably via some `stack` hacks with fully transparent text (or drawn behind the cetz canvas)