Form Fields or Edit Boxes
Forms on a web page might be for subscribing to a website such as
Facebook, login pages with "Username" and "Password," and even
purchasing an item from an online store such as Amazon. The
Google "Search" box is a type of form field or edit box.
Screen readers generally have a key command to move you
directly to the first form field, also called "form element."
The letter "e" for example, is one key stroke that may take
you to the first edit box on a form. Tab can be used on a
form, but it is recommended that you move to the first edit box before
using Tab. You can Tab your way through a form, or press and
hold downt the Shift key and Tab your way up a form. In some
screen readers you will need to go into "Forms Mode" by hitting a key
command such as Enter, or maybe spacebar one time, or other key stroke.
Some web pages have highly accessable forms, while others
have edit boxes that the screen reader does not speak. In
these cases you will need to find the key command for your screen
reader to take you out of "Forms Mode" (in some screen readers simply hit the Escape key), read what is next to the edit
box, go back to the edit box and then go back into "Forms Mode."
Forms have a number of possible parts called "form elements."
There is of course the form fields or edit box, buttons,
combo boxes, check boxes, radio buttons, and other possible options.
Some forms even have built in tables. There are
forms that allow you to input information such as your username and
password, and others that give output, based on what you put into the
"Search" box--Google is a prime example of this.
Practice using the following form fields or edit boxes with Tab and
Shift Tab, then practice going in and out of forms mode.
There are two headers titled "Coded for accessibility," and
"Not coded for accessibility."
At the end of this page is a "BACK" link which will have you to the "Internet Lessons" web page.