click handler without keyboard equivalent Accessibility Checkpoint

Description

All click handlers should have an equivalent keyboard handler.

Help

Some users are unable to use a mouse, so use the keyboard instead. Add an equivalent keyboard event handler to help these users.

Applicable standards

• WCAG 2.0 F54 (Success Criteria: 2.1.1 level A, 2.1.3 level AAA)
• WCAG 2.1 F54 (Success Criteria: 2.1.1 level A, 2.1.3 level AAA)
• Section 508 (2017) F54 (Success Criteria: 2.1.1 level A, 2.1.3 level AAA)

Note: Section 508 Refresh (2017) checkpoints are equivalent to WCAG 2.0 level A and level AA checkpoints.

Change history

• 6.47 Dec 2022 Improved event handler detection.
• 5.35 Oct 2019 The onkeypress event is now deprecated.
• 5.30 Jul 2018 Fixed false positive. Changed rule ID from AccWcag1-9.3.5 to AccScriptClickWithoutKeypress.
• 5.8 Mar 2015 Fixed false positive on do nothing handlers.
• 5.5 May 2014 Fixed false negative.
• 5.3 Sep 2013 Fixed false negative.
• 5.1 Jan 2013 Fixed false negative on new HTML5 elements.
• 4.7 Jun 2012 Fixed false negative on img and input elements in HTML5.
• 4.5 Nov 2011 Now triggers Section 508 1194.22 (l).
• 4.2 Dec 2010 Don’t fire on A elements with an HREF attribute.
• 4.1 Aug 2010 Don’t fire for ONCLICK handlers on BUTTON elements.
• 4.1 Aug 2010 Don’t fire if ONCLICK handler is present but blank.
• 4.0 Jun 2010 Don’t fire for JavaScript code testing for existence of ONCLICK handler.
• 3.5 Dec 2009 Corrected priority.
• 3.5 Dec 2009 Don’t detect controls which fire onclick when triggered by keyboard.
• 3.0 Dec 2008 Now triggers WCAG2 F54.
• 3.0 Dec 2008 Don’t trigger in script blocks that assign an ONKEY handler as well as an ONMOUSE handler.
• 2.0 Dec 2007 Now triggers Section 508 issue.
• 1.0 Feb 2007 Added.

This page describes a web site issue detected in HTML documents by SortSite Desktop and OnDemand Suite.

Rule ID: AccScriptClickWithoutKeypress