Accessibility in React Chart component

20 Jan 20233 minutes to read

Accessibility is achieved in the chart control through WAI-ARIA standard and keyboard navigation. The chart features can be effectively accessed through assistive technologies such as screen readers.

WAI-ARIA

WAI-ARIA (Accessibility Initiative – Accessible Rich Internet Applications) defines a way to increase the accessibility of web pages, dynamic content, and user interface components developed with AJAX, HTML, JavaScript, and related technologies. ARIA provides additional semantics to describe the role, state, and functionality of web components.

The following ARIA attributes are used in the chart:

Element Default description
Legend Reads the series name
Chart Title Reads the chart's title
Series Points Reads the Point x : Point y value
Series Group Reads the series type with data points

Keyboard navigation

All the chart actions can be controlled via keyboard keys. The applicable key combinations and their relative functionalities are listed below.

Interaction Keys Description
Tab Moves the focus to the next element in the chart.
Shift + Tab Moves the focus to the previous element in the chart.
DownArrow Moves the focus to the data point left side from the selected point.
UpArrow Moves the focus to the data point right side from the selected point.
Left Arrow Moves the focus to the next series in the chart.
Right Arrow Moves the focus to the previous series in the chart.
ESC Cancel the tooltip for the data point.
Enter/Space Selects the data point in the series.
Down/Left Arrow Moves the focus to the legend left side from the selected legend.
Up/Right Arrow Moves the focus to the legend right side from the selected legend.
Enter/Space Toggles the visibility of the corresponding series.
Ctrl + + Zoom-in the chart.
Ctrl + - Zoom-out the chart.
Down/Up Arrow Pan the chart vertically.
Left/Right Arrow Pan the chart horizontally.
R Reset the zoomed chart.
Ctrl + P Print the chart.