Accessibility deprecated
Overview
Web accessibility aims at helping users with disabilities to access the web, i.e. perceiving and interacting with web sites or web-based applications. In order to offer everyone – with or without disabilities – the best possible user experience, we continually strive to meet the Level AA conformance as defined by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1.
Accessibility typically covers keyboard support, tab order, focus management, color contrast, semantic markup, WAI-ARIA support, and screen reader support.
We perform screen reader testing with the following typical setups: NVDA with Firefox, JAWS with Internet Explorer and Voiceover with Safari (with accessibility option turned on, i.e. tab highlights each item).
Annual accessibility audits are conducted by the Paciello Group.
History
| Date | Version | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 13 | 7.2.0 | Introduced fundamental keyboard support |
| Jul 13 | 7.4.0 | Introduced fundamental screen reader support (semantic markup, ARIA tags) |
| Aug 13 | - | Accessibility training (UI) with Steve Faulkner in Hamburg |
| Sep 13 | 7.4.0 | Added support for tabbable panes |
| Nov 13 | 7.4.1 | Added live regions |
| Nov 13 | 7.4.1 | Added support for accessible popup dialogs |
| Feb 14 | 7.4.2 | Added support for accessible modal dialogs |
| Feb 14 | 7.4.2 | Added support for landmark roles |
| Jun 14 | 7.6.0 | Polished ARIA markup to improve accessibility |
| Jun 14 | 7.6.0 | Added high contrast theme |
| Oct 14 | 7.6.1 | Improved keyboard support for mail compose |
| Jan 15 | 7.6.2 | Accessibility audit by the Paciello Group |
| Feb 15 | 7.8.0 | Started to resolve identified issues from recent audit |
| Feb 15 | 7.8.0 | Improved color contrast |
| Mar 15 | - | Workshop/Review with accessibility expert Marco Zehe in Hamburg |
| Jun 15 | 7.8.0 | Partially rearranged DOM elements to appear in source order |
| Feb 16 | - | Workshop/Review with accessibility expert Marco Zehe in Hamburg |
| May 16 | 7.8.1 | Accessibility audit by the Paciello Group |
| Jun 16 | 7.8.2 | Started to resolve identified issues from recent audit |
| Aug 16 | 7.8.3 | Finally fixed remaining tabindex issues |
| Sep 16 | 7.8.3 | Added new accessible date picker |
| Oct 16 | 7.8.3 | Resolving remaining issues from recent audit |
| Dec 16 | 7.8.3 | Retest accessibility audit by the Paciello Group |
| Jan 17 | 7.8.4 | Fixed newly identified minor issues from Dec 16 TPG retest |
| Feb 17 | 7.8.4 | (Address book) Thumb index is now accessible by keyboard |
| Mar 17 | 7.8.4 | Accessibility improvements to search and login |
| Apr 17 | 7.8.4 | Fixed multiple issues regardings JAWs (labels, verbosity) |
| Apr 17 | 7.8.4 | Folder tree improvements for screen readers and keyboard support for home/end |
| Apr 17 | 7.8.4 | Added document role to dialogs to force screen readers in correct mode |
| Apr 17 | 7.8.4 | Multiple focus improvents throughout apps |
| Jul 17 | 7.8.4 | Added distinguishable focus styles for tabbed inbox |
| Jul 17 | 7.10.0 | Added explicit labels for form fields where they were missing |
| Aug 17 | 7.10.0 | Improved color contrast in Alerts, Settings |
| Aug 17 | 7.10.0 | Introduced visual line indicator for list view and vgrid |
| Aug 17 | 7.8.4 | Fixed invalid labels in dialogs (calendar, mail, settings) |
| Aug 17 | 7.10.0 | Added more contrast to drag and drop helper |
| Sep 17 | 7.8.4 | Attachment preview list has now appropriate ARIA roles, states and properties |
| Sep 17 | 7.8.4 | Header logo changed to image with alt text |
| Sep 17 | 7.8.4 | Signature settings now have proper textual roles and descriptions |
| Sep 17 | 7.8.4 | Replaced combobox component with an accessible implementation |
| Sep 17 | 7.8.4 | Implicit calendar and address book headings changed to semantically correct headings |
| Oct 17 | 7.8.4 | (Help) Landing pages markup improved for users with screen readers |
| Oct 17 | 7.8.4 | Fixed guided tours accessiblity issues (keyboard, focus) |
| Nov 17 | 7.10.0 | Mail threads expandibles were implemented in an accessible manner |
| Nov 17 | 7.10.0 | Workshop/Review with accessibility expert Marco Zehe in Dortmund |
| Dec 17 | 7.10.0 | Accessibility audit by the Paciello Group |
| Dec 17 | 7.10.0 | Fixed missing labels in Mail |
| Dec 17 | 7.10.0 | Tabbed inbox accessibility issues resolved |
| Jan 18 | 7.10.0 | New application launcher accessiblity support |
| Jan 18 | 7.10.0 | Removed obsolete high contrast setting |
| Feb 18 | 7.10.0 | Removed obsolete accessibility improvements setting |
| Feb 18 | 7.10.0 | Initial keyboard support for new window management |
| Mar 18 | 7.10.0 | Attended CSUN 2018 |
| Mar 18 | 7.10.0 | Added focus management for new windows |
| May 18 | 7.10.0 | Toolbars and menus focus management and roving tabindex |
| May 18 | 7.10.0 | Reworked landmark roles |
Roadmap
TBD
Open issues
TBD