Dear Balbooa Team,
We would like to submit another feature request. This time, regarding ARIA label support. First, we want to thank you for the progress you have already made in implementing accessibility features, as your work has made our lives much easier.
However, we have noticed that several elements still do not have ARIA label support. We hope the next update will address this, so we want to clarify which items we have seen so far that would benefit from having ARIA label options available.
Shopping Cart Element
If your Gridbox Shopping Cart element only displays an icon without any text label, it must have an ARIA label. This label helps screen reader users understand the purpose of the icon. Ideally, the ARIA label could be prefilled in the site's default language with a phrase like “Open shopping cart.”
Overlay Element
When an overlay is triggered by clicking an icon without any accompanying text, it also requires an ARIA label. This ensures that users who rely on assistive technology know what the icon does and can interact with it appropriately.
Language Picker Element
If your language picker uses only flags and no text, there is no instruction for screen readers. In this case, an ARIA label is necessary, so users understand the purpose of the element, such as “Select language.”
Joomla Module Element
For Joomla modules, the need for an ARIA label depends on the specific module and its content. However, it is generally beneficial to provide an ARIA label on the wrapper element. This can enhance accessibility by describing the module’s function or content for users who navigate with screen readers.
Slideshow Navigation Arrows and Bullets
Slideshow navigation controls, such as arrows or bullets, often lack visible text. These elements would benefit from ARIA labels as well. The labels should be prefilled with clear instructions, such as “Go to next slide,” “Go to previous slide,” or “Go to slide 3,” to make navigation accessible for all users.
We may be mistaken about the use of ARIA labels, but I doubt it. From our understanding, any element on a webpage that does not clearly convey its purpose through visible text should have an ARIA label to ensure accessibility for users with disabilities.
We strongly encourage the Balbooa Team to thoroughly review every element that can be added to a page, with particular attention to any item that can function as a link or be made clickable. It is important to provide an ARIA label option for all such elements. This includes columns, since they can be configured as links—users should be clearly informed, through accessible labelling, when an element is interactive or clickable.
Suggestion for Color Blind Accessibility in the Editor
In addition to ARIA label improvements, we would like to suggest an extra accessibility option for color blind users in the editor. Some of our staff are color blind and have difficulty distinguishing the current hover background color in the editor. While the dashboard uses a blue hover background that is easy to see, the editor uses a darker grey on a lighter grey. For color blind users, this combination appears as similar shades of grey, making it hard to identify which element is being hovered over.
This is a common issue for people with various types of color vision deficiency, particularly those with difficulty distinguishing between shades of the same color or low-contrast color combinations. Providing a color blind mode, or simply increasing the contrast between hover states and backgrounds, would make the editor more accessible for everyone.
We recommend adding an option for a color blind-friendly mode in the editor, or ensuring that hover states have sufficient contrast to be easily visible to all users, regardless of their color vision.
Thank you very much.
With regards,
Team LoginSecure, Elmer
