Understanding SC 2.5.7: Dragging Movements (Level AA) does not have a scroll bar example

[HelenBurge]

When testing on mobile applications and websites, the scroll requires a dragging movement. When testing on desktop the scroll has arrow controls at the top and bottom to reduce the need for a drag movement.

If a user finds dragging movements hard, and are not using an external device to move focus, then what are the suggested solutions for the use of a mobile scroll that has no button alternatives? I have suggested pagination options to move the pages up or down, but am not sure what might be recommended by others. Desktop has the guidance that mobile does not include for this.

[detlevhfischer]

If you refer to the scrolling of content that exceeds the viewport, gestures for that are not covered by 2.5.7 the note says

this does not apply to actions that are required to operate the user agent or assistive technology

So it is only author-supplied dragging functionality that is covered. The scrollbar would typically be supplied by the user agent when content overflows.

For people who can't use dragging to scroll or pan, alternatives might be using speech input or (where available) gaze control.

[HelenBurge]

Thanks for the clarification @detlevhfischer but what about mobile apps as the creator is creating the user agent and is responsible for an accessible scroll bar? I know 1.8.3 Provide Viewport Scrollbars does not cover the drag alternatives here though. It just seems that maybe there needs to be a clarification due to the overlap or missed instructions?

[patrickhlauke]

nominally WCAG does not apply to native mobile apps (as they are not "web content"). so that's an open question at the moment.

[detlevhfischer]

@HelenBurge Maybe create an issue at the Mobile Accessibility Task Force https://github.com/w3c/matf/issues

[HelenBurge]

Ok - will close this here. Thanks!