[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 3]
[Revised as of July 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR1194.21]

[Page 498-499]
 
              TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
 
 CHAPTER XI--ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD
 
PART 1194--ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart B--Technical Standards
 
Sec. 1194.21  Software applications and operating systems.


    (a) When software is designed to run on a system that has a 
keyboard, product functions shall be executable from a keyboard where 
the function itself or the result of performing a function can be 
discerned textually.
    (b) Applications shall not disrupt or disable activated features of 
other products that are identified as accessibility features, where 
those features are developed and documented according to industry 
standards. Applications also shall not disrupt or disable activated 
features of any operating system that are identified as accessibility 
features where the application programming interface for those 
accessibility features has been documented by the manufacturer of the 
operating system and is available to the product developer.
    (c) A well-defined on-screen indication of the current focus shall 
be provided that moves among interactive interface elements as the input 
focus changes. The focus shall be programmatically exposed so that 
assistive technology can track focus and focus changes.
    (d) Sufficient information about a user interface element including 
the identity, operation and state of the element shall be available to 
assistive technology. When an image represents a program element, the 
information conveyed by the image must also be available in text.
    (e) When bitmap images are used to identify controls, status 
indicators, or other programmatic elements, the meaning assigned to 
those images shall be consistent throughout an application's 
performance.

[[Page 499]]

    (f) Textual information shall be provided through operating system 
functions for displaying text. The minimum information that shall be 
made available is text content, text input caret location, and text 
attributes.
    (g) Applications shall not override user selected contrast and color 
selections and other individual display attributes.
    (h) When animation is displayed, the information shall be 
displayable in at least one non-animated presentation mode at the option 
of the user.
    (i) Color coding shall not be used as the only means of conveying 
information, indicating an action, prompting a response, or 
distinguishing a visual element.
    (j) When a product permits a user to adjust color and contrast 
settings, a variety of color selections capable of producing a range of 
contrast levels shall be provided.
    (k) Software shall not use flashing or blinking text, objects, or 
other elements having a flash or blink frequency greater than 2 Hz and 
lower than 55 Hz.
    (l) When electronic forms are used, the form shall allow people 
using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, 
and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, 
including all directions and cues.