Accessibility JAWS button keydown Event not firing when "Enter" or "Space" keys are pressed

[kaukeshav]

Summary

With JAWS enabled button tag keydown event listener isn't working with "Enter" and "Space" keys.

Reproduce with the following steps:

1. Go to https://codepen.io/Keshav-Kaushik/pen/eYoqVOE
2. Use tab keys to reach "Keydown Button" with JAWS enabled
3. Now, either press "Space" or "Enter" key. Check if the console prints keydown event or not. Follow the same for click button.

Expected result

• To fire keydown event just like click event when "enter" or "space" keys are pressed. As the same behaviour works with other ScreenReaders

Actual result

• Event listener are not getting triggered hence can't write logic to handle "enter" or "space" key functionality.

Example

Code pen link below to test both "onclick" and "onkeydown" event listeners with and without JAWS enabled.

https://codepen.io/Keshav-Kaushik/pen/eYoqVOE

JAWS version and build number

JAWS 2023

Browser and version:

Chrome

[JAWS-test]

By default, JAWS converts key events into click events. If device-independent event handlers are used, there are no problems. The conversion of events can be deactivated in the JAWS settings.

[ardaorkin]

@JAWS-test What do you mean by device-independent event handlers? Also what is the way of deactivating conversation of events in the JAWS settings?

[JAWS-test]

https://webaim.org/techniques/javascript/eventhandlers#deviceindependent

[clamli]

@JAWS-test May I ask what is the way of deactivating conversion of events in the JAWS settings?

[JAWS-test]

@clamli

• Press INS+6 (for the JAWS Settings Center)
• Search for "Link Activation" (in the field "Search for settings")
• Change the value in the drop down "Link Activation"