Fix: a11y, enabled clear indicator to be accessible via keyboard

[yhy-1]

As discussed in https://github.com/JedWatson/react-select/issues/4988

note: Since focus needs to be set back to the select input, it announces that the "combo box has auto-complete select blank" instead of what is in the aria-live since focus takes precedence by the screen reader.

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[yhy-1]

@lukebennett88 @JedWatson @dcousens @nderkim @Rall3n @Methuselah96 , would you mind reviewing this PR.

[yhy-1]

@lukebennett88 @JedWatson @dcousens @nderkim @Rall3n @Methuselah96

Hi, would appreciate it if you have time to review this PR.

[mellis481]

@lukebennett88 @JedWatson @dcousens @nderkim @Rall3n @Methuselah96 Can you please review/approve this PR? It's a critical accessibility feature that countless teams need.

[jossmac]

I'm not an a11y expert, but I have some thoughts:

• accessible patterns should be the default, rather than making consumers opt-in e.g. enableAccessibleClearIndicator
• using hard-coded english for labels will become a problem e.g. aria-label="clear"
• my initial instinct is that ESC press, when the dialog is closed, should clear the value. i feel like the clear button would introduce an unexpected tab stop; like, a combobox doesn't have a focusable button for invoking the menu, you just press DOWN|UP

---

EDIT: Turns out this is already implemented via DEL press. I think a better solution would be to add that information to the initial announcement (when isClearable).

[dcousens]

@yhy-1 as suggested by @jossmac, could you update your pull request to announce the DEL shortcut in the aria-live attribute? (see https://github.com/JedWatson/react-select/blob/06e34882638d1526b9f5a1238bb567a3e9460ce5/packages/react-select/src/components/LiveRegion.tsx)

[dcousens]

Sorry @yhy-1 that I missed your previous pings/notifications :yellow_heart:

[yhy-1]

@jossmac @dcousens Hi, there isn't a consensus on the accessible patterns for this clear button, that is why it was made optional props in this PR. You can read in the discussion at https://github.com/JedWatson/react-select/issues/4988. Our company had flagged this as a usability issue. We want the ability to enable this to be keyboard accessible but have no means to do so. I can update the hard-code aria-label to add the ability for an aria-label. Would this PR be accepted? The aria-live already consists of so much stuff, that it would eventually get lost and won't meet the requirement for our company.

[jossmac]

Thank you for detailing your requirements and constraints, providing context helps a great deal. However, I'm still not comfortable introducing an unexpected tab stop.

there isn't a consensus on the accessible patterns for this clear button

After a little research, there's a keyboard interaction spec on this behaviour for the combobox pattern:

Escape: Dismisses the popup if it is visible. Optionally, if the popup is hidden before Escape is pressed, clears the combobox.

@dcousens we should support the spec behaviour*. @yhy-1 This would meet the requirement for your company, right?

*Maybe in addition to Delete press? We'd need to prevent default on the Escape keyboard event, so consumers can respond accordingly when implementing modal dialog close behaviour etc.

[mellis481]

@jossmac It looks like currently:

• DELETE and BACKSPACE will clear input if the popup is not visible.
• DELETE and BACKSPACE will not clear input if the popup is visible.
• ESCAPE has no effect on clearing input.

I agree that react-select should support the clearing of input when ESCAPE is pressed when the popup is not visible.

[zayprom]

@jossmac Understood your concerns. One thing is to look on WCAG recommendation about combobox, pattern, other thing is maybe also more general keyboard accessibility approaches. As a rule of thumb - element which is operable via mouse should be also operable via keyboard - meaning focus and potential actions. I understand concerns about clearable buttons being inner elements of react-select and potential "break" of tab sequence, but these elements are still operable via mouse. In many cases users are not always well educated about potential shortcuts as "Delete", "Backspace" or "Escape" and it can be frustrating not understanding why mouse can do it but keyboard not. Just my 2 cents. Thanks!