Understanding accessibility

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Pega 7.1 extends support for accessibility to enable potential compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 A and AA. WCAG is a product of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), an effort to improve web and browser accessibility for people with disabilities. This enhances the existing support for guidelines established by Section 508 of the United States Rehabilitation Act.

Disabilities can include blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, learning disabilities, cognitive limitations, limited movement, speech disabilities, photosensitivity and combinations of these.

In Pega 7.1, accessibility features have been improved in the platform and the PegaWAI accessibility ruleset, which is a platform add-on. An application that is implemented with the ruleset enables users with disabilities to access the full range of user interface capabilities. Developers can create work portals that are enabled for accessibility, using composite portals.

See Improved Accessibility Features for an itemized list of feature improvements.

NoteMany accessibility features require the end-user to have screen reader software such as JAWS® for Windows®, which provides output using text-to-speech or a refreshable braille display. Support for accessibility features does not guarantee an application that a developer creates automatically satisfies accessibility guidelines. You will still need to take additional steps, such as providing tooltip texts for all controls and fields and using appropriate color schemes, to allow Pega 7 accessibility features to function properly.

 

Enabling accessibility features

To enable all accessibility features, you must add the PegaWAI ruleset to your application definition.

  1. In , select[Application] > Open Application > Definition tab.
  2. In Application RulesetsSmartPrompt, combo box, selection listselect the PegaWAI ruleset.
  3. Save the form.

You can now specify which access groups have the features of PegaWAI in their composite portals (while other users see no change to their portal experience).

  1. Select > Org & Security > Security > Access Groups.
  2. Click an access group to open it and select the Advanced tab.
  3. From the Run time Configuration group, select Enable accessibility add-on.
  4. In Production RulesetsSmartPrompt, combo box, selection listselect the PegaWAI ruleset.
  5. Save the form.

Note: If the PegaWAI ruleset is not present, import it from ResourceKit/AccessibilityFramework of the full Pega 7 distribution (not from an update distribution):

  1. Select > Application > Distribution > Import.
  2. Use the Import Wizard.

 

Definitions accessibility
Related topics Improved accessibility features
Related topics Access Group form - Completing the Advanced tab
Definitions Using the Accessibility report
Standard rules Atlas — Standard rulesets

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