Character key shortcuts exist and cannot be modified or turned off

Rule

If a single character key shortcut exists, then at least one of the following MUST be true: single character key shortcuts can be turned off, remapped, or are only active when the relevant user interface component is in focus.

Background

Keyboard shortcuts work well for many keyboard users, but single character key shortcuts can have adverse effects for people with motor disabilities who use speech input to interact with a computer. The reason for this is that when a single key is used to trigger a command, a spoken word can become a unexpected barrage of single-key commands if the cursor focus happens to be in the wrong place. Similarly, keyboard-only users who have dexterity challenges can also be prone to accidentally hitting keys. Users must be able to turn off or reconfigure shortcuts to include a non-character keys or to use two or more successive character keys. This will help speech input and keyboard users avoid potentially unrecoverable mistakes.

NOTE: Character keys are defined as letter (including upper- and lower-case letters), punctuation, number, or symbol characters.

How to Fix

Fix this issue by using ONE or MORE of the following techniques:

1. Provide a mechanism for users to turn off the single character key shortcuts.
2. Provide a mechanism for users to remap the shortcuts to use one or more non-printable keyboard characters (e.g. Ctrl, Alt, etc.).
3. Ensure that the shortcut is only triggered when the relevant component has focus.