In page links are not keyboard operable

Rule

Functionality MUST be available using the keyboard, unless the functionality cannot be accomplished in any known way using a keyboard.

Background

Some people cannot use a mouse due to vision or motor disabilities. Content that can be operated with a mouse must also be made operable with a keyboard. When content is operable through a keyboard, it becomes operable by a variety of assistive technologies such as speech input software, sip-and-puff software, on-screen keyboards, scanning software, and alternate keyboards.

How to Fix

Fix this issue by ensuring in-page links can be operated by the keyboard.

Common reasons that in-page links are not keyboard accessible include:

• Lack of an href attribute and value. Without an href, anchor elements are not keyboard focusable.
• Use of device dependent (mouse-only) event handlers. Use either a device independent event handler (one that works with both the mouse and the keyboard) or use both mouse dependent and keyboard dependent event handlers. Device independent event handlers include: onfocus, onblur, onselect, onchange, and onclick (when onclick is used with a keyboard-focusable element).