Providing Accessibility Information for Controls on a Windows Form
Accessibility aids are specialized programs and devices that help people with disabilities use computers more effectively. Examples include screen readers for people who are blind and voice input utilities for people who provide verbal commands instead of using the mouse or keyboard. These accessibility aids interact with the accessibility properties exposed by Windows Forms controls. These properties are:
AccessibilityObject
AccessibleDefaultActionDescription
AccessibleDescription
AccessibleName
AccessibleRole
AccessibilityObject Property
This read-only property contains an AccessibleObject Class instance. The AccessibleObject implements the IAccessible interface, which provides information about the control's description, screen location, navigational abilities, and value. The designer sets this value when the control is added to the form.
AccessibleDefaultActionDescription Property
This string describes the action of the control. It does not appear in the Properties window and may only be set in code. The following example sets this property for a button control:
' Visual Basic
Button1.AccessibleDefaultActionDescription = _
"Closes the application."
// C#
Button1.AccessibleDefaultActionDescription =
"Closes the application.";
// C++
button1->AccessibleDefaultActionDescription =
"Closes the application.";
AccessibleDescription Property
This string describes the control. It may be set in the Properties window, or in code as follows:
' Visual Basic
Button1.AccessibleDescription = "A button with text 'Exit'."
// C#
Button1.AccessibleDescription = "A button with text 'Exit'";
// C++
button1->AccessibleDescription = "A button with text 'Exit'";
AccessibleName Property
This is the name of a control reported to accessibility aids. It may be set in the Properties window, or in code as follows:
' Visual Basic
Button1.AccessibleName = "Order"
// C#
Button1.AccessibleName = "Order";
// C++
button1->AccessibleName = "Order";
AccessibleRole Property
This property, which contains an AccessibleRole Enumeration enumeration, describes the user interface role of the control. A new control has the value set to Default. This would mean that by default, a Button control acts as a Button. You may want to reset this property if a control has another role. For example, you may be using a PictureBox control as a Chart, and you may want accessibility aids to report the role as a Chart, not as a PictureBox. You may also want to specify this property for custom controls you have developed. This property may be set in the Properties window, or in code as follows:
' Visual Basic
PictureBox1.AccessibleRole = AccessibleRole.Chart
// C#
PictureBox1.AccessibleRole = AccessibleRole.Chart;
// C++
pictureBox1->AccessibleRole = AccessibleRole::Chart;