Difficulty Accessing Message Options via Keyboard Navigation in Mattermost for screen readers.

[hamidrezaabroshan]

Checks before filing an issue

• This issue doesn't reproduce on web browsers (such as in Chrome). If it does, issue reports go to the Mattermost Server repository.
• I have checked the issue tracker and have not found an issue that matches the one I'm filing.
• This issue is not a troubleshooting question. Troubleshooting questions go here: https://forum.mattermost.com/c/trouble-shoot/16.
• This issue is not a feature request. You can request features and make product suggestions here: https://mattermost.com/suggestions/.
• This issue reproduces on the most recent stable version, or the most recent prerelease version of the Mattermost Desktop App.
• I have read the contribution guidelines.

Mattermost Desktop Version

not important

Operating System

windows 11 64 bit

Mattermost Server Version

not important

Steps to reproduce

1. download and run nvda screen reader.
2. open mattermost and open a chat.
3. try to find a message.
4. try to reply to that message or react with emojis.
   you should press tab or arrow keys a lot if you do not want to use the mouse.

Expected behavior

all of the functionalities related to message should be accessed by context menu as standard in most of the apps.

Observed behavior

described before

Log Output

not important

Additional Information

Screen reader users face significant challenges when navigating through message options in Mattermost, such as replying to messages, adding emojis, and accessing other functionalities. Currently, the process requires excessive tabbing or use of arrow keys, making it inefficient and time-consuming. This is particularly cumbersome when users need to interact with several messages, as each action to reply or access message options involves navigating to and activating these controls repetitively.
A practical solution would be to implement a context menu that is accessible via the applications key (similar to functionality in other messaging platforms like Microsoft Teams, Skype, and Slack). This would allow screen reader users to quickly bring up options related to any message they are focused on without needing to navigate through multiple controls. By pressing the applications key, users could directly access a list of all relevant options for a particular message, significantly streamlining the interaction process.
This change would not only align Mattermost with standard accessibility practices seen in other leading messaging applications but also greatly enhance the user experience for those relying on keyboard, ultimately making Mattermost more inclusive and efficient for all users.

[devinbinnie]

This seems more relevant to our web app, so I'll transfer the issue there.

[amyblais]

Opened https://mattermost.atlassian.net/browse/MM-58127.

[hamidrezaabroshan]

Thanks. You can count on me for testing and any feedback. Best.

…

On Mon, May 6, 2024 at 5:54 PM Amy Blais ***@***.***> wrote: Opened https://mattermost.atlassian.net/browse/MM-58127. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#26961 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ALUYRA4WGBUWTYP2HI6ZB3TZA6HBLAVCNFSM6AAAAABHI7BLQSVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDAOJWGE3DGMZTGA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

-- hamidreza