Interactive alerts are read out as the user interacts providing a description of what is happening in
real-time. Alerts appear in reverse chronological order with the latest on top.
What is the A11y View?
The A11y View is a design and presentation tool that allows us to visually demonstrate the accessibility layer
of the simulation. We refer to this layer as the Parallel DOM, or PDOM. The PDOM (copied into the blue box)
exposes the simulation’s full document structure and all the dynamic descriptive content that lives within
that structure to a student accessing the simulation using assistive technology, such as screen reader
software. The activity log (copied into the orange box), exposes the interactive alerts that a student would
hear in real-time as they interact with the simulation. Interact with the accessible version of
Friction in the iframe, with either a keyboard or a mouse, and notice how the activity log (orange
box) and the content of the PDOM (blue box) update as you interact.
Please note that students do not use the A11y View, they use the accessible simulation, alone, which is
rendered here inside the iframe.
PDOM & Descriptions for Friction
Content in the blue box updates in real-time to provide an always-available description of the current state of
the sim.
Friction
Friction is an interactive sim. It changes as you play with it. It has a Play Area and a Control Area.
Chemistry book rests lighty on top of a Physics book, and is ready to be rubbed against it. In zoomed-in view of where books meet, surface temperature thermometer is cool, and atoms jiggle a tiny bit.
Grab Chemistry book to play.
If needed, check out keyboard shortcuts under Sim Resources.
Play Area
Look for grab buttons. Once grabbed, use letter keys W, A, S, or D to move book or zoomed-in book up, left, down, or right.