NatLabRockies / NatLabRockies/SAM

Screen reader accessibility

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bug
Dominant language
C++
Stars
486
Forks
219
Avg merge
10h 10m
Merged PRs (30d)
2

Description

Describe the bug

Many of SAM's UI elements fail basic accessibility. For example, many buttons do not have an accessible name, many input fields are not associated with their on-screen accessible name, tab behavior is not intuitive in some areas and doesn't work at all in others, and important non-input screens like the simulation results output are not accessible at all.

To Reproduce

I would suggest downloading a free screen reader like NVDA and try to navigate SAM using a keyboard. The difficulties should be apparent right away but let me know if further instructions would help.

Expected behavior

At a minimum, the screen reader should announce a label for all input fields, buttons, and menu items. Other text on screen should be easily navigable.

Operating System and Version
  • OS: Windows 10
  • Version: 2025.4.16
Additional context

I only tested on Windows with NVDA, but the issue is likely with any OS or screen reader.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

The issue does not name source files, tests, or entry points. Start by reproducing the problems in SAM on Windows 10 with NVDA and keyboard navigation, then identify the affected UI areas and establish coverage for labeled controls, logical tab order, and navigable simulation results. Done means these accessibility expectations are met across the reported screens.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
accessibility
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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