Introduction to the jQuery Plugin

Though we have chosen to focus  around jQuery, much of what you’ll learn here will be applicable to JavaScript in general and to other JavaScript frameworks you may be using in your work. Much of the effort here will be on creating device independent code (works with keyboard and mouse) and using script to inject WAI-ARIA into HTML as needed to dynamically manage roles, states, and properties of various interactive widgets and applications you’ll be introduced to.

Throughout the activities you will be building a jQuery-ARIA plugin. We will first provide some background in the first few units, then introduce static WAI-ARIA, then move into building the plugin in Unit 4 and onward.

As you go through the activities you will be building pieces of the library one widget at a time. At the end of the activities, when you have submitted all of the assignments, we will provide you with a link to the full library that you can continue to use and build upon.

Disclaimer

When creating the activities and building the jQuery plugin, we have optimized plugin widgets to work with ChromeVox, the screen reader you’ll be introduced to shortly. You may find some inconsistencies in functionality and presentation when using NVDA or JAWS (i.e., other screen readers). Compatibility or limitations across screen readers will be discussed as they come up.