By default, the Java Access Bridge is not enabled. For information how to enable the Java Access Bridge, please see the Java Accessibility Guide. The Java Access Bridge must be enabled so that Oracle Forms, the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and the Java enabled screen reader may interact.

For keyboard-only usage techniques see:

Keyboard Access

Oracle E-Business Suite features

Actions and Values LOVs

Oracle E-Business Suite incorporates a feature that allows any user to see the current screen in a compressed, text-only popup window format called LOV (List of Values). Fields which cannot take focus because they are non-navigable will not allow a screen reader to read their value and prompt. To account for this, Oracle E-Business Suite has special code that presents all fields in the current window, as well non-navigable fields in the window in special LOVs. Included in the LOVs are the values of display items, which otherwise would not be easily discernible with a screen reader because they are not keyboard navigable. These special text-only popup windows allow a screen reader user to quickly identify all widgets in the current window (but just the current row for multi-row blocks).

The Actions LOV is invoked through the KEY-F8 function and is a list of all push buttons in the current window. The Values LOV is invoked through the KEY-F9 function and is a list of all other widgets in the current window like text items, radio buttons, checkboxes and poplists. Each row in the LOV will be spoken by a screen reader. The LOVs are in alphabetical order. Both LOVs also show access keys for radio buttons, checkboxes and push buttons. Choosing a value from either the Actions or Values LOV will not cause focus to move to those fields or buttons.

The access keys displayed in the LOVs are within braces for translation purposes. For example, access key c is displayed as {C} and a screen reader will speak the text as brace C brace. Check with the screen reader manufacturer if there is a way to change it to speak Alt C instead of brace C brace.

Note that the KEY-Fn function is not necessarily the Fn button on the keyboard. The current key mapping for the function can be shown in the Keyboard Help window. Typically the KEY-Fn function is mapped to Ctrl+Shift+Fn via the Oracle Terminal resource file.

The Oracle Forms generic code for Actions and Values LOV that can be used by non-Oracle E-Business Suite developers to code similar functionality is available upon request.

Forms Personalization

Oracle E-Business Suite users can take advantage of a powerful feature called Forms Personalization if you do not want to use speakable prompts. The Form Personalization feature allows you to declaratively alter the behavior of Forms-based screens, including changing properties, executing builtins, displaying messages, and adding menu entries.