Pointer Gestures - Success Criterion 2.5.1 (Level A)

Question

Does your site or application have an alternative to operate complex screen gestures such as pinch zooming, sliders, and swiping?

Why is this important?

Smartphones and tablets introduced functionality such as pinch zooming, sliders, and swiping gesturing to interact with content. These complex gestures require the use of multiple fingers or path-based gestures that require the user to move fingers or pointers in a specific path.

People with motor disabilities may not be able to perform these gestures. In addition, some people with cognitive disabilities may find it difficult to remember required gestures. Having alternative functionality with simple, one pointer gesturing (e.g. single tap, button, link) to produce the same outcome as complex gestures ensures all users are able to operate the content.

Whom does it benefit?

Example 1

As a person with a physical disability that struggles with fine motor tasks,
I want to enlarge a map on my tablet using a plus and minus button instead of a pinching motion
so that I can zoom in and out with ease.

Example 2

As a person with short term memory loss,
I want to use the point and tap method to interact with my assignment
so that I can focus on learning content instead of complex finger gestures.

What should you do?

If the site or application has complex finger gestures, ensure a simpler alternative is available to produce the same outcome.

How do you do it?

Provide single pointer gestures such as single taps and clicks, double-taps and clicks, and long presses when possible.
Provide controls to achieve the same result as a path-based or multipoint gesture.

Exceptions to this requirement include:

Operating assistive technology devices.
Essential multipoint or path-based gestures. Essential is defined as a fundamental change of information or functionality of the content, and information and functionality cannot be achieved in another way that would conform.