Bug 508487 - Overview not accessible to screen readers
Summary: Overview not accessible to screen readers
Status: REPORTED
Alias: None
Product: kwin
Classification: Plasma
Component: effects-window-management (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.4.4
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: KWin default assignee
URL:
Keywords: accessibility
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-08-19 18:43 UTC by Ritchie Frodomar
Modified: 2025-08-20 16:53 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

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Latest Commit:
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Description Ritchie Frodomar 2025-08-19 18:43:04 UTC
SUMMARY
Th Overview effect doesn't appear to be properly exposed to screen readers; I can't figure out how to navigate it beyond switching between existing workspaces and somehow accidentally creating new ones.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Enable orca
2. Open Overview with Meta+W
3. Just try to navigate it with the keyboard.

OBSERVED RESULT
I don't hear the names of workspaces when I switch between them. I can't figure out how to switch between specific windows in my current workspace. Somehow I accidentally created several workspaces because I focused a button that was never read to me. If I do switch to a workspace that has windows open on it, I hear the active UI element within the window I had focused in that workspace (if any). Example, if I'm in the KDE ACcessibility room in NeoChat and that window happened to be in focus, I'll hear the name of the room when I open Overview. I won't hear that it's NeoChat, though.

EXPECTED RESULT
I definitely shouldn't have created several unwanted desktops by accident, and I should hear workspace/window names when navigating thruogh the Overview UI. I should be able to naturally figure out how to switch between windows within a workspace, without having done that before.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: Plasma 6.4.4 on Arch Linux
KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.17.0 
Qt Version: 6.9.1

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 Ritchie Frodomar 2025-08-19 18:58:51 UTC
Wanted to add this to "Additional Information" but couldn't find an edit button. So it's a reply instead. I noticed that the Grid View is also completely unusable under a screen reader.