Java™ Accessibility Overview

Java Accessibility API

The Java Accessibility API (JAAPI) is one of the core parts of the Java Foundation Classes (JFC). The JFC are a comprehensive set of graphical user interface components and foundation services designed to simplify deployment of Internet, intranet and desktop applications. The JAAPI makes GUI component information available to assistive technologies, giving users alternative presentation and control of Java applications.

Java Accessibility Utilities

The Java Accessibility Utilities help assistive technologies take advantage of the Java Accessibility API. The Utilities monitor events related to UI components. They also help assistive technologies get additional information about a GUI, such as the current position of the mouse, or the window that currently has focus.

The Utilities are released separately from the JFC, but they can be downloaded from the JFC Home Page.

Pluggable Look and Feel

The Java Foundation Classes implement a Pluggable Look and Feel architecture. This architecture allows non-visual manifestations of a user interface to replace or enhance the visual presentation of an application. The expression of the user interface is separated from the underlying structure and data of each individual component. This is accomplished by separating the user interface of the component from its model. The model of a component is the structure which encapsulates the state and information that is presented to the user by the user interface. More information on this architecture can be found in The Swing Connection.