DesktopAccessibilityManager

1.0.0indexed

Announces UI messages to native screen readers using JNA, offering CompositionLocal helpers and Swing integration, supports assertive/polite priorities and returns success status.

JVM·kdroidFilter/DesktopAccessibilityManager

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Desktop Accessibility Announcer (JNA) 🧭

A JVM-only helper that provides a Compose Desktop equivalent of LocalAccessibilityManager.announceForAccessibility() using JNA.

Modules 🧩

accessibility: core API with JNA, no Compose dependency.
accessibilitycompose: Compose-only helpers (CompositionLocal).
demo-compose: Compose Desktop demo using the CompositionLocal.
demo-swing: Swing demo without Compose.

Gradle (Kotlin DSL) 🚀

dependencies {
    // Swing / core API
    implementation("io.github.kdroidfilter:accessibility-jvm:<version>")

    // Compose helpers
    implementation("io.github.kdroidfilter:accessibility-compose-jvm:<version>")
}

API 🧪

import io.github.kdroidfilter.accessibility.AnnouncementPriority
import io.github.kdroidfilter.accessibility.DesktopAccessibilityManager

DesktopAccessibilityManager.announceForAccessibility(
    "Error: Your changes could not be saved.",
    AnnouncementPriority.ASSERTIVE,
)

In Compose, use the accessibilitycompose module and the CompositionLocal:

import io.github.kdroidfilter.accessibility.compose.LocalDesktopAccessibilityManager

val accessibility = LocalDesktopAccessibilityManager.current
accessibility.announceForAccessibility("Error: Invalid email address.")

In Swing (no Compose dependency):

import io.github.kdroidfilter.accessibility.AnnouncementPriority
import io.github.kdroidfilter.accessibility.DesktopAccessibilityManager

DesktopAccessibilityManager.announceForAccessibility(
    "Saved successfully.",
    AnnouncementPriority.POLITE,
)

Demos 🎬

Compose demo: ./gradlew :demo-compose:run
Swing demo: ./gradlew :demo-swing:run

Behavior by platform 🧭

macOS: Uses NSAccessibilityPostNotificationWithUserInfo with NSAccessibilityAnnouncementRequestedNotification.
Windows: Uses the NVDA/JAWS controller APIs when available.

The API returns true when a native announcement request was successfully submitted. It returns false if the platform doesn't support the request or if the native call fails.

Usage notes 📝

Announcements are most reliable when your app window is in the foreground.
On macOS, VoiceOver must be enabled.
On Windows, a screen reader (NVDA/JAWS) must be running.
Enable allowDesktopAccessibilityManagerLogging to see library logs.
AnnouncementPriority.ASSERTIVE is for urgent messages (errors, blockers). It may interrupt or flush current speech output on supported screen readers.