Added announcements when a remote participant starts or stops sharing their screen

change-beta/@azure-communication-react-screenshare-announcer-a1b2c3d4.json

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "type": "patch",
+  "area": "fix",
+  "workstream": "Accessibility",
+  "comment": "Add screen reader announcements when a remote participant starts or stops sharing their screen",
+  "packageName": "@azure/communication-react",
+  "email": "miguelgamis@microsoft.com",
+  "dependentChangeType": "patch"
+}

change/@azure-communication-react-screenshare-announcer-a1b2c3d4.json

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "type": "patch",
+  "area": "fix",
+  "workstream": "Accessibility",
+  "comment": "Add screen reader announcements when a remote participant starts or stops sharing their screen",
+  "packageName": "@azure/communication-react",
+  "email": "miguelgamis@microsoft.com",
+  "dependentChangeType": "patch"
+}

packages/communication-react/review/beta/communication-react.api.md

@@ -5758,6 +5758,8 @@ export interface VideoGalleryStrings {
     pinParticipantMenuItemAriaLabel: string;
     screenIsBeingSharedMessage: string;
     screenShareLoadingMessage: string;
+    screenShareStartedAnnouncementAriaLabel: string;
+    screenShareStoppedAnnouncementAriaLabel: string;
     spotlightLimitReachedMenuTitle: string;
     startSpotlightVideoTileMenuLabel: string;
     stopSpotlightOnSelfVideoTileMenuLabel: string;

packages/communication-react/review/stable/communication-react.api.md

@@ -5161,6 +5161,8 @@ export interface VideoGalleryStrings {
     pinParticipantMenuItemAriaLabel: string;
     screenIsBeingSharedMessage: string;
     screenShareLoadingMessage: string;
+    screenShareStartedAnnouncementAriaLabel: string;
+    screenShareStoppedAnnouncementAriaLabel: string;
     spotlightLimitReachedMenuTitle: string;
     startSpotlightVideoTileMenuLabel: string;
     stopSpotlightOnSelfVideoTileMenuLabel: string;

packages/react-components/src/components/Announcer.tsx

@@ -20,14 +20,20 @@ export type AnnouncerProps = {
 export const Announcer = (props: AnnouncerProps): JSX.Element => {
   const { announcementString, ariaLive } = props;
 
+  // Use role="alert" for assertive announcements as it's more reliably announced by screen readers
+  // even when focus is on interactive elements
+  const role = ariaLive === 'assertive' ? 'alert' : 'status';
+
   return (
     <Stack
-      aria-label={announcementString}
+      data-testid="announcer"
       aria-live={ariaLive}
-      role="status"
+      role={role}
       aria-atomic={true}
       styles={announcerStyles}
-    ></Stack>
+    >
+      {announcementString}
+    </Stack>
   );
 };
 

packages/react-components/src/components/InputBoxComponent.test.tsx

@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ describe('InputBoxComponent should show mention popover', () => {
 
   const checkExpectedSuggestions = async (): Promise<void> => {
     for (const suggestion of suggestions) {
-      // Check that all suggestions are presented
-      const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestion.displayText);
-      expect(contextMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+      // Check that all suggestions are presented (use selector to exclude announcer elements)
+      const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestion.displayText, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
+      expect(contextMenuItem).toBeTruthy();
     }
   };
 
@@ -154,8 +154,9 @@ describe('InputBoxComponent should show mention popover for a custom trigger', (
 
   const checkExpectedSuggestions = async (): Promise<void> => {
     for (const suggestion of suggestions) {
-      const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestion?.displayText);
-      expect(contextMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+      // Use selector to exclude announcer elements
+      const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestion?.displayText, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
+      expect(contextMenuItem).toBeTruthy();
     }
   };
 
@@ -266,7 +267,8 @@ describe('InputBoxComponent should hide mention popover', () => {
 
   const checkSuggestionsNotShown = (): void => {
     for (const suggestion of suggestions) {
-      const contextMenuItem = screen.queryByText(suggestion?.displayText);
+      // Use selector to exclude announcer elements
+      const contextMenuItem = screen.queryByText(suggestion?.displayText, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
       expect(contextMenuItem).toBeNull();
     }
   };
@@ -276,8 +278,8 @@ describe('InputBoxComponent should hide mention popover', () => {
     if (!firstSuggestionText) {
       throw new Error('Suggestion text is not defined');
     }
-    const firstSuggestionMenuItem = await screen.findByText(firstSuggestionText);
-    expect(firstSuggestionMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+    // Use selector to exclude announcer elements
+    const firstSuggestionMenuItem = await screen.findByText(firstSuggestionText, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
     return firstSuggestionMenuItem;
   };
 

packages/react-components/src/components/MessageThread.test.tsx

@@ -396,13 +396,13 @@ describe('Message should display Mention correctly', () => {
       await userEvent.keyboard(' @');
     });
 
-    // Check that Everyone is an option
-    const everyoneMentionContextMenuItem = await screen.findByText('Everyone');
-    expect(everyoneMentionContextMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+    // Check that Everyone is an option (use selector to exclude announcer elements)
+    const everyoneMentionContextMenuItem = await screen.findByText('Everyone', { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
+    expect(everyoneMentionContextMenuItem).toBeTruthy();
 
-    // Check that user1Name is an option
-    const user1MentionContextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(user1Name);
-    expect(user1MentionContextMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+    // Check that user1Name is an option (use selector to exclude announcer elements)
+    const user1MentionContextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(user1Name, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
+    expect(user1MentionContextMenuItem).toBeTruthy();
 
     // Select mention from popover for user1Name, verify plain text not contain mention html tag
     fireEvent.click(user1MentionContextMenuItem);

packages/react-components/src/components/SendBox.test.tsx

@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ describe('SendBox should return correct value with a selected mention', () => {
     if (!suggestions[0]) {
       throw new Error('No suggestions found');
     }
-    const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestions[0].displayText);
-    expect(contextMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+    // Use selector to exclude announcer elements
+    const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestions[0].displayText, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
     contextMenuItem && fireEvent.click(contextMenuItem);
   };
 
@@ -161,8 +161,8 @@ describe('Clicks/Touch should select mention', () => {
     if (!suggestions[0]) {
       throw new Error('No suggestions found');
     }
-    const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestions[0].displayText);
-    expect(contextMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+    // Use selector to exclude announcer elements
+    const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestions[0].displayText, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
     fireEvent.click(contextMenuItem);
   };
 
@@ -421,8 +421,8 @@ describe('Keyboard events should be handled for mentions', () => {
     if (!suggestion) {
       throw new Error('Suggestion not found');
     }
-    const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestion.displayText);
-    expect(contextMenuItem.classList.contains('ms-Persona-primaryText')).toBe(true);
+    // Use selector to exclude announcer elements
+    const contextMenuItem = await screen.findByText(suggestion.displayText, { selector: '.ms-Persona-primaryText' });
     fireEvent.click(contextMenuItem);
   };
 

packages/react-components/src/components/VideoGallery.tsx

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT License.
 
 import { concatStyleSets, IStyle, mergeStyles, Stack } from '@fluentui/react';
-import React, { useCallback, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
+import React, { useCallback, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef } from 'react';
 import { GridLayoutStyles } from '.';
 import { Announcer } from './Announcer';
 import { useEffect } from 'react';
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ export const MAX_PINNED_REMOTE_VIDEO_TILES = 4;
 export interface VideoGalleryStrings {
   /** String to notify that local user is sharing their screen */
   screenIsBeingSharedMessage: string;
+  /** Aria label to announce when a remote participant starts sharing their screen */
+  screenShareStartedAnnouncementAriaLabel: string;
+  /** Aria label to announce when a remote participant stops sharing their screen */
+  screenShareStoppedAnnouncementAriaLabel: string;
   /** String to show when remote screen share stream is loading */
   screenShareLoadingMessage: string;
   /** String to show when local screen share stream is loading */
@@ -656,20 +660,24 @@ export const VideoGallery = (props: VideoGalleryProps): JSX.Element => {
   );
 
   const [announcementString, setAnnouncementString] = React.useState<string>('');
+  const [announcerAriaLive, setAnnouncerAriaLive] = React.useState<'polite' | 'assertive'>('polite');
   /**
    * sets the announcement string for VideoGallery actions so that the screenreader will trigger
+   * @param announcement - The message to announce
+   * @param ariaLive - The aria-live mode ('polite' for non-urgent, 'assertive' for important events)
    */
   const toggleAnnouncerString = useCallback(
-    (announcement: string) => {
+    (announcement: string, ariaLive: 'polite' | 'assertive' = 'polite') => {
       setAnnouncementString(announcement);
+      setAnnouncerAriaLive(ariaLive);
       /**
        * Clears the announcer string after VideoGallery action allowing it to be re-announced.
        */
       setTimeout(() => {
         setAnnouncementString('');
       }, 3000);
     },
-    [setAnnouncementString]
+    [setAnnouncementString, setAnnouncerAriaLive]
   );
 
   const defaultOnRenderVideoTile = useCallback(
@@ -771,6 +779,35 @@ export const VideoGallery = (props: VideoGalleryProps): JSX.Element => {
   );
 
   const screenShareParticipant = remoteParticipants.find((participant) => participant.screenShareStream?.isAvailable);
+
+  // Track the previous screen share participant to detect when screen sharing starts or stops
+  const previousScreenShareParticipantRef = useRef<VideoGalleryRemoteParticipant | undefined>(undefined);
+
+  // Announce when a remote participant starts or stops sharing their screen for screen reader accessibility
+  // Use useLayoutEffect to trigger announcement synchronously before browser paint,
+  // which should queue the announcement before any focus-shift induced announcements
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const previousParticipant = previousScreenShareParticipantRef.current;
+
+    if (screenShareParticipant && previousParticipant?.userId !== screenShareParticipant.userId) {
+      // Screen share started (or switched to a different participant)
+      const participantName = screenShareParticipant.displayName || strings.displayNamePlaceholder;
+      const announcementMessage = _formatString(strings.screenShareStartedAnnouncementAriaLabel, {
+        participant: participantName
+      });
+      toggleAnnouncerString(announcementMessage, 'assertive');
+    } else if (!screenShareParticipant && previousParticipant) {
+      // Screen share stopped
+      const participantName = previousParticipant.displayName || strings.displayNamePlaceholder;
+      const announcementMessage = _formatString(strings.screenShareStoppedAnnouncementAriaLabel, {
+        participant: participantName
+      });
+      toggleAnnouncerString(announcementMessage, 'assertive');
+    }
+
+    previousScreenShareParticipantRef.current = screenShareParticipant;
+  }, [screenShareParticipant, strings.displayNamePlaceholder, strings.screenShareStartedAnnouncementAriaLabel, strings.screenShareStoppedAnnouncementAriaLabel, toggleAnnouncerString]);
+
   const localScreenShareStreamComponent = (
     <LocalScreenShare
       localParticipant={localParticipant}
@@ -917,7 +954,7 @@ export const VideoGallery = (props: VideoGalleryProps): JSX.Element => {
       className={mergeStyles(videoGalleryOuterDivStyle, styles?.root, unselectable)}
     >
       {videoGalleryLayout}
-      <Announcer announcementString={announcementString} ariaLive="polite" />
+      <Announcer announcementString={announcementString} ariaLive={announcerAriaLive} />
     </div>
   );
 };

packages/react-components/src/localization/locales/en-US/strings.json

@@ -666,6 +666,8 @@
   },
   "videoGallery": {
     "screenIsBeingSharedMessage": "You are sharing your screen",
+    "screenShareStartedAnnouncementAriaLabel": "{participant} is sharing their screen",
+    "screenShareStoppedAnnouncementAriaLabel": "{participant} stopped sharing their screen",
     "screenShareLoadingMessage": "Loading {participant}'s screen",
     "localScreenShareLoadingMessage": "Loading your screen",
     "localVideoLabel": "You",