508 compliance question

I have searched high and low for the secret to changing the Focus Order of the Navigation and Player Controls in the Modern Player.  I saw in Player Properties>Other>Text that I can change the text reading order of the Player Controls "bar." This doesn't work and has no impact on "text reading order." No matter which direction I pick, the Play control always receives Focus first and the NEXT button last. If this worked, the controls wouldn't move, only the Focus would change from starting with the far-left Control or the far-right Control. And I would be an incredibly happy ID.

Purpose: I want the NEXT button to be first in line to receive focus when the user leaves the canvas. I am using the latest version of Storyline. When the learner sees, reads, or hears "Select NEXT to continue," the tab sequence should land on the NEXT button--not the far left of the Player Controls. Then, force them to tab through each Control until reaching the NEXT button.  About 5 years ago (or more) I could do this in the Player Properties>Player Tabs window. Select the NEXT button and move it to the top of the list in front of PREV. (Back then, PREV received Focus before NEXT by default.) It was an action item on my QA a11y check list. Or was that a dream??? 

And yes, I put the NEXT button on my slide as the work around. And added another set of Triggers to an already packed Triggers pane. I would prefer to use the built-in controls on the Player.

Any suggestions or secret Java recipes that would accomplish what I want? Thanks in advance. Cheers! Denise