There is a non-zero chance that WCAG Success Criterion 4.1.1 Parsing will go away in WCAG 2.2. This isn’t a problem for users, regardless of the problems it may pose for the WCAG process, ACT rules, automated testing tools, or ossified testing processes. The joke here is using an antique…
TL;DR: Support for aria-readonly is nearly non-existent for the roles I tested. Should you need it, you cannot rely on it. You will be better off revising the pattern where you think you need it. For some background, the aria-readonly property: Indicates that the element is not editable, but is…
Native controls can be different from their roled-up ARIA equivalents in a variety of ways. For example, an expanded native HTML <select> on mobile behaves differently when the dismiss gesture is used than when the same gesture is used with an expanded ARIA listbox. Using Android with TalkBack, a down-then-left…
It’s 2022 and people are still afraid to use <fieldset> and <legend>. I understand the layout challenges can be frustrating, but swapping to an ARIA group role will result in a more inaccessible experience. A Solution Try this: <fieldset> <legend>Choose</legend> <div aria-hidden=”true”>Choose</div> […] </fieldset> legend:not(:focus):not(:active) { position: absolute; overflow: hidden;…
On 7 April 2022, Twitter added a feature to let all web users display the alternative text on images in tweets. I am glad to see this feature in the wild for everyone. It has some issues, however, which complicate the experience for sighted keyboard users. The following video demonstrates…
If you have little experience with ARIA, screen readers, or testing in general, understanding accessible descriptions can be trickier than understanding accessible names (already confusing for many). I have written explanations so many times for clients and in fora that I opted to put this together so I maybe never…
The required set of radio buttons. The white whale to many a developer who is trying their darnedest to ensure they are conveyed accessibly while not also making it sound like every individual radio button must be toggled. 1961 Cadillac Wonderbar dashboard radio by Nicholas Lucien (cropped). CC BY 2.0.…
Google has an extensive history of releasing products and tools that fail basic accessibility. This is not a function of individuals — Google has some very talented and capable accessibility practitioners. Instead, this is an organizational failure. Failure to require accessibility in its products or services. Failure to support teams…
Whether you use a <button> or <input type=”checkbox”> as the basis for your switch depends on a few factors: Use <button> if: you can count on JavaScript being available, and flipping the switch has an immediate effect. Go read Under-Engineered Toggles Too. Use <input type=”checkbox”> if: you want to progressively…
The CSS3 logo as a head atop a torso with its arms folded across its chest. I am a big proponent of the First Rule of ARIA (don’t use ARIA). But ARIA brings a lot to the table that HTML does not, such as complex widgets and state information that…
This post expands on what I covered in my April 2021 post, Sortable Table Columns. You may want to read that first to understand the broader challenges and techniques for making a table sortable by one column at a time. That last statement is what matters here. ARIA 1.1 says…
An accessible sortable table is not necessarily the same as a usable sortable table. Outline: Basics Let The User Know This Thing Has Sorted Screen Reader Announcement Sort Arrows Column Background Column Background via <col> Let The User Know This Thing Sorts SVGs Layout Windows High Contrast Mode Screen Readers…