RE: Significant ambiguities in aria-roledescription

From: Matt King [mailto:a11ythinker@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 7, 2016 4:18 AM

Ambiguity #1: role none with a role description:
<img role="none" aria-roledescription="Gotch ya">
<table role="none" aria-roledescription="layout table">

What would end up in the AX tree? What should a screen reader say?
[Jason] This is indicative of an author error. I think the tree should always reflect the value of the role attribute.

Ambiguity 2:  role description on an element whose role is normally suppressed by screen readers:
<ul>
<li aria-roledescription="fruit">Apple</li>
<li aria-roledescription="fruit">Banana</li>
<li aria-roledescription="fruit">Orange </li>
</ul>

Should screen readers be expected to announce each list item as a fruit? Or, should the screen reader be able to use normal processing for the listitem role and not speak the role description?
[Jason] Given that the author specified aria-roledescription, most likely for a legitimate reason, it should be honored in this case. However, it shouldn't override the implications of the actual role as given in the role attribute, which is why role="none" should be respected in the content of the accessibility tree.


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