Tables do NOT allow users to move focus between cells using two dimensional
navigation.
Rich Schwerdtfeger
CTO Accessibility Software Group
From: Maciej Stachowiak <mjs@apple.com>
To: public-pfwg-comments@w3.org
Cc: Steve Faulkner <sfaulkner@paciellogroup.com>
Date: 08/26/2010 05:03 AM
Subject: Please clarify ARIA definition of "grid" role
Sent by: public-pfwg-comments-request@w3.org
ARIA has the following definition of the "grid" role:
------------
<http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria/roles#grid>
A grid contains cells of tabular data arranged in rows and columns, like a
table.
Grids do not necessarily imply presentation. The grid construct describes
relationships between data such that it may be used for different
presentations. Grids allow the user to move focus between cells using two
dimensional navigation. For example, grid might be used as the invisible
data model (hidden with CSS but still operable by assistive technologies)
for a presentational chart.
------------
This seems like an exact match for the HTML <table> element, which contains
cells of tabular data arranged in rows and columns, like a table. According
to Steve Faulkner, however, this role is only supposed to be used for
*interactive* presentations of tabular data arranged in rows and columns.
Please update the ARIA draft to make this clear. Or, if the grid role is in
fact supposed to be applicable even to non-interactive presentations of
tabular data, please reply with this information ASAP, since it is relevant
to the ARIA role mapping in the HTML5 spec.
Regards,
Maciej
