RE: Proper use of labelledby vs describedby and definitions

>Also, when referencing a defined term elsewhere, should we also use describedby and point back to the terms description?  E.g., <p>I have some content where I am talking about <span class="internalDFN" aria-describedby="someID">theterm</span> and relating it to other things.</p>

 

Doesn’t this last fall into the usage of aria-flowto?

 

E.G

 

<p>I have some content where I am talking about <span class="internalDFN" aria-flowto="someID">theterm</span> and relating it to other things.</p>

 

 

From: ahby@aptest.com [mailto:ahby@aptest.com] On Behalf Of Shane McCarron
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2014 7:20 AM
To: W3C WAI Protocols & Formats
Subject: Proper use of labelledby vs describedby and definitions

 

Hi!

 

I am struggling with how to best handle annotating definitions (and references to those definitions) in a document.  There are two classes:

 

1. Terms that are defined in a definition list.  It seems obvious that the content of a dt element would have a role of definition, and it should use aria-describedby to refer to its corresponding dd element.  I know the spec says to use aria-labelledby, but that doesn't really make sense if the content of the dd element is very long (right?).
2. Terms that are defined inline.  Consider an example:

<p>A paragraph about the term <dfn>theterm</dfn> that describes a lot of stuff about that term.</p>

I think that the dfn gets a role of "definition" - but do we use aria-describedby? If so, is the description the entire paragraph? 

 

Also, when referencing a defined term elsewhere, should we also use describedby and point back to the terms description?  E.g., <p>I have some content where I am talking about <span class="internalDFN" aria-describedby="someID">theterm</span> and relating it to other things.</p>

 

Thoughts?