Discussion of adding table role vs using grid with aria-interactive=false in June 3, 2015 WAI-PF ARIA Caucus

Today, the discussion of how to use ARIA to represent static tables 
continues.

There are 2 radically different proposals on the table:

1. Use a property on grid to mark the grid as static or non-interactive. 
Proposed text for this approach is in the matt-action1505 branch of the 
1.1 spec [1]. This essentially makes the grid role dual purpose. It can 
represent a structural table or an interactive grid.

2. Add table and cell roles for static tables.

In previous meetings, consensus leaned in the direction of option 1-- 
using a property. Since then, on this list, there has been some concern 
expressed with that approach.

Now is a good time to weigh in with your support or concerns.

I originally considered option 1 acceptable. However, after more thought, 
I see a potentially significant problem. The states and properties that 
should be supported on an interactive widget are different from those 
supported on a structural widget. Without separate roles for table and 
grid, there will not be any clear way within the specification to spell 
out those differences. This would make the grid specification extremely 
complex. The grid definition in the spec would have to have a list of 
supported states and properties for when it is interactive and a separate 
list for when it is not. We do not have any precedence for this.

We do have precedence for properties that affect mapping, e.g., 
aria-pressed, and aria-haspopup on button. But, those features do not 
create a level of complexity similar to this proposal for tables.

Note that this discussion and option 1 above are not related to bug 27866 
[2]. The name of the property in the option 1 proposal is unfortunately 
and only coincidentally the same as that used in bug 27866.

[1] 
http://rawgit.com/w3c/aria/matt-action1505/aria/aria.html#aria-interactive

[2] https://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=27866

Matt King
IBM Senior Technical Staff Member
I/T Chief Accessibility Strategist
IBM BT/CIO - Global Workforce and Web Process Enablement 
Phone: (503) 578-2329, Tie line: 731-7398
mattking@us.ibm.com



From:   Michael Cooper <cooper@w3.org>
To:     PF <public-pfwg@w3.org>, 
Date:   06/03/2015 01:15 PM
Subject:        Agenda: June 3, 2015 WAI-PF ARIA Caucus



Agenda: June 3, 2015 WAI-PF ARIA Caucus

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Agenda: 
aria-selected action-1073 
https://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/track/actions/1073 [Matt]
Tables continued
Using bug tracking page 
https://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/wiki/ARIA/Tests/Browser_Bug_Tracking
readonly checkboxes issue-712 
https://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/track/issues/712
Switch role issue-713 https://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/track/issues/713
Review Open Action Items and Issues 
https://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/track/products/17

References:

ARIA Test Plan Action Items:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/track/products/5

UAIG Open Actions and Issues:
https://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/track/products/10

ARIA Test Report:
https://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/testharness/testreport?testsuite_id=1

Use Cases for Extended Descriptions:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/wiki/Use_Cases_for_Extended_Descriptions

Minutes Last Meeting:
http://www.w3.org/2015/05/14-aria-minutes.html