CR: Core Accessibility API Mappings 1.1

Core Accessibility API Mappings 1.1

https://www.w3.org/TR/2017/CR-core-aam-1.1-20170921/

feedback due by: 2017-10-19

Abstract


This document describes how user agents should expose semantics of web content languages to accessibility APIs. This helps users with disabilities to obtain and interact with information using assistive technologies. Documenting these mappings promotes interoperable exposure of roles, states, properties, and events implemented by accessibility APIs and helps to ensure that this information appears in a manner consistent with author intent.

This Core Accessibility API Mappings specification defines support that applies across multiple content technologies, including general keyboard navigation support and mapping of general-purpose roles, states, and properties provided in Web content via WAI-ARIA [WAI-ARIA]. Other Accessibility API Mappings specifications depend on and extend this Core specification for specific technologies, including native technology features and WAI-ARIA extensions. This document updates and will eventually supercede the guidance in the WAI-ARIA 1.0 User Agent Implementation Guide [WAI-ARIA-IMPLEMENTATION] W3C Recommendation. It is part of the WAI-ARIA suite described in the WAI-ARIA Overview.

Status of the Document


This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at https://www.w3.org/TR/.

This is a Candidate Recommendation of Core Accessibility API Mappings 1.1 by the Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group. This is a call for implementations; the Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group requests that implementations be submitted by 19 October 2017. The Working Group targets 19 October 2017 to complete the testing process and produce the implementation report. A history of changes to Core-AAM 1.1 is available in the appendix.

Exit Criteria: The Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group intends to exit the Candidate Recommendation stage and submit this document for consideration as a W3C Proposed Recommendation after documenting implementation of each feature. For each set of mappings to a given platform, at least one implemenation of 75% of the mappings to that platform will demonstrate implementability on that platform. Multiple implementations of each platform are not required because some platforms have only one implementation. For features that are not platform-specific, passing test results in at least two different implementations will be documented to demonstrate implementability.

Core-AAM 1.1 builds upon WAI-ARIA 1.0 User Agent Implementation Guide, which met its implementation requirements in February 2014. Only features that are new or changed in Core-AAM 1.1 need be tested, as the WAI-ARIA 1.0 implementation report provides implementatibility and interoperability evidence for the remaining features. Features that will be tested for Core-AAM 1.1 are indicated as "ARIA 1.1" in the Core AAM 1.1 Testable Statements.

To verify the above requirements, the Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group will: Define test cases: Identify a set of unit tests, feature tests, dynamic tests, and any additional tests needed to cover all Core-AAM normative requirements; Prepare test files: Prepare test files consisting of HTML content enhanced with WAI-ARIA, to cover all the test cases; Test implementations: Perform these tests on multiple separate combinations of user agent plus operating system plus accessibility API; Evaluate test results: Examine results in accessibility APIs as defined by the Core-AAM.

The WAI-ARIA 1.1 Implementations page contains further explanation of the terms and expectations above. It also contains up-to-date information about the test suite, test harness, user agents being examined, and interim test results in the draft implementation report. Implementers who wish to include their tools in the test process will find instructions to submit their implementation for consideration.

Features at Risk: The Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group has identified the following feature at risk:

Mappings to the User Interface Automation platform are at risk due to uncertain implementation and substantiation timelines. If the Working Group does not receive passing test results for 75% of the UIA mappings, these mappings will be removed from Core-AAM 1.1 (and potentially re-added in a future version of the specification). This affects: The "Microsoft UIA" column in Focus States and Events Table The "UIA Control Type + Other Features" column in Role Mapping Table; The "UIA" column in the State and Property Mapping Table; The "UIA event" column in the State and Property Change Events table; The "UIA event" column in the first table and the "Microsoft UIA Event" column in the second table in Changes to document content or node visibility; The "Microsoft UIA" column in the two Selection tables; The "Microsoft UIA" column in the Special Events for Menus table.

Comments: The Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group primarily seeks feedback in relation to implementation of Core-AAM, but feedback on any aspect of the specification is accepted. When submitting feedback, please consider issues in the context of the companion documents. To comment, file an issue in the W3C ARIA GitHub repository. If this is not feasible, send email to public-aria@w3.org (comment archive). Comments are requested by 19 October 2017. In-progress updates to the document may be viewed in the publicly visible editors' draft.

This document was published by the Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group as a Candidate Recommendation. This document is intended to become a W3C Recommendation. W3C publishes a Candidate Recommendation to indicate that the document is believed to be stable and to encourage implementation by the developer community. This Candidate Recommendation is expected to advance to Proposed Recommendation no earlier than 19 October 2017.

Please see the Working Group's implementation report.

Publication as a Candidate Recommendation does not imply endorsement by the W3C Membership. This is a draft document and may be updated, replaced or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to cite this document as other than work in progress.

This document was produced by a group operating under the 5 February 2004 W3C Patent Policy. W3C maintains a public list of any patent disclosures made in connection with the deliverables of the group; that page also includes instructions for disclosing a patent. An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains Essential Claim(s) must disclose the information in accordance with section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy.

This document is governed by the 1 March 2017 W3C Process Document.