Re: [whatwg/encoding] aria-label usage in BMP coverage table (#261)

Update: @scottaohara [has updated](https://github.com/w3c/html-aam/commit/9f51b04ac7ec186d8164fe46feb8cb8c0d7dec93) the relevant language in the AAM spec to make it more clear. So I think it now unambiguously states the relevant implementation requirements. (Thanks Scott!)

However, at https://github.com/w3c/html-aam/issues/335#issuecomment-851476428, Scott points out:

> That said, while using `aria-label` on these elements is valid and is meant to be respected when determining the name of the elements by browsers, as Steve noted in his html5accessibility post, support for `aria-label` with AT is rather spotty.
> 
> For instance [with this table](https://encoding.spec.whatwg.org/windows-1252.html) NVDA with Firefox and Chromium ignore the `aria-label` when navigating the list.  So none of the coloring of the table will be accessible for people using this browser/AT combo.
> 
> With VoiceOver, on macOS (but not iOS) the `aria-label` is respected but that makes all cells initially announce as the `aria-label` value (e.g., "Two bytes"), requiring a user to navigate into the cell to determine what the actual value presented is.
> 
> tldr; these tables are valid, but the legend information is either not going to be announced, or it is but it will create an extra step for AT users to hear the actual content of the table cell.

Therefore, I think having the checker not emit a warning for a `td` element with `aria-label` would be not be helpful for accessibility. Therefore, I think the right fix here is to change the markup.

@scottaohara, can you suggest any alternative ARIA markup for the https://encoding.spec.whatwg.org/windows-1252.html table, or is it in fact the case that those table cells shouldn’t have any ARIA markup at all?

And to be clear, replacing `aria-label` with `title` would not be an improvement, right? (I assume that if UAs/AT don’t end up getting the `aria-label` text announced usefully, they also must not get the `title` text announced usefully either…)


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Received on Monday, 31 May 2021 16:40:50 UTC