Re: Link labels

As a very quick opinion it doesn't look like 1.3.1 requires the 
association, in particular because it states that the requirement is 
satisfied where the "information ... [is] available in text" [1]. In 
addition, the explicit requirement 1.3.6 that the UI control's purpose can 
be programmatically determined is set at priority level AAA [2].


Likewise 2.4.4 (dealing with links) suggests that having the context 
identify the purpose is sufficient for level A. The implicit outline 
structure provided by headings - despite the sorry tale of HTML pretending 
to describe its outline algorithm as workable - does arguably identify the 
context. 


The argument being whether a user navigating a list of links is doing 
enough work. If so, then the context needs to be linked to the link, but if 
the user "should" be reading the document in long form then they will get 
the context from doing that.


The existence of 2.4.9 explicitly requiring the link alone to be enough, 
but at level AAA, also suggests that the expectation underpinning level A 
is that the user does the work of reading in long form.


I think that's unfortunate, but is what the spec says.


As an aside, your description highlights the fact that links and buttons 
are not actually clearly delineated in reality. This is a pity and 
hopefully future work will either conflate them as UI controls, or provide 
a functional basis for differentiation rather than assuming the markup used 
is relevant.



[1] https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/#info-and-relationships
[2] https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/#identify-purpose
[3] https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/#link-purpose-in-context


cheers


Chaals

On Monday, 12 December 2022 12:01:00 (+01:00), Ms J wrote:


Hello all


Can someone please clarify a point for me.


If I have a series of 'cards' all introduced by headings and under each 
card there is a control and they are all called 'find out more'


You click the control and more information expands


To me, the 'label' (i.e., the text which helps me identify the purpose of 
the control) includes the heading information. On its own 'find out more' 
is meaningless. I would say the heading needs to be programmatically 
associated as part of the button label to pass 1.3.1. Is this correct? Or 
is it ok because the heading is marked up as a heading?


This leads to my main question which is about links. If there is text 
adding context to a link, but is not programmatically associated with the 
link, should this fail 1.3.1? Just like it would for form labels that are 
not programmatically associated?


I am confused about how link labels are treated in comparison to other 
control labels. Does 'headings and labels' apply to link labels?


Thanks


Sarah


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Chaals Nevile
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