Re: ARIA: math role is intended for math images not real math, so it should just be role="img"

The math role allows the AT to assume that the alt text is something that 
can be converted to Braille or TTS mathematics. The AT can't know to do 
that if they only know it's a generic image.

This gives us a short term solution until MathML becomes more predominate 
on the web. Right now authors are using <img> for math because there is no 
other simple cross-browser way. This is a recognition of that fact, which 
allows that technique to be made accessible.

- Aaron



From:
James Craig <jcraig@apple.com>
To:
WAI XTech <wai-xtech@w3.org>
Date:
12/08/2008 03:13 AM
Subject:
ARIA: math role is intended for math images not real math, so it should 
just be role="img"




ARIA role="math" states, "This is for sections that represent math, 
such as images and ASCII art, but are not in a formal mathematical 
language. Such images MUST be labeled…" Since real math can be 
described by "a formal mathematical language," this is just an image, 
nothing more. As such, we should ditch the "math" role and just use 
the "img" role for all instances of images.