Fwd: Re: Alternative to @aria-describedAT: <a role=img>

[Forwarded - because sender used incorrect list address.]

----- Begin forwarded message -----
From: Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis <bhawkeslewis@googlemail.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2012 16:04:25 +0100
Subject: Re: Alternative to @aria-describedAT: <a role=img>

On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 3:27 PM, Alexander Surkov
<surkov.alexander@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Also look at:
>>> "user agents MUST use the semantic of the WAI-ARIA role for
>>> processing, not the native semantic, unless the role requires WAI-ARIA
>>> states and properties whose attributes are explicitly forbidden on the
>>> native element by the host language"
>> 
>> So what this text says is, that in the case of <a role=img href>, then
>> there is no "MUST use the semantic of the WAI-ARIA role". Why is there
>> no MUST? Answer: Because HTML5 - currently - explicitly disallows
>> role="img" for the <a> element.
> 
> I might miss something but ARIA implementation guide says about
> WAI-ARIA states and properties (not about roles). So even if HTML 5
> disallows role="img" for the <a> then ARIA implementation guide
> requires UA to ignore <a> native semantics. But I would love to see
> ARIA implementation guide respecting what HTML5 says.

I think there's no conflict here?

HTML5 says authors should not use role="img" on <a href> elements.
This conformance requirement affects authors only.

ARIA says that when authors nevertheless do use role="img" on <a href>
elements, the semantics of "img" take precedence for the purposes of
ARIA processing. This conformance requirement affects user agents
only.

>> <div><a href="LinkURL"><img src="URL" alt=""></a>
>> <a href="LinkURL">Veteran reporter Wallace remembered</a></div>
>> 
>> Question: Why - in your opinion - do the AT user need to perceive the
>> first link above as a link?
> 
> Because it's a link I guess.

I'd say because the sets of people looking at the page and the people
using AT are not exclusive. For example, if you're a screen magnifier
user and you press the tab key to move focus to the image link, you
may want your text-to-speech software to read out the text that
describes the link destination.

--
Benjamin Hawkes-Lewis

Received on Monday, 9 April 2012 18:30:23 UTC