ISSUE-85: ARIA roles added to the a element should be conforming in HTML5

anchor-roles

ARIA roles added to the a element should be conforming in HTML5

State:
CLOSED
Product:
HTML 5 spec
Raised by:
Steve Faulkner
Opened on:
2009-10-23
Description:
escalated from http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=8000

Currently the a element is defined in the HTML5 specification as an element that cannot have its native role overridden by ARIA roles [1]

This is contrary to use in the wild as it has been overridden by the addition of a number of roles in popular javascript UI libraries.

Examples:
button
http://jqueryui.com/demos/dialog/
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/examples/carousel/carousel-ariaplugin_source.html
tab
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/examples/tabview/tabview-ariaplugin_clean.html
menutiem
http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/examples/menu/menuwaiaria_source.html


It is important to understand that it is not ARIA that is making the link into a button, its the developers use of javascript, event handlers and CSS that is making it look and act like a button or tab or menutiem. The addition of ARIA is merely providing the information that other users get by default. So making the addition of an ARIA role non conforming, to an element that has been designed to act and look like something other than its native role, is not the appropriate repsonse.
The reasons for creating ARIA centered around the inability of the HTML specification to address how author would create content. In fact, with the exception of forms, it was assumed that HTML would only be used for documents. Clearly, that was a miscalculation.

It is essential that authors be given the tools to produce accessible applications. The perception, by some, is that ARIA is meant to circumvent the semantics of the host language, but rather it is the author that is circumventing the host language to create UI controls that satisfy their needs. WAI-ARIA simply provides the semantics to make them interoperable with assistive technologies.


[1] http://dev.w3.org/html5/spec/embedded-content-0.html#annotations-for-assistive-technology-products-aria
Related Actions Items:
No related actions
Related emails:
  1. Re: Issue-85 (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-10-21)
  2. Re: CfC: Close ISSUE-85 by Amicable Consensus (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-10-21)
  3. {minutes} } HTML WG Telecon 2010-10-21: status of actions, calls, issues, heartbeat drafts, and TPAC (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-10-21)
  4. {agenda} HTML WG Telecon 2010-10-21: status of actions, calls, issues, heartbeat drafts, and TPAC (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-10-20)
  5. RE: {minutes} HTML WG Telecon 2010-10-14 actions, status of calls, issues and bugs, heartbeat drafts, task force reports (from adrianba@microsoft.com on 2010-10-14)
  6. {agenda} HTML WG Telecon 2010-10-14 actions, status of calls, issues and bugs, heartbeat drafts, task force reports (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-10-13)
  7. CfC: Close ISSUE-85 by Amicable Consensus (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-10-13)
  8. Re: Issue-85 (was: ISSUE-129: replace or modify the ARIA section of the HTML5 spec) (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-10-12)
  9. Issue-85 (was: ISSUE-129: replace or modify the ARIA section of the HTML5 spec) (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-10-12)
  10. {agenda} HTML WG Telecon 2010-09-23 status of calls, issues and bugs, heartbeat drafts (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-10-06)
  11. {agenda} HTML WG Telecon 2010-09-30 status of calls, issues and bugs, Task Force Reports (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-09-28)
  12. RE: {minutes} HTML WG Telecon 2010-09-23 status of calls, issues and bugs, TPAC F2F (from adrianba@microsoft.com on 2010-09-23)
  13. {agenda} HTML WG Telecon 2010-09-23 status of calls, issues and bugs, TPAC F2F (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-09-22)
  14. {agenda} HTML WG Telecon 2010-09-09 status of calls, heartbeat, last call; task force reports; bugzilla notifications, discussion guidelines (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-09-15)
  15. RE: {minutes} HTML WG Telecon 2010-09-09 - LC timeline, distributed extensibility, media accessibility (from adrianba@microsoft.com on 2010-09-09)
  16. {agenda} HTML WG Telecon 2010-09-09 - LC timeline, distributed extensibility, media accessibility (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-09-08)
  17. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-09-02, action items, media accessibility requirements overview (from janina@rednote.net on 2010-09-02)
  18. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-09-02, action items, media accessibility requirements overview (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-08-31)
  19. HTML Working Group Status (from plh@w3.org on 2010-08-27)
  20. {minutes} } HTML WG telecon 2010-08-26, action items, state of various issues (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-08-27)
  21. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-08-26, action items, state of various issues (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-08-25)
  22. RE: {minutes} HTML WG telecon 2010-08-19: WG decisions, Decision Policy, TF reports (from adrianba@microsoft.com on 2010-08-19)
  23. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-08-19: WG decisions, Decision Policy, TF reports (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-08-17)
  24. {minutes} HTML WG telecon 2010-07-29, WG decisions, issue review, WG surveys (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-07-29)
  25. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-07-29, WG decisions, issue review, WG surveys (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-07-27)
  26. {minutes} HTML WG telecon 2010-07-15 (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-07-15)
  27. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-07-15: note new dial-in numbers for Paris and London (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-07-14)
  28. {minutes} HTML WG telecon 2010-07-08: actions, issues, decisions, revised proposals, future surveys, TF reports (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-07-08)
  29. Re: ISSUE-85 anchor-roles partial Change Proposal (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-07-08)
  30. Re: ISSUE-85 anchor-roles partial Change Proposal (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-07-08)
  31. FW: {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-07-08: actions, issues, decisions, revised proposals, future surveys, TF reports (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-07-07)
  32. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-07-08: actions, issues, decisions, revised proposals, future surveys, TF reports (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-07-07)
  33. Re: ISSUE-85 anchor-roles partial Change Proposal (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-23)
  34. Re: ISSUE-85 anchor-roles partial Change Proposal (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-06-23)
  35. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from joedwil@earthlink.net on 2010-06-17)
  36. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from lachlan.hunt@lachy.id.au on 2010-06-17)
  37. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from joedwil@earthlink.net on 2010-06-17)
  38. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from raman@google.com (T.V Raman) on 2010-06-17)
  39. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-17)
  40. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from julian.reschke@gmx.de on 2010-06-17)
  41. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from lachlan.hunt@lachy.id.au on 2010-06-17)
  42. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-17)
  43. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-17)
  44. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from lachlan.hunt@lachy.id.au on 2010-06-17)
  45. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-17)
  46. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-17)
  47. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-17)
  48. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-17)
  49. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-17)
  50. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-17)
  51. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-06-16)
  52. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from fielding@gbiv.com on 2010-06-16)
  53. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-16)
  54. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from ian@hixie.ch on 2010-06-16)
  55. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-06-16)
  56. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from schwer@us.ibm.com on 2010-06-16)
  57. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-16)
  58. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from schwer@us.ibm.com on 2010-06-16)
  59. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from Simetrical+w3c@gmail.com on 2010-06-16)
  60. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-16)
  61. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-16)
  62. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-16)
  63. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from Smylers@stripey.com on 2010-06-16)
  64. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-16)
  65. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-16)
  66. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from Smylers@stripey.com on 2010-06-16)
  67. Objectionism (Was: Change proposal for ISSUE-85) (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-16)
  68. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from hsivonen@iki.fi on 2010-06-16)
  69. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-06-16)
  70. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-16)
  71. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-16)
  72. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from ian@hixie.ch on 2010-06-16)
  73. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-06-16)
  74. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-16)
  75. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from hsivonen@iki.fi on 2010-06-16)
  76. Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from ian@hixie.ch on 2010-06-16)
  77. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from karl@la-grange.net on 2010-06-16)
  78. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from ian@hixie.ch on 2010-06-16)
  79. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from ian@hixie.ch on 2010-06-16)
  80. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-15)
  81. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-06-15)
  82. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from jonas@sicking.cc on 2010-06-15)
  83. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-06-15)
  84. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-06-15)
  85. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-06-15)
  86. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-06-15)
  87. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-15)
  88. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-06-15)
  89. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-07)
  90. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-07)
  91. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-06)
  92. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from ian@hixie.ch on 2010-06-06)
  93. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-06)
  94. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from xn--mlform-iua@xn--mlform-iua.no on 2010-06-06)
  95. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-06-06)
  96. Re: Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-06-06)
  97. Change proposal for ISSUE-85 (from ian@hixie.ch on 2010-06-06)
  98. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-06-03 (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-06-02)
  99. RE: {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-05-27 (from adrianba@microsoft.com on 2010-05-27)
  100. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-05-27 (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-05-27)
  101. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-05-27 (from laura.lee.carlson@gmail.com on 2010-05-27)
  102. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-05-27 (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-05-26)
  103. Clarification on Calls for Counter-Proposals for ISSUE-85, ISSUE-101, ISSUE-105 (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-05-19)
  104. minutes, 2010-05-13 HTML WG telcon (from mike@w3.org on 2010-05-14)
  105. {agenda} HTML WG telecon 2010-05-13: Action items, surveys, Task Force reports (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-05-12)
  106. RE: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-05-06: Action items, issues, decision policy, calls, surveys, publishing - minutes (from adrianba@microsoft.com on 2010-05-06)
  107. Re: ISSUE-85: (anchor-roles): Chairs Solicit Proposals (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-05-05)
  108. Re: ISSUE-85: (anchor-roles): Chairs Solicit Proposals (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-05-05)
  109. Re: ISSUE-85: (anchor-roles): Chairs Solicit Proposals (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-05-05)
  110. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-05-06: Action items, issues, decision policy, calls, surveys, publishing (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-05-05)
  111. ISSUE-85: (anchor-roles): Chairs Solicit Proposals (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-05-05)
  112. RE: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-04-29: Action items, new issues, Task Force reports - minutes of the meeting (from adrianba@microsoft.com on 2010-04-29)
  113. Minutes of HTML WG meeting, Apr 15 2010 (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-04-19)
  114. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-04-15: Action items, issues, decision policy, task forces, TPAC (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-04-14)
  115. [minutes] 20100325 HTML teleconference (from plh@w3.org on 2010-03-30)
  116. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-03-25: decision policy, issue status, updates from meetings, task force reports (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-03-24)
  117. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-03-25: decision policy, issue status, updates from meetings, task force reports (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-03-24)
  118. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-03-11: decision policy, proposals, task forces (from singer@apple.com on 2010-03-11)
  119. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-03-11: decision policy, proposals, task forces (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2010-03-10)
  120. Re: change proposal: Allow the a element to have ARIA role attribute values other than link (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-03-02)
  121. Re: change proposal: Allow the a element to have ARIA role attribute values other than link (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-03-02)
  122. Re: change proposal: Allow the a element to have ARIA role attribute values other than link (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-03-01)
  123. change proposal: Allow the a element to have ARIA role attribute values other than link (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-02-26)
  124. Subject: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-02-25: actions, issues, publication (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-02-24)
  125. Re: ISSUE-85 anchor-roles partial Change Proposal (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-02-24)
  126. Re: ISSUE-85 anchor-roles partial Change Proposal (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-02-23)
  127. Re: Issue 85 and (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-02-18)
  128. RE: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-02-18: actions, issues, publication (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-02-18)
  129. RE: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-02-18: actions, issues, publication (from geoff_freed@wgbh.org on 2010-02-17)
  130. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-02-18: actions, issues, publication (from janina@rednote.net on 2010-02-17)
  131. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-02-18: actions, issues, publication (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-02-17)
  132. Re: ISSUE-85 - anchor-roles - Chairs Solicit Proposals (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2010-01-22)
  133. [VER 2] {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-01-21: AIs, CfC/CfPs, and heartbeat docs (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-01-21)
  134. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-01-21: AIs, CfC/CfPs, and heartbeat docs (from singer@apple.com on 2010-01-21)
  135. ISSUE-85 - anchor-roles - Chairs Solicit Proposals (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-01-20)
  136. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-01-21: AIs, CfC/CfPs, and heartbeat docs (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-01-20)
  137. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2010-01-21: AIs, CfC/CfPs, and heartbeat docs (from Paul.Cotton@microsoft.com on 2010-01-20)
  138. Re: CfC: Close ISSUE-35 aria-processing (ends 2009-12-17) (from mjs@apple.com on 2010-01-04)
  139. Re: ISSUE-85 ARIA roles and button/links (from w3c@cssquirrel.com on 2009-11-18)
  140. ISSUE-85 ARIA roles and button/links (from shelley.just@gmail.com on 2009-11-18)
  141. minutes Re: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2009-10-29: issues, action items, calls for consensus/proposals, task forces, F2F... (from cooper@w3.org on 2009-10-29)
  142. Re: {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2009-10-29: issues, action items, calls for consensus/proposals, task forces, F2F... (from singer@apple.com on 2009-10-29)
  143. {agenda} HTML WG telcon 2009-10-29: issues, action items, calls for consensus/proposals, task forces, F2F... (from rubys@intertwingly.net on 2009-10-28)
  144. [Bug 8000] ARIA roles added to the a element should be conforming in HTML5 (from bugzilla@wiggum.w3.org on 2009-10-23)
  145. Re: ARIA roles added to the a element should be conforming in HTML5. (from faulkner.steve@gmail.com on 2009-10-23)
  146. ISSUE-85: ARIA roles added to the a element should be conforming in HTML5 [HTML 5 spec] (from sysbot+tracker@w3.org on 2009-10-23)

Related notes:

Bug 8000
ARIA roles added to the a element should be conforming in HTML5
http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=8000

Laura Carlson, 23 Oct 2009, 12:44:33

Email Thread:
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2009Oct/thread.html#msg694

Laura Carlson, 23 Oct 2009, 12:45:10

[MikeSmithX]: http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=10066

8 Jul 2010, 16:38:48

[paulc_]: When the TF has updated bug 10066 the Chairs will ensure it gets expedited processing.

19 Aug 2010, 16:30:26

http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2010Oct/0348.html

Sam Ruby, 21 Oct 2010, 18:03:04

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