Accessibility Checking for Large Sites
Rocket Validator integrates axe-core version 4.8 into an automated web site scanner.
Axe Core 4.6 rules tagged as WCAG 2.1 (A).
An image map consists of a single image with numerous clickable sections. Because screen readers cannot translate graphics into text, an image map, like all images, must contain alternate text for each of the distinct clickable parts, as well as for the larger image itself.
In the absence of alternate text, screen readers often announce the image’s filename. Filenames do not accurately describe images and are therefore inconvenient for screen reader users.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Ensures that image map area
elements have alternate text.
Not all ARIA role-attribute combinations are valid. This rule ensures that each role has the required qualities.
Using ARIA attributes in roles where they are not permitted can impair web page accessibility. Using an improper role-attribute combination will have no effect on application accessibility at best and may trigger behavior that blocks accessibility for entire areas of an application at worst.
When ARIA attributes are used on HTML elements that do not conform to WAI-ARIA 1.1, they interfere with the semantics of the elements, causing assistive technology products to display nonsensical user interface (UI) information that does not represent the document’s true UI.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Checks that each element with an ARIA role is using only the ARIA attributes that are permitted for that role.
The destination, purpose, function, or action of an ARIA command element must be made clear in understandable text for screen reader users.
The function of items with the roles link
, button
, or menuitem
that lack an accessible name cannot be understood by screen reader users.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Verifies that all elements with the roles link
, button
, or menuitem
have a clear, understandable name.
The content of the document is inaccessible to assistive technologies if <body aria-hidden="true">
is present.
Applying aria-hidden="true"
to objects that are otherwise accessible: A web page is supposed to be fully accessible, and it would be accessible if elements lacked the aria-hidden="true"
attribute value. Screen readers do not read information tagged with the property value aria-hidden="true"
. Users may continue to tab to focusable items within the hidden objects, but screen readers will stay mute.
Any purposefully hidden information or interface elements, such as dormant dialogs and collapsed menus, must also be hidden from screen reader users. When items are accessible to sighted people, such as when they engage a button or expand a menu item, they must also be accessible to users of screen readers.
The objective is to give screen reader users with an experience comparable to that of sighted users. If there is a strong reason to hide something from visible users, there is typically a compelling one to hide it from blind users as well. When content is made accessible to sighted people, it makes sense to also make it accessible to blind users.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Checks for the presence of the ‘aria-hidden=”true”‘ attribute on the ‘body’ element of the document and returns a message indicating success or failure.
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This rule determines whether or not aria-hidden
elements contain focusable elements.
Using the property aria-hidden="true"
on an element removes the element and all of its child nodes from the accessibility API, rendering the element fully unavailable to screen readers and other assistive technology.
aria-hidden
may be used with extreme discretion to hide visibly displayed content from assistive technologies if the act of hiding this content is meant to enhance the experience of assistive technology users by reducing redundant or superfluous content.
If aria-hidden
is employed to hide material from screen readers, the same or equal meaning and functionality must be made available to assistive technologies.
Using aria-hidden="false"
on content that is a descendant of an element that is hidden using aria-hidden="true"
will not reveal that content to the accessibility API, nor will it be accessible to screen readers or other assistive technology.
The rule applies to any element whose aria-hidden
attribute value is true
.
By adding aria-hidden="true"
to an element, authors assure that assistive technologies will disregard the element.
This can be used to hide aesthetic elements, such as icon typefaces, that are not intended to be read by assistive technologies.
A focusable element with aria-hidden="true"
is disregarded as part of the reading order, but is still part of the focus order, making it unclear if it is visible or hidden.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
For all user interface components, including form elements, links, and script-generated components, the name and role can be identified programmatically; user-specified states, properties, and values can be set programmatically; and user agents, including assistive technologies, are notified of changes.
Ensures every ARIA input field has an accessible name.
This rule ensures that each ARIA input field has a name that is accessible.
There must be accessible names for the following input field roles:
- combobox
- listbox
- searchbox
- slider
- spinbutton
- textbox
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
The names of ARIA input fields must be accessible.
50,000 Accessibility and HTML checks per month. Fully automated.
Let our automated scanner check your large sites using Axe Core and W3C Validator.
For screen reader users, aria meter elements must have legible language that defines the destination, function, or action.
Users of screen readers are unable to determine the function of items with role="meter"
but no accessible name.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Checks that all items with role="meter"
have a distinguishable, accessible name.
For screen reader users, Aria progressbar items must include understandable language that specifies the destination, purpose, or action.
Users of screen readers are unable to determine the purpose of items with the role="progressbar"
attribute that lack an accessible name.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Checks that all items with role="progressbar"
have a distinguishable, accessible name.
ARIA widget roles must contain attributes describing the widget’s state or properties.
ARIA widget roles necessitate additional properties describing the widget’s state. If a needed attribute is missing, the widget’s status is not conveyed to users of screen readers.
Some roles function as composite user interface widgets. As such, they serve as containers that manage the widgets they contain. When an object inherits from several ancestors and one ancestor indicates support for a property and another says the property is required, the property becomes required on the inheriting object. In some circumstances, default values are sufficient to meet ARIA attribute requirements.
When required state and property attributes for specific roles (and subclass roles) are missing, screen readers may be unable to communicate the element’s role definition to the user.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Checks all elements with the role attribute to ensure that all necessary attributes are defined.
Some ARIA parent role
values must contain specific child elements and role
values in order to execute the intended accessibility function.
WAI-ARIA outlines specifically, for each role, which child and parent roles are permitted and/or required. ARIA role
s lacking needed child role
s will not be able to execute the desired accessibility functions.
The user’s context must be communicated by assistive technology. In a treeitem
, for instance, it is essential to know the parent (container), item, and siblings in the folder. This is possible in two ways:
- Code order or DOM: The context required is frequently evident from the code order or DOM.
-
ARIA: ARIA (such as
aria-owns
) can be used to provide relationships when the hierarchy differs from the code structure or the DOM tree.
What this Accessibility Rule Checks
Checks each element containing a WAI-ARIA role for the presence of all requisite child roles.
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