Accessibility Checking for Large Sites

Each form element must have a label element attached with it programmatically.

Forms must have effective form labels in order to be accessible. Form elements like as checkboxes, radio buttons, input fields, etc. are frequently self-explanatory to sighted users, even if they are not programmatically labeled. Users with screen readers require descriptive form labels to identify form fields. Adding labels to all form elements removes uncertainty and makes the product more accessible.

When form elements lack labels, screen reader users are unaware of the expected data input. Screen readers cannot determine information about input items programmatically in the absence of an established label association (or redundant text functioning as a label).

Since clicking the label activates the control, people with weak motor control do not benefit from a bigger clickable area for the control.

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

Ensures that each form element has a label associated with it programmatically.

When used as links, link text and alternative text for images must be recognizable by screen readers, have no duplicate labels, and be focusable.

• Accessibility is hindered by inaccessible link components, as they are a crucial component of a website.
• Users who traverse a webpage using only the keyboard (and no mouse) can only click on links that can gain programmed emphasis. Inaccessible to these users is any link that cannot gain programmatic focus.
• Similar to sighted people, screen reader users must know where a link leads. This information is provided via inner link text, albeit it will not be utilized if a screen reader cannot access it.
• Only the links and form components that can get programmatic focus can be activated by keyboard users, including those with visual impairments or those who cannot use a mouse. Keyboard users cannot access events activated only by other sorts of focus, such as onmouseover events that depend on the mouse hover focus. By default, only links and form elements receive keyboard emphasis. Add tabindex="0" to items that are not links or form components to make them focusable.

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

Ensures that each link’s name is accessible.

Ensures that SVG elements with the roles img, graphics-document or graphics-symbol have a text alternative that is accessible.

In order to make information provided by non-text material (including SVG graphics) accessible, Success Criterion 1.1.1 requires the usage of a text alternative. Because they can be portrayed through any sensory modality (for example, visual, auditory, or tactile) to suit the user’s needs, text alternatives are a fundamental method of making information accessible. By including text alternatives, a wider range of user agents can present the content in different ways.

For instance, a person who is blind can request that the text equivalent of an image be read out using synthetic speech. An audio file’s text alternative can be presented for people who cannot hear it, allowing them to read it. Text alternatives will eventually make it simpler to translate information into sign language or a more basic version of the same language.

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

The algorithm for this rule returns:

• True if the element has a <title>code child

<svg id="target"><title>Time II: Party</title></svg>

• True if the <title> child has text nested in another element.

<svg id="target"><title><g>Time II: Party</g></title></svg>

• False if the element has no <title> child.

<svg id="target"></svg>

• False if the <title> child is empty.

<svg id="target"><title></title></svg>

• False if the <title> is a grandchild.

<svg id="target"><circle><title>Time II: Party</title></circle></svg>

• False if the <title> child has only whitespace.

<svg id="target"><title> \t\r\n </title></svg>

• False if there are multiple titles and the first is empty.

<svg id="target"><title></title><title>Time II: Party</title></svg>

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.

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.

Ensures that the aria-roledescription attribute is only applied to elements having explicit or implicit role values.

Inappropriate aria-roledescription attribute values that clash with an element’s implicit or explicit role value can impede the web page’s accessibility. A contradictory aria-roledescription attribute value may have no effect on the application’s accessibility and may trigger behavior that blocks accessibility for entire application sections.

When aria-roledescription attributes are applied to HTML elements not in accordance with WAI-ARIA 1.1, a semantic conflict may occur between the aria-roledescription value and the implicit or explicit element role value, resulting in assistive technology products reporting nonsensical user interface (UI) information that does not accurately represent the intended UI experience.

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

Use aria-roledescription values to adequately explain implicit or explicit element role values.

ARIA role values must be assigned valid values. Role values must be appropriately written, correlate to existing ARIA role values, and not be abstract roles in order to correctly display the element’s purpose.

Assistive technologies do not read elements with erroneous ARIA role values as intended by the developer.

When screen readers and other assistive devices do not know the function of each element on a web page, they are unable to interact with or communicate the function to the user. When a role value is invalid, an element’s characteristics, properties, and ways of transmitting information to and/or from the user can be communicated via assistive technologies.

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

Examines each element containing the WAI-ARIA role property to check that its value is valid.

Makes certain that each ARIA toggle field has an accessible name.

Ensures that any element having a semantic role has a name that is easily accessible.

Among the semantic roles are:

• checkbox
• menu
• menuitemcheckbox
• menuitemradio
• radio
• radiogroup
• switch

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

There is an accessible name for ARIA toggle fields.

Each page must have a main landmark to allow users to rapidly traverse repetitive blocks of material or interface elements (such as the header and navigation) and get the primary content.

Due to the fact that websites frequently display secondary, repetitive content on several pages (such as navigation links, heading graphics, and advertising frames), keyboard-only users benefit from faster, more direct access to a page’s principal content. This saves keystrokes and reduces physical discomfort.

It is more difficult and time-consuming for users who cannot use a mouse to navigate using the keyboard if the interface does not provide features to facilitate keyboard navigation. To activate a link in the middle of a web page, for instance, a keyboard user may have to browse through a significant number of links and buttons in the page’s header and primary navigation.

Extremely motor-impaired users may require several minutes to browse through all of these pieces, which can cause to tiredness and potential physical pain for some users. Even users with less severe limitations will require more time than users with a mouse, who can click on the desired link in less than a second.

What this Accessibility Rule Checks

Checks for the presence of at least one of the following features:

• an internal skip link
• a header
• a geographical landmark