ARIA attributes

Preview

1. What is the purpose of ARIA attributes?
2. How do ARIA attributes improve accessibility for users with disabilities?
3. What are some commonly used ARIA attributes and how are they used?
4. How should ARIA attributes be implemented in HTML code?
5. What considerations should be taken into account when using ARIA attributes in web development?

Explain

ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) are HTML attributes that provide additional information about web page elements to assistive technologies such as screen readers, making the website content more accessible to people with disabilities.

Here is an example of an ARIA attribute:

< button aria-label=“Menu Toggle” >

The aria-label attribute provides a concise and meaningful label or text alternative for an element, in this case, a button. When a screen reader encounters the element with the ARIA attribute aria-label, it will read out the descriptive text that is provided in the attribute, making it easier for a user with visual impairments to understand the operation of the button.

Overall, ARIA attributes can make web content more accessible and inclusive to everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

Keypoint

1. ARIA attributes are used to add extra information to HTML tags so that assistive technology tools can understand them better.
2. ARIA stands for Accessible Rich Internet Applications.
3. ARIA attributes can be used to define roles, states, and properties of elements in HTML.
4. Roles define how an element interacts with assistive technology and what purpose it serves.
5. States describe the condition of an element at a given moment, for example, whether it’s expanded or collapsed.
6. Properties provide additional information about an element, such as its value or label.
7. ARIA attributes should only be used when there are no other HTML elements available to convey the same information.
8. ARIA attributes should be used sparingly and only when necessary, as they can often be confusing and potentially misleading for users of assistive technology.
9. ARIA attributes are not a substitute for good HTML structure and should be used in conjunction with other accessibility techniques.
10. ARIA attributes are supported by most modern web browsers and assistive technology tools.

Review

1. What is the role attribute used for in ARIA?
   Answer: The role attribute is used to define the purpose or type of element on a webpage. It helps assistive technologies understand the purpose and functionality of an element.

2. What is the difference between aria-label and aria-labelledby?
   Answer: aria-label is used to provide a concise text alternative for an element, while aria-labelledby is used to reference an ID of another element on the page that provides a more descriptive text alternative.

3. What is the purpose of the aria-hidden attribute?
   Answer: The aria-hidden attribute is used to indicate that an element should be hidden from the screen reader and other assistive technologies, while still being available for sighted users.

4. Can ARIA attributes be used to replace proper HTML semantic structure?
   Answer: No, ARIA attributes should be used in addition to proper HTML semantic structure. ARIA should never be used to replace or override the default semantics of HTML elements.

5. What is the difference between aria-controls and aria-describedby?
   Answer: aria-controls is used to associate an element with another element that controls its behavior, while aria-describedby is used to associate an element with descriptive information or instructions located in another element on the page.