WAI (not) ARIA
taught by: Stacy Carston Sporie
Session Summary
The first rule of ARIA is not to use ARIA when HTML will do. But how do you determine when HTML won't do? Join this session to learn some of the whys and why nots of using ARIA.
Description
Today, ARIA is an integral part of the modern web experience. Many common patterns require at least a little ARIA to support an accessible experience. Yet, the WebAIM Million also finds that home pages with ARIA average over 30% more errors than home pages without. At the very least, using ARIA appropriately requires skill and judgement.
This session is aimed at getting you started on learning the skills needed to use ARIA wisely. We will briefly touch on foundations of ARIA and how it fits in with HTML, before diving into common web design patterns and evaluating if ARIA is needed, and if so, what ARIA is appropriate to apply? Attention will be brought to typical mistakes encountered as well as any testing and maintenance considerations. Opportunities for hands-on practice will be provided, and attendees are encourage to bring a laptop.
Practical Skills
- Identify common misuses of ARIA and how to correct them.
- Apply ARIA based solutions to common design patterns.
- Identify appropriate testing strategies for ARIA patterns.