WAI-ARIA
Encyclopedia
is a draft technical specification published by the World Wide Web Consortium
that specifies how to increase the accessibility
of dynamic content and user interface components
developed with Ajax
, HTML
, JavaScript
and related technologies. Web developer
s increasingly use client-side scripts to create user interface controls that cannot be created with HTML alone. They also use client-side scripts to update sections of a page without requesting a completely new page from a web server
. Such techniques on websites are called rich internet applications. These user interface controls and content updates are often not accessible to users with disabilities, especially screen reader
users and users who cannot use a mouse
or other pointing device
. WAI-ARIA allows web page
s (or portions of pages) to declare themselves as applications
rather than as static documents
, by adding role, property, and state information to dynamic web applications. ARIA is intended for use by developers of web application
s, web browser
s, assistive technologies
, and accessibility evaluation tools.
WAI-ARIA describes how to add semantics
and other metadata
to HTML content in order to make user interface controls and dynamic content more accessible. For example, with WAI-ARIA it is possible to identify a list of links
as a navigation menu
and to state whether it is expanded or collapsed. Although originally developed to address accessibility issues in HTML, the use of WAI-ARIA is not limited to HTML: in principle, it can also be used in other markup languages such as Scalable Vector Graphics
(SVG). SVG 1.2 Tiny added support for WAI-ARIA in the 15 September 2008 working draft.
The Web Accessibility Initiative
has published an overview of WAI-ARIA that introduces the subject and guides readers to the WAI-ARIA Suite documents:
Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) Version 1.0 (Draft) : This is primarily aimed at developers of Web browsers, assistive technologies
, and other user agents, in addition to developers of other technical specifications, and developers of accessibility evaluation tools.
WAI-ARIA Primer : This is a technical introduction to WAI-ARIA. It describes the problems WAI-ARIA tries to address, the underlying concepts, the technical approach and business reasons for adopting WAI-ARIA.
WAI-ARIA Best Practices : This document describes best practices for delivering rich internet applications with WAI-ARIA: it discusses subjects such as general steps for building accessible widgets, keyboard navigation
, relationships, form
properties, drag-and-drop
support, alert
and dialog boxes, reusable component libraries, and testing
.
Roadmap for Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA Roadmap) : Much of the content of this document has been moved into other documents.
The ARIA specifications editors have included Lisa Seeman
, Rich Schwerdtfeger, James Craig, Michael Cooper and Lisa Pappas.
World Wide Web Consortium
The World Wide Web Consortium is the main international standards organization for the World Wide Web .Founded and headed by Tim Berners-Lee, the consortium is made up of member organizations which maintain full-time staff for the purpose of working together in the development of standards for the...
that specifies how to increase the accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
of dynamic content and user interface components
Elements of graphical user interfaces
Graphical user interfaces, also known as GUIs, offer a consistent visual language to represent information stored in computers. This makes it easier for people with little computer skills to work with and use computer software....
developed with Ajax
Ajax (programming)
Ajax is a group of interrelated web development methods used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications...
, HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
, JavaScript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
and related technologies. Web developer
Web developer
A web developer is a software developer or software engineer who specializes in, or is specifically engaged in, the development of World Wide Web applications, or distributed network applications that are run over HTTP from a web server to a web browser....
s increasingly use client-side scripts to create user interface controls that cannot be created with HTML alone. They also use client-side scripts to update sections of a page without requesting a completely new page from a web server
Web server
Web server can refer to either the hardware or the software that helps to deliver content that can be accessed through the Internet....
. Such techniques on websites are called rich internet applications. These user interface controls and content updates are often not accessible to users with disabilities, especially screen reader
Screen reader
A screen reader is a software application that attempts to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the screen . This interpretation is then re-presented to the user with text-to-speech, sound icons, or a Braille output device...
users and users who cannot use a mouse
Mouse (computing)
In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...
or other pointing device
Pointing device
A pointing device is an input interface that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer...
. WAI-ARIA allows web page
Web page
A web page or webpage is a document or information resource that is suitable for the World Wide Web and can be accessed through a web browser and displayed on a monitor or mobile device. This information is usually in HTML or XHTML format, and may provide navigation to other web pages via hypertext...
s (or portions of pages) to declare themselves as applications
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
rather than as static documents
Static web page
A static web page is a web page that is delivered to the user exactly as stored, in contrast to dynamic web pages which are generated by a web application....
, by adding role, property, and state information to dynamic web applications. ARIA is intended for use by developers of web application
Web application
A web application is an application that is accessed over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. The term may also mean a computer software application that is coded in a browser-supported language and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable.Web applications are...
s, web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s, assistive technologies
Assistive technology
Assistive technology or adaptive technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them...
, and accessibility evaluation tools.
WAI-ARIA describes how to add semantics
Semantics
Semantics is the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation between signifiers, such as words, phrases, signs and symbols, and what they stand for, their denotata....
and other metadata
Metadata
The term metadata is an ambiguous term which is used for two fundamentally different concepts . Although the expression "data about data" is often used, it does not apply to both in the same way. Structural metadata, the design and specification of data structures, cannot be about data, because at...
to HTML content in order to make user interface controls and dynamic content more accessible. For example, with WAI-ARIA it is possible to identify a list of links
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
as a navigation menu
Menu (computing)
In computing and telecommunications, a menu is a list of commands presented to an operator by a computer or communications system. A menu is used in contrast to a command-line interface, where instructions to the computer are given in the form of commands .Choices given from a menu may be selected...
and to state whether it is expanded or collapsed. Although originally developed to address accessibility issues in HTML, the use of WAI-ARIA is not limited to HTML: in principle, it can also be used in other markup languages such as Scalable Vector Graphics
Scalable Vector Graphics
Scalable Vector Graphics is a family of specifications of an XML-based file format for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic . The SVG specification is an open standard that has been under development by the World Wide Web Consortium since 1999.SVG images and their...
(SVG). SVG 1.2 Tiny added support for WAI-ARIA in the 15 September 2008 working draft.
The Web Accessibility Initiative
Web Accessibility Initiative
The World Wide Web Consortium 's Web Accessibility Initiative is an effort to improve the accessibility of the World Wide Web for people with disabilities...
has published an overview of WAI-ARIA that introduces the subject and guides readers to the WAI-ARIA Suite documents:
Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) Version 1.0 (Draft) : This is primarily aimed at developers of Web browsers, assistive technologies
Assistive technology
Assistive technology or adaptive technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them...
, and other user agents, in addition to developers of other technical specifications, and developers of accessibility evaluation tools.
WAI-ARIA Primer : This is a technical introduction to WAI-ARIA. It describes the problems WAI-ARIA tries to address, the underlying concepts, the technical approach and business reasons for adopting WAI-ARIA.
WAI-ARIA Best Practices : This document describes best practices for delivering rich internet applications with WAI-ARIA: it discusses subjects such as general steps for building accessible widgets, keyboard navigation
Caret navigation
In computing, caret navigation is a kind of keyboard navigation where a caret is used to navigate within a text document...
, relationships, form
Form (web)
A webform on a web page allows a user to enter data that is sent to a server for processing. Webforms resemble paper or database forms because internet users fill out the forms using checkboxes, radio buttons, or text fields...
properties, drag-and-drop
Drag-and-drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
support, alert
Alert dialog box
An alert dialog is a colloquial term for a particular type of dialog box that occurs in a graphical user interface. It is also known as an alert box, alert window, error dialog, alert popup or plainly alert.The typical alert dialog provides information in a separate box to the user, after which...
and dialog boxes, reusable component libraries, and testing
Software testing
Software testing is an investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the product or service under test. Software testing can also provide an objective, independent view of the software to allow the business to appreciate and understand the risks of software...
.
Roadmap for Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA Roadmap) : Much of the content of this document has been moved into other documents.
The ARIA specifications editors have included Lisa Seeman
Lisa Seeman
Lisa Seeman is an inventor and an entrepreneur and has been instrumental in creating standards for interoperability and accessibility. -UB Access:...
, Rich Schwerdtfeger, James Craig, Michael Cooper and Lisa Pappas.
See also
- AccessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
- AjaxAjax (programming)Ajax is a group of interrelated web development methods used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications...
- Rich Internet applicationRich Internet applicationA Rich Internet Application is a Web application that has many of the characteristics of desktop application software, typically delivered either by way of a site-specific browser, via a browser plug-in, independent sandboxes, extensive use of JavaScript, or virtual machines...
- Universal designUniversal designUniversal design refers to broad-spectrum ideas meant to produce buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to both people without disabilities and people with disabilities....
External links
- Introduction to WAI ARIA by Gez Lemon
- ARIA developer portal documentation, videos, and articles relating to ARIA (materials under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license)
- Henny Swan (Opera): Setting up a screen reader test environment for WAI-ARIA