WAI-ARIA ( Web Accessibility Initiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications ) is a technology standard developed by the World Wide Web Consortium to provide full use of the Internet to people with physical disabilities (impaired vision and musculoskeletal system). Implementation of the WAI-ARIA standard brings the greatest benefit on sites with dynamic content , as well as on sites with developed non-standard controls [1] .
The use of advanced and sophisticated user interfaces on websites is constantly growing. In order for the work with such interfaces to be accessible to people with disabilities using special assistive technologies, their correct interaction with the site controls must be ensured. However, most modern web technologies do not.
One example of a barrier to work is drag-and-drop , a feature not available to users who can only use the keyboard. Navigating with the keyboard alone can be difficult even on relatively simple sites.
Additional difficulties are introduced by the use of AJAX , DHTML, and the like technologies on websites. For example, if the content of the site is updated over time or after any user action, it may be inaccessible to the blind or poorly sighted using screen access programs .
Content
History
- March 20, 2014 - 1.0 [2]
- December 14, 2017 - 1.1 [3]
Description
The WAI-ARIA standard, which exists to solve these problems, is implemented by adding special attributes that transmit information about the behavior, state, and dependencies of interactive elements to assistive technologies. WAI-ARIA describes new techniques for marking up sections and typical web components, such as menus, main and additional content blocks, banners, and more. For example, using WAI-ARIA, a developer can split a page into sections, the ability to quickly move between which saves the user from having to repeatedly press Tab. WAI-ARIA also includes technologies for designating dynamic Ajax blocks and events for programming interfaces (APIs) of auxiliary applications.
In total, WAI-ARIA provides developers with the following:
- Roles for describing the type of control, such as menu , treeitem , , progressbar .
- Roles to describe the structure of a web page (headers, sections, tables, etc.).
- Properties to describe the state of the controls.
- Properties to indicate page blocks whose content can be updated.
- Properties for dragging objects, indicating what needs to be moved and where.
- Ability to describe site navigation using the keyboard.
Technologies Used
- Screen readers :
- Jaws
- NonVisual Desktop Access
- Orca
- Voiceover
See also
- Availability
- Rich internet application
- Rehabilitation
Notes
Links
- W3C . WAI-ARIA Overview _ Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) _ W3C (5 January 2019). Date of treatment January 5, 2019.
- W3C . WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices 1.1 (English) (July 26, 2018). Date of treatment January 5, 2019.
- Opera Dev.Opera - Introduction to WAI ARIA (English) (August 1, 2008). Date of treatment January 5, 2019.
- Introduction to WAI-ARIA (June 3, 2013). Date of appeal October 16, 2013.
- Introduction to WAI-ARIA: Accessibility Standard for Active Internet Applications (September 20, 2008). Date of appeal October 16, 2013.