WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Does WCAG require that when you click a label it checks the checkbox or radio button?

for

From: Paul Adam
Date: Nov 19, 2015 9:16AM

ARIA16 has no examples with radio buttons or checkboxes and the example that has a <label> includes the FOR/ID association to connected it to a <select> input. http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/ARIA16.html

I've not found any examples in WCAG's docs that show radio button or checkboxes without clickable labels.

Techniques are all informative, the normative part says "Info and Relationships" are required for 1.3.1 to me that requires a programmatic relationship not just an accessible name.

Paul J. Adam
Accessibility Evangelist
www.deque.com

> On Nov 19, 2015, at 8:14 AM, Sailesh Panchang < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> ARIA16 (aria-labelledby) notes: "Clicking on a label focuses the
> associated form field. This does not occur with aria-labelledby. If
> this behaviour is required then use label or implement this
> functionality using scripting".
> I do note that ARIA16 is called 'Using aria-labelledby to provide a
> name for user interface controls' i.e. for 4.1.2 but it is listed as
> sufficient for 1.3.1 too.
> So a div role=checkbox and aria-labelledby= xxx> type of control, will
> pass WCAG2 (including 1.3.1) even if clicking label does not
> activate the checkbox on that platform.
> It was clear in HTML4: When a LABEL element receives focus, it
> passes the focus on to its associated control. This is a UA function.
> Unfortunately WCAG2 does not mandate this label functionality.
> If I am interpreting this right, in HTML5 it says: the UA should match
> the platform's label behavior. The default activation behavior for a
> label is to do nothing.
> And even on a platform where the label moves focus to the control, no
> WCAG2 SC requires this.
> So an accessibility feature built in to browser functionality is being
> watered down or not given due respect even though it helps a group of
> users.
> Unfortunately therefore, one cannot call a 'fail' when a form control
> with a visible label relies on title / aria-label / aria-labelledby
> to convey purpose of control instead of the HTML LABEL element
> implicitly or with explicit association.
>
> Best regards,
> Sailesh Panchang