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Re: Icon-only buttons

for

From: Pat Reynolds
Date: Jan 21, 2022 4:17AM

Hi Mark,

For clarification, there would be two links. E.g. if the text / icon is:
"For more information, please visit the website of the Information
Commissioner [symbol of arrow popping out of a box]"
Then the words 'the website of the Information Commissioner would be linked
to https://ico.org.uk and the symbol would be on a button, also linked to
https://ico.org.uk/, and the button would also have the ialt text that it
is a link to an external site.

How this would appear at the moment (which is not as good, in my opinions
is:
"For more information, please visit the website of the Information
Commissioner (link opens in a new tab)" with the words 'the website of the
Information Commissioner would be linked to https://ico.org.uk

But maybe in reading order the button needs to be first, and include the
url of the website, so that the person using a screen reader hears the
relevant information directly after "For more information, please visit".

With thanks,

Pat
<https://ico.org.uk/>

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On Fri, 21 Jan 2022 at 11:08, Mark Magennis < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
wrote:

> Pat,
>
> Having a "link opens in new tab" symbol on a button sounds illogical. If
> it opens a new page then logically it is a link, not a button, and should
> be exposed as a link.
>
> As far as I can tell, this is the view of most accessibility specialists -
> that role should not follow behavior, i.e. if it behaves like a button make
> it a button and if it behaves like a link make it a link. But some people
> disagree and think that role should follow appearance. i.e. if it looks
> like a button make it a button and if it looks like a link make it a link.
> Considering the experience of screen reader users, both views have their
> merits.
>
> Role follows behavior means screen reader users can better guess the
> behavior from hearing the role. Role follows appearance means that there is
> less of a disconnect between the appearance and the announced role for
> partially sighted screen reader users, and also that it is less confusing
> when discussing the UI with sighted colleagues or support personnel where
> you might get an exchange like "try pressing the Edit button", "I can't
> find an edit button, there isn't one. Oh wait, there's an edit link, is
> that what you mean?".
>
> As I said, I think most accessibility folks are in the role follows
> behavior camp but I don't have enough experience of having asked users
> themselves what they prefer to be able to speak for users (apart from those
> who are also accessibility specialists and therefore advanced users). Which
> is a shame because they are the most important judges of the best approach.
>
> Mark
>
>