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Re: is grouping checkboxes using radiogrouppermisible?

for

From: Mark Magennis
Date: Jul 8, 2022 3:15AM

Thanks for that scenario Birkir. This is just the information I was looking for. I was assuming tabbing through the ckeckboxes. Bad to assume things like this I know. Slap on the wrist for me.

Yes if you arrow from the last checkbox you get to the No radio button. As you say, this is a realistic scenario in which the embedding causes a real problem.

But rather than using an aria-owns hack which sounds inherently unreliable, would it be better to add the checkbox group after the radio button group and achieve the visual embedding using CSS?

Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Sent: 08 July 2022 02:26
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] [EXTERNAL] Re: is grouping checkboxes using radiogroup permisible?

This is why I campaigned hard for allowing aria-expanded attribute on checkboxes and radio buttons back in my ARIA working group days, my proposal was overturned, without a good explanation.
Here's another screen reader scenario, which is at least plausible if not likely.
Screen reader typically switch to auto forms mode when they hit radio buttons (i.e. arrow key presses are passed to the browser), for checkboxes they typically do not.
Scenario, user selects "yes"
Now user tabs to the checkbox group (screen reader switches to browse mode) User uses arrow keys to navigate the checkbox group, spacebar to select desired options.]Last Pressing arrow down from the last checkbox gets the user to the "no" radio button, screen reader switches back into forms mode.
Now if user is not careful they will press arrow down again and hit the "I don't know" button.
Unless the browser remembers which checkboxes were checked, now the user has lost that information by accident and has to repeat.
It's not a guarnteed scenario but realistic.
There is one good news .. you can likely use the aria-owns attribute to hack the screen reader content order so that the checkbox group is presented after the radio buttons in screen reader content order.
It's a bit messy and may not work with all combinations, butit could be done.
Or, you know, just warn a screen reader user about the setup with a line of text attached to the yes radio button, it would be sufficient.

On 7/7/22, glen walker < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Well said, Brooks.
>
>
> On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 9:05 AM Brooks Newton
> < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> wrote:
>
>>
>> What is the expected user experience when an assistive technology
>> user encounters a radio group?
>>
>>
>>
> > > archives at http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> >


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