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Re: Buttons and links: navigating a mixed list

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From: Steve Green
Date: Aug 24, 2023 6:10AM

I'm inclined to say you're over-thinking it. Both the links and buttons are in the focus order when swiping through the content. If a user chooses a more specific means of navigation, such as links or buttons, they always run the risk of missing elements. They know that, or at least they should. I don't think you've got any obligation other than to give each element the appropriate role.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd


-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Nick Bromley
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2023 12:22 PM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: [WebAIM] Buttons and links: navigating a mixed list

I'm auditing a kind of LMS and one page shows available resources of varying file types. Each resource is presented as a UI control coded as an <a> element but with role="button". Activating the control either:

* launches the resource directly if it is an embedded HTML-based
activity
* prompts to download the resource if it is an Office file, PDF, or
audio file

So for these role="button" is suitable, although ideally they would be refactored as proper <button> elements.

But there are a few resources that are links to external websites, and while these should ideally be modified to be proper <a> elements, this would then mean the resource listing is a mix of different UI controls. That's OK for most users, but iOS VoiceOver / Android TalkBack users could easily miss out on some of the resources depending on what setting they are using to navigate (either Buttons/Controls or Links). It's not the first time I've though that an 'All interactive elements' option for mobile screen readers would be beneficial.

So I was curious if anyone has encountered this issue before and/or has an elegant solution. I've considered adding some explanatory text somewhere, but it's tricky finding a suitably noticeable but logical location.

Or perhaps I'm overthinking this and should trust that the site users use a bunch of different navigation approaches. Of course, user testing would help but that's proving difficult to arrange with the client.



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Nick Bromley

Director & Accessibility Consultant

Red Kite Digital Accessibility Ltd