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Re: Providing accessible names with <title>
From: Jeremy Echols
Date: Sep 7, 2023 10:26AM
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FYI title-based tooltips are not accessible: they only display for mouse users (e.g., sighted keyboard-only users don't get anything). If they have custom JS that renders an accessible tooltip you may be fine, but if not, and those tooltips convey important information, they may in fact be non-compliant.
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Nick Bromley
Sent: Thursday, September 7, 2023 09:16
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Providing accessible names with <title>
It was mainly for the tooltip, yes. These particular examples are still displaying as expected in my versions of Firefox, Chrome, Edge, plus Safari on Mac, which I think are all up to date. Are you seeing a different experience more generally?
Ideally I'd recommend the client creates bespoke tooltips, but there are so many more significant issues to deal with that the request would be way, way down the priority order. So keeping 'title' retains at least some benefit for now.
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Mark Magennis
Sent: Thursday, September 7, 2023 4:58 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Providing accessible names with <title>
Nick, when you say the <title> attribute provides some benefit for certain users, do you mean that browsers sometimes generate tooltips containing it? If so, I wouldn't refer to this as a benefit because if a button needs a tooltip, and in my opinion all icon-only buttons do need tooltips, then the browser-generated tooltip will only be displayed by some browsers and support is dwindling. It used to be only Firefox that didn't display a tooltip with the <title> but now I believe it's Chrome and Edge as well. So this isn't a reliable method of providing a benefit and if it is needed it can't really be called a benefit.
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > on behalf of Nick Bromley < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Sent: Thursday 7 September 2023 10:35
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [WebAIM] Providing accessible names with <title>
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I think the vast majority of the user group of this particular site are likely to be using non-ancient tech, but I think I'll still log a recommendation to update the naming approach while still retaining the <title> attribute as it does provide some benefit for certain users. Good point about use of hidden text.
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Steve Green
Sent: Thursday, September 7, 2023 10:20 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Providing accessible names with <title>
The "title" attribute has been part of the Accessible Name Computation for a long time, so all user agents should use it if an accessible name is not provided by a higher priority method. It's certainly sufficient for WCAG conformance, even if it's a bit nasty.
I don't know of any assistive technologies that don't use the "title" attribute if necessary. There might be some, but now we're returning to the age old question of whether we need to worry about user agents that don't support current standards.
I just had the same issue on a website and recommended that the accessible name should be implemented as hidden text if possible (because non-ARIA solutions should be the first choice), otherwise by an "aria-label" attribute.
Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd
-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of Nick Bromley
Sent: Thursday, September 7, 2023 10:02 AM
To: 'WebAIM Discussion List' < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Subject: [WebAIM] Providing accessible names with <title>
I'm testing a site that has a whole load of icon-based buttons that are named only with the <title> attribute. I know this isn't considered a good method of providing an accessible name, but it works across multiple browsers, devices, screen readers, and voice control software (although all reasonably modern, it has to be said). So when the W3C states in its <https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/practices/names-and-descriptions/<https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/practices/names-and-descriptions/>>
'Providing Accessible Names and Descriptions' authoring practice guidance that fallback mechanisms (of which <title> is one) "typically yield low quality accessible names that are not effective", is there anything I'm missing? Perhaps some more niche assistive technologies that I haven't verified it with? Or does it date back to a time when support was more patchy?
I'm minded to log a best practice recommendation to use aria-label instead, but could do with a bit more specific justification, if any exists.
- - -
Nick Bromley
Director & Accessibility Consultant
Red Kite Digital Accessibility Ltd
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