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Re: Enquiry regarding NVDA Clickable announcement and WCAG

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From: Dean.Vasile
Date: Jun 25, 2024 9:12AM

Hi Sumit,

Thank you for reaching out with your question regarding NVDA's behavior when encountering non-interactive elements.

### NVDA Announcing "Clickable" Elements

You're correct that NVDA announces "clickable" for elements that it identifies as interactive. This feature is designed to help users navigate more effectively by highlighting elements that they can interact with, even if those elements don't have explicit roles or interactive semantics.

### Non-Interactive Elements Announced as "Clickable"

The issue you mentioned, where NVDA announces non-interactive elements as "clickable," can indeed stem from the presence of event handlers (such as `onclick`, `onhover`, etc.) attached to these elements. When NVDA detects these event handlers, it assumes that the element has some interactive functionality, leading to the "clickable" announcement. However, if these elements are not intended to be interactive, this can cause confusion.

### Other Potential Causes

Besides event handlers, other factors that might cause NVDA to announce an element as clickable include:
- Misuse of ARIA roles and properties.
- Elements styled to look like buttons or links using CSS.
- Scripts that dynamically change the interactivity of elements.

### WCAG 2.2 Compliance

Regarding WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.2, this behavior touches on several criteria related to ensuring that web content is perceivable, operable, and understandable:

- **WCAG 2.2 Criterion 1.3.1 - Info and Relationships**: Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. If a non-interactive element is announced as "clickable," it might mislead users about the element's role.

- **WCAG 2.2 Criterion 3.2.4 - Consistent Identification**: Components with the same functionality within a set of web pages are identified consistently. Announcing non-interactive elements as "clickable" inconsistently can lead to confusion.

- **WCAG 2.2 Criterion 4.1.2 - Name, Role, Value**: For all user interface components, the name and role can be programmatically determined. Non-interactive elements should not have roles or properties that imply interactivity.

While this specific issue is not directly called out in WCAG, it falls under the umbrella of ensuring a coherent and predictable experience for users relying on assistive technologies.

### Recommendations

To avoid this issue and improve accessibility:

1. **Avoid Attaching Event Handlers to Non-Interactive Elements**: Only attach event handlers to elements that are meant to be interactive (e.g., buttons, links).

2. **Use Appropriate ARIA Roles**: Ensure that only interactive elements are given roles that suggest interactivity (e.g., `button`, `link`).

3. **Test with Screen Readers**: Regularly test your website with NVDA and other screen readers to identify and resolve such issues.

4. **Provide Clear Instructions and Feedback**: Make sure that any interactive elements are clearly marked and provide feedback to users about their interactiveness.

By following these practices, you can help ensure a more accessible and user-friendly experience for all users, including those using screen readers like NVDA.

I hope this clarifies your concerns. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.

Thanks,

Dean Vasile


617-799-1162

> On Jun 25, 2024, at 10:32 AM, Sumit Patel < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> Hai all,
>
> I am writing to enquire about the behavior of the NVDA screen reader when
> encountering non-interactive elements. I understand that NVDA announces
> "clickable" for interactive elements which is very helpful for users when
> the element's role has not been assigned. However I have observed instances
> where NVDA announces even non-interactive elements as clickable on various
> websites. My concern is that this can create a confusing and frustrating
> experience for screen reader users especially encountered frequently
> throughout a page. I've heard that this might be due to the presence of
> event handlers attached to these elements. Is the presence of event
> handlers the only reason behind NVDA announcing clickable for
> non-interactive elements ? Additionally does this behavior violate any
> criteria within WCAG 2.2 guideline ?
>
> I appreciate any clarification you can provide on this matter
>
> Thanks in Advance,
> Sumit.