Combobox Examples: Should the dropdown button be hidden from screen readers?

[mcking65]

No description provided.

[carmacleod]

@mcking65 I believe you meant "dropdown button" and not "dropdown", so I changed the title to include the word "button". If that's not what you meant, please feel free to change it back. :)

[css-meeting-bot]

The ARIA Authoring Practices (APG) Task Force just discussed Combobox example.

The full IRC log of that discussion

<Jemma> Topic: Combobox example
<carmacleod> github: https://github.com//issues/1375
<Jemma> mck: so we can put aria hidden on tabbable image?
<Jemma> jongund: to open popup like click in mobile we coded mouse up and down event
<carmacleod> https://w3c.github.io/aria-practices/examples/combobox/combobox-autocomplete-list.html
<Jemma> mck: screen reader users hear state combobox and state button "collapsed" next things. The questions is whether state button creates the distraction. what would be better for users - it is button or image part of the combobox? The issue could be something visual enhancement of combo box.
<Jemma> ...This is extended to mobile touch issues.(This is why we talk about touch, click, or mouse up above)
<Jemma> james: more complexity we add, there is more chance to mess up. Screen reader foucs is more desirable that hiding it.
<MarkMccarthy> jamesn has convinced me
<Jemma> +1 for james
<Jemma> mck: in this case, drop down icon is truly redundant
<Jemma> james: focus and double tap the field will open the field.
<Jemma> it is like that of date picker example
<Jemma> mck: we will still use aria states - expanded and collasped.
<Jemma> mck: consensus is we want editable comobo box and both elements will be accessibile - input and button.

[carmacleod]

From the call:

• For editable combobox, both input and button need to be accessible (i.e. button is visible to screen readers but not in tab order) so that it works with touch.
• For select-only combobox, there's only one accessible control, and the drop down indicator is just an icon (aria-hidden) embedded in the control.