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Change epub:type note to a caution and elaborate on applications#2090

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mattgarrish merged 3 commits intomainfrom
editorial/issue-2070
Mar 22, 2022
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Change epub:type note to a caution and elaborate on applications#2090
mattgarrish merged 3 commits intomainfrom
editorial/issue-2070

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@mattgarrish mattgarrish commented Mar 17, 2022 •
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For this PR, I've changed the note in the epub:type section to a caution in removing the unchecked restrictions on its use. I believe it's worth extra emphasis that epub:type is not at all like ARIA role.

I've also tried to explain the differences better, so the caution now reads:

Although the epub:type attribute is similar in nature to the role attribute [HTML], the attributes serve different purposes. The values of the epub:type attribute do not enhance the accessibility of EPUB Publications, for example, as they do not map to the accessibility APIs used by assistive technologies. This means that adding epub:type values to semantically neutral elements like [HTML] div and span does not make them any more accessible. Only ARIA roles influence how assistive technologies understand such elements.

The epub:type attribute is consequently only intended for publishing semantics and Reading System enhancements. Refer to Digital Publishing WAI-ARIA Module 1.0 [DPUB-ARIA-1.0] for more information about accessible publishing roles.

Fixes #2070

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@mattgarrish
change epub:type note to a caution and elaborate on how epub:type doe…
e82976c 
…s not change the semantics of elements;

remove the unchecked restrictions on using epub:type that suggest equivalence with roles
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avneeshsingh commented Mar 18, 2022 •
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We should avoid stating that EPUB-type is not for accessibility. Reading systems can implement accessibility features using the EPUB-type attribute. We should change the text a little. The example follows, you can polish it further.

Although the epub:type attribute is similar in nature to the role attribute [HTML], the attributes serve different purposes. The values of the epub:type attribute do not enhance the access through assistive technologies like screen readers as they do not map to the accessibility APIs used by assistive technologies. This means that adding epub:type values to semantically neutral elements like [HTML] div and span does not make them any more accessible to assistive technology. Only ARIA roles influence how assistive technologies understand such elements.
The epub:type attribute is consequently only intended for publishing semantics and Reading System enhancements. It is worth mentioning that reading systems may use epub:type for providing accessibility enhancements like in-built ReadAloud or Media Overlays functionality where interaction with assistive technology is not essential. Please refer to Digital Publishing WAI-ARIA Module 1.0 [DPUB-ARIA-1.0] for more information about accessible publishing roles.

@mattgarrish mattgarrish merged commit bcb6296 into main Mar 22, 2022
@mattgarrish mattgarrish deleted the editorial/issue-2070 branch March 22, 2022 14:20
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@iherman iherman iherman approved these changes

@clapierre clapierre clapierre approved these changes

@gregoriopellegrino gregoriopellegrino Awaiting requested review from gregoriopellegrino

@GeorgeKerscher GeorgeKerscher Awaiting requested review from GeorgeKerscher

@avneeshsingh avneeshsingh Awaiting requested review from avneeshsingh

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epub:type restriction that's outlived its usefulness

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