svg element in HTML-AAM, SVG-AAM and WAI-ARIA Graphics Module specs

[giacomo-petri]

This is an intended duplicated issue already raised in SVG-AAM repo 4 years ago, but I opened it to gain traction on this topic since it affects quite heavily tool vendors.

Current specs:

• ARIA in HTML maps the <svg> element to role="graphics-document"
• SVG AAM set the default platform WAI-ARIA role mappings to "graphics-document"
• WAI-ARIA Graphics Module requires role="graphics-document" to have an acc name

Concerns:

• Currently, different AT don't expose the svg element to the user unless it has an acc name, ignoring the browsers computed role
• Currently, browsers are exposing svg elements differently (see last WPT test)
• Web authors expect svg not to be exposed by default; if authors have to follow current specs, they are forced to either set an accessible name, or role=none to each svg element, even if the svg doesn't convey any information.

Proposal:

• expose svg with computed role=none if no acc name (similarly as img element with empty alt)
• otherwise graphics-document

[pkra]

This is an intended duplicated issue already raised in SVG-AAM repo 4 years ago,

Which one? I see w3c/svg-aam#38 but that's much younger.

FWIW I would remove the label "duplicate" since this is more like a meta issue. Then we can collect the various issues that are related.

[pkra]

Ah, maybe w3c/svg-aam#12 ?

[giacomo-petri]

Yes, sorry, it was meant to be a placeholder to be replaced with the link, but I forgot to do it. Thanks @pkra

[jnurthen]

Should we deal with this just like we do section and role=region?

[spectranaut]

Discussed in today's meeting: https://www.w3.org/2025/02/13-aria-minutes.html#465f

[giacomo-petri]

After talking with @pkra, added deep-dive label to setup a deep dive during our next meeting this Thursday.

[spectranaut]

Schedule deep dive in mid/late March