A browser does not give a screen reader a screenshot of a web page. It interprets the page’s HTML and ARIA, builds a structured accessibility representation, and exposes that information through the operating system’s accessibility interface. Assistive technology can then use it to communicate controls, names, states, and relationships to a user.
How does a screen reader get information from a web page?
The browser translates semantic information in the page into objects in an accessibility tree, then maps relevant details to the platform accessibility API. The W3C’s WAI-ARIA 1.2 specification describes the accessibility tree and DOM as “parallel structures.” The DOM represents the document; the accessibility tree represents the user-interface information exposed to assistive technology. They are related, but they are not the same thing.
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- Authors provide semantics. HTML elements, text, labels, relationships, and any necessary ARIA describe the interface.
- The browser interprets them. It derives meaning from native HTML and ARIA roles, states, and properties.
- The browser builds an accessibility tree. Relevant user-interface objects are represented in a form intended for accessibility.
- The browser maps that information to the platform. Operating systems provide accessibility APIs through which applications expose interface information.
- Assistive technology uses the exposed information. A screen reader or other technology can present it to the user.
This is a conceptual model, not a guarantee that every browser has identical internals or exposes every feature in the same way. The platform boundary matters: examples of operating-system accessibility APIs include Microsoft UI Automation, macOS NSAccessibility, Linux AT-SPI, Android’s Accessibility Framework, and iOS UIAccessibility. How information is presented can therefore depend on the browser, operating system, and assistive technology working together.
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For web authors, the practical point is that visual appearance alone does not tell assistive technology what an element means. A styled shape may look like a button, but its exposed role, accessible name, state, and relationships need to communicate the interface accurately.
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Should you use semantic HTML or ARIA?
Use native HTML when an element already expresses the behavior you need. Native elements come with built-in semantics and expected keyboard behavior; ARIA is most useful when HTML does not provide the semantics a custom control or dynamic interface requires. MDN recommends using semantic HTML whenever a suitable native element exists.
| Choice | What it provides | What you must still do |
|---|---|---|
| Native semantic HTML | Built-in roles, states, and keyboard behavior when the element fits the task. | Choose the right element and give it an accessible name and appropriate content. |
| Custom widget with ARIA | Roles, properties, states, and relationships that communicate semantics HTML does not natively express. | Implement the interaction and keyboard behavior, keep exposed states accurate, and avoid conflicts with native semantics. |
A button is more than a visual style
For an action, use a real <button> where possible. It already exposes button semantics and supports expected keyboard interaction. A generic element with a click handler does not become equivalent just because it looks like a button. Adding role="button" can communicate a role, but it does not implement keyboard behavior or ensure that the control works correctly.
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When a custom control needs ARIA
ARIA can describe a widget’s role and communicate properties or states such as checked or read-only. It can also expose live-region information for dynamic updates and relationships between parts of an interface. That makes it useful when a custom interaction needs semantics that plain HTML does not supply. The author still has to make the control behave as its semantics suggest.
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No. ARIA communicates semantics; it does not build the control’s interaction. A role or state in the accessibility tree can help assistive technology describe a widget, but the interface must also respond appropriately to keyboard and other user input. If the announced role, name, state, or relationship does not match what the control actually does, the information is misleading.
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ARIA in HTML sets rules for how ARIA can complement or extend HTML and prevents declarations that conflict with strong native semantics. Avoid redundant or contradictory roles and states: extra attributes do not compensate for incorrect behavior, and inaccurate semantics can make the interface harder to understand.
How do headings and landmarks help people navigate?
Meaningful headings, regions, and landmarks give users ways to orient themselves and move through a page. The W3C’s Page Structure Tutorial describes examples in which mobile reading modes may show only the main content when it is correctly marked up, and browser plugins may use landmark roles to jump between sections. These are examples of how structure can be used, not a promise that every browser offers the same reading mode or navigation feature.
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Use headings to structure the content and landmarks to identify major page regions. Their value comes from matching the document’s actual organization, rather than adding labels that do not describe the content.
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Code-review checklist for the accessibility representation
- Choose the right native element first. Prefer an element whose built-in semantics and behavior fit the control.
- Give controls accessible names. A user should be able to identify what an interactive element does.
- Keep states current. If a control changes state, the exposed information should reflect that change.
- Implement keyboard behavior. A semantic role does not create the interaction expected of a widget.
- Check ARIA for accuracy and conflicts. Remove redundant, contradictory, or misleading declarations.
- Use headings and landmarks meaningfully. Make page structure useful for orientation and navigation.
- Test relevant combinations. Inspect and test with the browser, operating system, and assistive technologies that matter for your users; behavior is not identical across every combination.
This is a practical review aid, not an exhaustive conformance test.
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Standards and guidance
- W3C WAI: WAI-ARIA Overview explains ARIA roles, states, properties, and use cases.
- W3C: WAI-ARIA 1.2 describes the accessibility tree and semantic model.
- MDN: ARIA provides native-first authoring guidance.
- MDN: What is accessibility? explains browser accessibility APIs and platform examples.
- W3C: ARIA in HTML sets authoring constraints for ARIA used with HTML.
- W3C WAI: Page Structure Tutorial covers headings, landmarks, and page structure.
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