ARIA role tests on MAC - Safari 4 beta Firefox 3 (minefield) & Opera 10 Alpha

Summary

WAI-ARIA has 59 possible role values (excluding abstract roles):

Firefox (Minefield) 3.2a1pre exposes 0 role values correctly via the MAC accessibility API
Opera 10 Alpha exposes 14 role values correctly via the MAC accessibility API
Safari 4 Beta exposes 15 role values correctly via The MAC accessibility API

Software used for testing

MAC OS X 10
Safari 4 beta
Opera 10.00 alpha
Firefox (Minefield) 3.2a1pre build with accessibility enabled (thanks to David Bolter)
Accessibility UIElementInspector

Methodology

Use UIElementInspector tool to verify the roles exposed via the MAC accessibility API for each of the WAI-ARIA role attribute values.
The roles can be tested using this test page
Place the mouse cursor in the cell, but not over the text the cell contains. Use of Mouse is required as the Inspector tool does not react to focus events.
"Expected Roles" were derived from reading the various references and trying to patch together expectations based on them.

Notes

If the role name is included in the result column for a browser without any annotation, it indciates the correct role is being exposed, otherwise:
- (Unsure) after a result means it is not clear if the exposed role is appropriate.
- X after a result means an incorrect or no role is exposed.
For roles with an "Expected MAC Accessibility API Role" value of "Not Known" the incorrect role value is being derived from the td element the role attribute is assigned to.

WAI-ARIA Role values exposed via MSAA
ARIA Role	Expected MAC accessibility API Role	Safari - Reported MAC accessibility API Role	Opera - Reported MAC accessibility API Role	Firefox - Reported MAC accessibility API Role
alert	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
alertdialog	AXRoleWindow, AXSubroleDialog	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
application	AXApplication	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
article	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
banner	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
button	AXButton	AXButton	AXRow X	AXGroup X
checkbox	AXCheckBox	AXCheckBox	AXRow X	AXGroup X
columnheader	AXTable, AXHeader:"1"	AXGroup X	AXRow X	AXGroup X
combobox	AXComboBox	AXGroup X	AXPopUpButton X	AXGroup X
complementary	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
contentinfo	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
dialog	AXRoleWindow, AXSubroleDialog	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
directory	AXList	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
document	AXWebArea?	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
grid	AXTable	AXGroup X	AXTable	AXGroup X
gridcell	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
group	AXGroup	AXGroup	AXGroup	AXGroup X
heading	AXHeading	AXHeading	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
img	AXImage	AXImage	AXImage	AXGroup X
label	AXStaticText	AXGroup X	AXStaticText	AXGroup X
link	AXLInk	AXLink	AXLInk	AXGroup X
list	AXList	AXGroup X	AXList	AXGroup X
listbox	AXList	AXList	AXList	AXGroup X
listitem	AXList, AXChildren	AXGroup X	AXRow X	AXGroup X
log	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
main	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
marquee	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
math	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
menu	AXMenu	AXMenu	AXRow X	AXGroup X
menubar	AXMenuBar	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
menuitem	AXMenuItem	AXGroup X	AXRow X	AXGroup X
menuitemcheckbox	AXMenuItem	AXMenuItem	AXRow X	AXGroup X
menuitemradio	AXMenuItem	AXMenuItem	AXRow X	AXGroup X
navigation	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
note	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
option	AXList, AXChildren	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
presentation	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
progressbar	AXProgressIndicator	AXProgressIndicator	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
radio	AXRadioButton	AXRadioButton	AXRow X	AXGroup X
radiogroup	AXRadioGroup	AXGroup	AXRadioGroup	AXGroup X
row	AXRow	AXGroup X	AXRow	AXGroup X
region	Not known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
rowheader	AXTable, AXHeader:"1"	AXGroup X	AXRow X	AXGroup X
search	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
separator	AXSplitter	AXGroup X	AXRow X	AXGroup X
slider	AXSlider	AXSlider	AXRow X	AXGroup X
spinbutton	AXProgressIndicator	AXProgressIndicator	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
status	AXStaticText, AXHelp:"Status messsage"	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
tab	AXRadioButton, AXRoleDescription: "tab"	AXGroup X	AXRadioButton, AXRoleDescription: "tab"	AXGroup X
tablist	AXTabGroup? AXRadioGroup?	AXGroup X	AXRadioGroup (unsure)	AXGroup X
tabpanel	AXTabGroup	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
textbox	AXField or AXTextArea	AXTextArea	AXRow X	AXGroup X
timer	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
toolbar	AXToolbar	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
tooltip	Not Known	AXGroup X	AXGroup X	AXGroup X
tree	AXOutline	AXGroup X	AXOutline	AXGroup X
treegrid	AXOutline	AXGroup X	AXOutline	AXGroup X
treeitem	AXRow, AXRoleDescription: "outline row"	AXGroup X	AXRow, AXRoleDescription: "outline row"	AXGroup X

References

Author: steve faulkner The Paciello Group
contact: sfaulkner@paciellogroup.com

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.