We have checkbox role in aria 1.0. We have been using this checkbox role for many toggling functionalities irrespective of the visual appearance is.. If the checkbox role is applied for the widgets that looks like on or off then screen reader announce it as checkbox not checked/checkbox checked, , which is not correct interpretation, which Is not appropriate, which is not logical, which is not more meaningful, which Is not more semantical. The reason is that visual appearance is on or off and screen reader announces it as not checked or checked and they do not identical/same. therefore, screen reader user does not perceive the same information as sighted perceives.
ARIA 1.1 Switch role helps to bring the same level of experience to the screen reader users as like how a sighted person perceives. When switch role is applied then screen reader announces as “switch on/switch off”, which is more meaningful, more logical, more appropriate. Switch role is nothing different from checkbox role and only to be used when visual appearance of the element is like on or off. Switch role has on/off values but not check/uncheck. Switch role does not have mixed value.
Author notes
- Author should use The aria-checked attribute to indicate the input is on (true) or off (false).