JAWS announce selected disable element as Not selected in multiselectable listbox

[glushkova91]

Summary

JAWS announce selected disable element as Not selected in multiselectable listbox
Example:

1. Go to https://stackblitz.com/edit/angular-lrjjwa?file=src/app/list-selection-example.ts
2. Enable JAWS SR
3. Focus on disabled but selected row
4. Check the result: SR announces that item is Not selected

Expected result

SR should announce the item is selected

Actual result

SR announces the selected disabled item is NOT selected

Example

https://stackblitz.com/edit/angular-lrjjwa?file=src/app/list-selection-example.ts

Additional Information

JAWS version and build number

JAWS 2019.1907.42

Operating System and version

Windows

Browser and version:

Chrome

[JAWS-test]

I can confirm the problem, but only for Chrome.

I have tested also with Firefox and JAWS 2019:

• Arrow key navigation in form mode: disabled list entry is output correctly as selected and disabled
• Read with arrow keys: disabled list entries are not output at all. However, this corresponds to the output of an HTML selection list, where disabled list entries are not perceptible with JAWS.

Although recommended at https://w3c.github.io/aria-practices/#kbd_disabled_controls, it is questionable whether it makes sense for disabled list entries to receive the focus. At least this deviates from the operation of HTML selection lists (see w3c/aria-practices#1237).

[glushkova91]

Although recommended at https://w3c.github.io/aria-practices/#kbd_disabled_controls, it is questionable whether it makes sense for disabled list entries to receive the focus.

Since it's a recommended approach according to w3.org https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices/#kbd_disabled_controls I think it makes sense

[scottaohara]

Confirming this behavior still occurs with latest Chrome/Edge and JAWS 2020 (june release).

Reviewing what's being exposed at the platform level, this appears to be an issue with Chromium as the "selected" state is exposed for the enabled option, but is not for the disabled option.

For instance, testing this with Chrome and VoiceOver, the listbox will report only a single item as being selected, when both are in the selected state. Testing with Safari and VoiceOver, the listbox will report as two items being selected.

Per those results, I'm labeling this as a chrome issue, and not a bug with JAWS. I would recommend an issue be filed with Chromium, though I personally can't say whether or not this is a "bug" or if it was a choice to actively not expose a selected state for a disabled option.

Regarding focusability here, i'm leaning more towards @JAWS-test's questioning of this behavior, as it does go against the default behavior of the native HTML expectations. I understand why ARIA Practices recommends this, but it's worth remembering that the APG is a note. Thus any recommendation there is not normative, and may rather represent the behavior the note considers ideal, rather than actual behavior.