github / github/annotation-toolkit
[Feature request] Add `aria-disabled` guidance to form element annotations
- Dominant language
- No language data
- Stars
- 320
- Forks
- 33
- Avg merge
- 36m
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 2
Description
### Description
When annotating form elements that should be non-interactive, the toolkit currently offers a `disabled` toggle. In practice, using the native `disabled` attribute removes the element from the accessibility tree, making it undiscoverable to assistive technology users. The preferred approach in most cases is to use `aria-disabled="true"` instead, which keeps the element discoverable while preventing interaction.
### Requested change
When the disabled state is toggled on for a form element annotation, the annotation should communicate that `aria-disabled` is the recommended approach. This could look like:
- Replacing the simple "disabled: true" label with guidance text, such as: "This field should use `aria-disabled` to maintain accessibility and discoverability"
- Adding a flyout tip (similar to how Primer A11y Presets work) that appears when the toggle is enabled, explaining the rationale
### Why
Using `aria-disabled` instead of `disabled` is a widely recommended practice. By surfacing this guidance directly in the annotation, we can help designers communicate the right implementation to developers without requiring specialized accessibility knowledge.
### References
- [Make disabled buttons accessible](https://advancedbytez.com/make-disabled-buttons-accessible/)
Contributor guide
Assessment
This issue has not been assessed yet.