Good accessibility usually starts with clear words and the right HTML elements, not a large amount of extra code.
What You Need to Know
The accessibility tree is a browser-created view of the page's meaningful objects. Semantic landmarks become recognizable regions there, making it easier for screen-reader users to move through a long page.
Try the Example
Take a look at the example. We’ll explain the important lines right below it.
<header><h1>Student projects</h1></header>
<nav aria-label="Main navigation">
<a href="/projects">Projects</a>
<a href="/about">About</a>
</nav>
<main><h2>Latest projects</h2><p>Explore work from the class.</p></main>
<footer><p>School website</p></footer>Let’s Read the Code
- <h1>: A top-level heading explains what the page is about.
- <nav>: Navigation elements identify groups of important links.
- aria-label: Aria-label supplies an accessible name when a visible one is not available.
- href: Href is the URL to a related resource or destination.
Read the named elements and attributes together. They explain how the browser connects this feature to the rest of the page.
What Happens in the Browser?
Try this with Tab and Shift+Tab. If you can, inspect the accessibility tree too; appearance alone does not tell the whole story.
What does assistive technology receive? The example includes aria-label. These relationships can explain names, states, or descriptions when used correctly. They do not automatically move focus, listen for clicks, or create keyboard handling.
Your Turn
Use Tab and Shift+Tab to visit the controls, then read their labels aloud. Is the purpose of each one clear?
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Judging the page only by how it looks, without checking its meaning and keyboard behavior.
- ARIA changes what assistive technology is told; it does not automatically add keyboard controls, visual styling, or JavaScript behavior.
Key Takeaways
- The accessibility tree is a browser-created view of the page's meaningful objects.
- <h1>: A top-level heading explains what the page is about.
- A meaningful HTML element is usually a stronger starting point than adding an ARIA role to a generic div. Also check what happens using only the keyboard.