FrontendHaltAccessibility·Intermediate·Conceptual·1 min read
Why can adding ARIA roles without the matching keyboard behavior make a widget worse than having no ARIA at all?
Short interview answer
A role tells assistive technology to expect a specific set of interactions for that role. Without the actual keyboard handling implemented, the widget advertises capabilities it doesn't have, which is more confusing than an honest plain control.
Key takeaway
Explain the underlying mental model clearly, then support it with a concrete example and its trade-offs.