Success Criterion 4.1.2
Conformance level A

Button Built From a Link With No Real Destination

4.1.2 — Name, Role, Value

Scenario

Setting

A public library's catalog search

What’s wrong

Buttons implemented as <a href="#"> or <a> with no href (role wrong — keyboard semantics broken).

Example

<div class="checkbox" onclick="toggle()"></div>

Why it matters

Screen-reader and voice-control users who can operate only what the accessibility tree exposes.

How to test

Inspect an <a> tag used as a button (no real href, or href="#"): check whether the role and keyboard behavior match a real link — if not, it fails.

How to fix

Use a real <button> for actions; reserve <a> for navigation with a real href.

<input type="checkbox" id="opt-1">

<label for="opt-1">Email notifications</label>

A native input exposes its role and checked state automatically; a styled div exposes none of that without a lot of manual ARIA.

Outcome

On a public library's catalog search, this barrier is gone for screen-reader and voice-control users who can operate only what the accessibility tree exposes — they can complete the task without hitting this wall.

Who is affected