Role Attribute

An HTML attribute that defines the purpose or type of a user interface element, communicating its function to assistive technologies. Originally proposed as part of the XHTML namespace-based approach described by Gibson and Schwerdtfeger at IBM, the role attribute became a cornerstone of the WAI-ARIA specification. Roles map to a taxonomy of standard GUI widget types (such as button, menu, tab, dialog, grid) that assistive technologies already understand from desktop application accessibility APIs, allowing custom web components built from generic elements like DIV and SPAN to be interpreted correctly by screen readers and other tools.