SC 324 -- Continue buttons not identified consistently

[damiansian]

URL

https://demo.fileyourstatetaxes.org/en/questions/eligible

Issue

The "continue" action is identified as a link on one page, but as a button on another page. The WCAG specifies that:

Components that have the same functionality within a set of Web pages are identified consistently.

Identification on one page as a link

<a
    class="button button--primary button--wide" 
    id="firstCta" href="/en/questions/contact-preference">
    Continue
</a>

Identification on another page as a button

<input 
    type="submit" name="commit" 
    value="Continue" 
    class="button button--primary button--wide" 
    data-disable-with="Continue">

WCAG Success Criterion

SC 3.2.4: Consistent Identification (Level AA)

Impacted users

People who learn functionality on one page on a site can find the desired functions on other pages if they are present.
When non-text content is used in a consistent way to identify components with the same functionality, people who rely on accessible names and the roles of a control, can interact with the interface in a more predictable manner. They can also search for the component if it has a consistent label/role on different pages.

Suggested fix

Consider using button semantics for all class="button button--primary button--wide" components. Generally, buttons do things and links go places. It may be useful to make the delineation for cognitive load and apply it consistently throughout the experience.

[mmazanec22]

@damiansian I think the reason this is happening is because those buttons have to be buttons to submit the associated forms, and the author probably recognized that links go places and that made more sense when possible.

Would it be acceptable to apply a link role to all of these, while leaving the underlying html otherwise the same, in order to make them consistent? My reasoning is that they all go somewhere, but making the ones outside of forms into submit buttons won't work.

[damiansian]

@mmazanec22

Yes, your solution will close this ticket.