Epic: ACT Rules Consistency Alignment (2025)

[tombrunet]

ACT Rules Consistency Alignment

Track and resolve gaps between the Equal Access Checker's current ACT rule coverage and the W3C ACT Implementations listing.

Findings are based on the act-report-v2.txt from build 4.0.31.

Supersedes #1463.

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❌ Not implemented — no checker rule mapped

ACT Rule	WCAG SC	Notes
ffd0e9 — Heading has non-empty accessible name	1.3.1, 4.1.2	Engine has heading_content_exists covering this scenario but act: [] — no mapping. Needs investigation to confirm alignment and add mapping.

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🔴 Wrong results on specific test cases

Rules with an ACT mapping that produce incorrect outcomes on some test cases:

ACT Rule	WCAG SC	Problem
73f2c2 — autocomplete attribute has valid value	1.3.5	Passed Example 8 returns earl:failed (false positive)
7d6734 — SVG element with explicit role has non-empty accessible name	4.1.2	Passed Example 2 → failed; Failed Example 4 → inapplicable; Inapplicable Examples 1 & 3 → failed
6cfa84 — Element with aria-hidden has no content in sequential focus navigation	1.3.1, 4.1.2	Passed Example 4 returns earl:failed (false positive). A TODO comment in aria_hidden_nontabbable.ts notes "Handle testcase with focus jumping away".

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🟡 Applicability scope mismatch — returning inapplicable instead of failed

Rules where the checker's applicability condition is too narrow, causing failures to be reported as inapplicable:

ACT Rule	WCAG SC	Wrong cases
b4f0c3 — Meta viewport allows for zoom	1.4.4	4 approved fail cases → inapplicable
0ssw9k — Scrollable content can be reached with sequential focus navigation	2.1.1	2 fail cases → inapplicable
bisz58 — Meta element has no refresh delay (no exception)	2.2.4, 3.2.5	3 fail cases → inapplicable
cae760 — Iframe element has non-empty accessible name	4.1.2	1 inapplicable [not approved] → failed (false positive)

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🟠 can't tell results — potential-only reporting

ACT Rule	WCAG SC	Detail
bc659a — Meta element has no refresh delay	2.2.1	5 cases (1 pass + 4 fail) return can't tell. These are redirect cases the engine marks as potential rather than definitive. The mapping in meta_refresh_delay.ts intentionally excluded bisz58 (the no-exception variant). Needs review to determine whether promoting these to definitive aligns with IBM guidance.

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✅ Passes all approved test cases — currently listed as "Partially consistent"

The W3C listing shows these as "Partially consistent" despite no wrong results in the report. The discrepancy is likely a WCAG SC checkpoint mapping disagreement rather than a logic error. Each needs a review of the W3C implementation page to identify the specific mapping difference and confirm alignment with IBM guidance.

ACT Rule	WCAG SC
46ca7f — Element marked as decorative is not exposed	1.1.1
23a2a8 — Image has non-empty accessible name	1.1.1

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Process

Each row above should become a child issue in this Epic. Before making any change, confirm that the proposed alignment agrees with IBM accessibility guidance policy.