fixes #101442

src/vs/workbench/api/browser/mainThreadStatusBar.ts

@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ export class MainThreadStatusBar implements MainThreadStatusBarShape {
 	$setEntry(id: number, statusId: string, statusName: string, text: string, tooltip: string | undefined, command: Command | undefined, color: string | ThemeColor | undefined, alignment: MainThreadStatusBarAlignment, priority: number | undefined, accessibilityInformation: IAccessibilityInformation): void {
 		// if there are icons in the text use the tooltip for the aria label
 		let ariaLabel: string;
+		let role: string | undefined = undefined;
 		if (accessibilityInformation) {
 			ariaLabel = accessibilityInformation.label;
+			role = accessibilityInformation.role;
 		} else {
 			ariaLabel = text ? text.replace(MainThreadStatusBar.CODICON_REGEXP, (_match, codiconName) => codiconName) : '';
 		}
-		const entry: IStatusbarEntry = { text, tooltip, command, color, ariaLabel };
+		const entry: IStatusbarEntry = { text, tooltip, command, color, ariaLabel, role };
 
 		if (typeof priority === 'undefined') {
 			priority = 0;

src/vs/workbench/browser/parts/statusbar/statusbarPart.ts

@@ -765,6 +765,9 @@ class StatusbarEntryItem extends Disposable {
 			this.container.setAttribute('aria-label', entry.ariaLabel);
 			this.labelContainer.setAttribute('aria-label', entry.ariaLabel);
 		}
+		if (!this.entry || entry.role !== this.entry.role) {
+			this.labelContainer.setAttribute('role', entry.role || 'button');
+		}
 
 		// Update: Tooltip (on the container, because label can be disabled)
 		if (!this.entry || entry.tooltip !== this.entry.tooltip) {

src/vs/workbench/contrib/timeline/browser/timelinePane.ts

@@ -885,6 +885,12 @@ export class TimelinePane extends ViewPane {
 					}
 					return element.accessibilityInformation ? element.accessibilityInformation.label : localize('timeline.aria.item', "{0}: {1}", element.relativeTime ?? '', element.label);
 				},
+				getRole(element: TreeElement): string {
+					if (isLoadMoreCommand(element)) {
+						return 'treeitem';
+					}
+					return element.accessibilityInformation && element.accessibilityInformation.role ? element.accessibilityInformation.role : 'treeitem';
+				},
 				getWidgetAriaLabel(): string {
 					return localize('timeline', "Timeline");
 				}

src/vs/workbench/services/statusbar/common/statusbar.ts

@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ export interface IStatusbarEntry {
 	 */
 	readonly ariaLabel: string;
 
+	/**
+	 * Role of the status bar entry which defines how a screen reader interacts with it.
+	 * Default is 'button'.
+	 */
+	readonly role?: string;
+
 	/**
 	 * An optional tooltip text to show when you hover over the entry
 	 */