Thread Subject: Re: Group D: 22(g) Row and Column Headers

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From: Lybarger, Barbara (MOD)
Date: Thu, Nov 30 2006 9:40 AM

For at least folks with learning disabilities and those who use
magnifiers built in to the OS, it is difficult to scan over and/or down
to correctly associate the data in a particular cell. These folks are
often not using independent third party AT products, not because they
don't need them, but because they can't afford them and don't qualify
for government assistance to purchase AT. It's particularly hard when
the data cell runs off the screen containing the labels. Highlighting
could be a good solution because it would help visually connect the
header and row labels with the data cell. It isn't ideal because one
still has to scroll back and forth and up and down to get all the
pieces. Some thoughts from the technologist, about other reasonable
options to address this would be appreciated.

Barbara E. Lybarger, General Counsel
Massachusetts Office on Disability
One Ashburton Place, #1305
Boston, MA 02108
[617] 727-7440
[800] 322-2020
[617] 727-0965 FAX

-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Sailesh
Panchang
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 10:51 AM
To: 'TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee'
Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Group D: 22(g) Row and Column Headers

>Additionally, the requirements for row and column header identification

>greatly benefit users of screen readers but there is no capability for
>low vision, screen magnification users to know row and column headers
>when focused on data cells. Should this capability be the
>responsibility of AT vendors or HTML enhancements?
Sailesh:
I have seen some data tables on pages in which columns and rows get
highlighted as a user mouses over the table cells. This conveys the
headers or context of the cell that has focus. This is helpful for some
groups of people other than screen reader users.
Sailesh Panchang
Senior Accessibility Engineer
Deque Systems Inc. (www.deque.com)
11130 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite #140,
Reston VA 20191
Phone: 703-225-0380 (ext 105)
E-mail: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =

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