Thread Subject: Re: tables in wiki?

Note

This archival content is maintained by WebAIM and NCDAE on behalf of TEITAC and the U.S. Access Board . Additional details on the updates to section 508 and section 255 can be found at the Access Board web site.

From: Bailey Bruce
Date: Mon, Oct 30 2006 5:15 AM

In the absence of any evidence that it is not sufficient, I favor using
WikiCode, at least in for the short term. I will be converting the
Access Board notes on the background of 508 Subpart A provisions
(currently in a Word table) so we will see if I remain positive about
the technology after the first hand experience!

>> 2. WikiCode is not very easy for new users to learn.

It is much easier than HTML. It is probably easier to than most new
computer tasks, for example, learning to use a spreadsheet.

>> Is there a way to modify the editing toolbar so text can be
single-click-converted to a table?

I have never found a GUI tool that does this, is accessible, and results
in well structured tables. The W3C Amaya editor comes close in that it
is equally awkward for all users, so the screen reader user is hardly at
a disadvantage.

> No, but you can use HTML to generate the tables as well, if
> you're more comfortable with that (or have a tool that can
> generate the table HTML).

Of course, the tool has to generate well-structured data tables. In my
experience, cleaning up Word generated HTML is more work than just
marking up the plain text. My suspicion is that anyone who can generate
a well-structured data table (using whatever tools) can learn the table
WikiCode in minutes.

>> 3. Do we want to encourage wiki tables, or use external documents
like spreadsheets?

I like the former. There are, of course, many things that spreadsheets
do that HTML tables do not (like formulas). Many people who use
assistive technology find HTML data tables much easier to use than
spread sheets.

> 1. Google Spreadsheets and Documents - this is a fantastic tool, but
the reports on accessibility haven't been great.

If people are doing this in twos and threes, I guess it is not a
problem. I favor work methods that are accessible by design rather than
expecting an assistive technology user to ask for an accommodation.

> 2. I could allow .xls and .doc uploads to the wiki.

I would like to see us (the tools group) articulate what need this is
filling before facilitating it. Sure, people are more comfortable with
Word and Excel, but I find no evidence that it is the novelty of the
tools that is inhibiting more dynamic collaboration on articles.

> 3. Individuals can post the documents to their own servers and provide
a link to them.

Nothing is stopping this approach. Gregg has done this already with a
few files. This approach also makes it unambiguous who has the
responsibility for ensuring the documents are accessible.

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