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RE: <label> element

for

From: Kevin Spruill
Date: Apr 1, 2002 9:13AM

The placeholding characters aren't mentioned in Section 508 - The W3C's
WCAG recommendations, suggest using them. It's my understanding that
this was in fact the case with older AT agents, but no longer the case
as most screen readers, etc. can handle empty form/input elements - and
most users of AT devices are familiar enough with forms and their
functionality. Which is also why labels are an important
cue/confirmation as to the identity of the elements, and their place in
the flow and order of a form. Sect. 508 training these days recommends
not placing default text in the empty fields (the user would then have
to delete the text in order to fill the form - which apparently is more
of an inconvenience, than empty fields) for usability sake.

Now, as far as labels and placement:

From Section508 Universe (http://www.section508.gov) training
materials :

Use the <label> tag to give a field a context-relevant name.
Place field labels near and to the left of each field so AT reads them
consecutively, creating an auditory association between them.
Use the <tabindex> attribute to create a logical tab order to the entry
fields.

From W3C:
12.4 Associate labels explicitly with their controls. [Priority 2]
10.2 Until user agents support explicit associations between labels and
form controls, for all form controls with implicitly associated labels,
ensure that the label is properly positioned

Seems pretty straightforward either way - labels (logically) should be
placed with the form elements they refer to... within the form. As for
interpretation of the statue... how about this:

Item (n) from the Access Board states:

"When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form
shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information,
field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission
of the form, including all directions and cues."

Just my $.02...


HK


Kevin Spruill
National Library of Medicine
OCCS
<EMAIL REMOVED>
(301) 402-9708
(301) 402-0367 (fax)
www.nlm.nih.gov


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