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Use of ROLE=GRID for identifying data tables is a POOR practice for future compatibility

for

From: Jon Gunderson
Date: Jan 12, 2010 8:54AM

The blog entry "JAWS ate my tables " at states the use of ROLE=GRID will result in Jaws identifying the table as a data table:
http://webaim.org/blog/jaws-ate-my-tables/

It is true using ROLE=GRID will identify a table as being a data table, since the MSAA mapping of GRID is to MSAA TABLE roles, since MSAA does not have GRID roles.

But the use of ROLE=GRID is a poor practice for static data table identification and will cause confusion in the future, since the real purpose of using ROLE=GRID is to identify an interactive grid widget. The confusion will come as more real GRIDs become available on the web that are interactive, when users come to use the non-interactive GRIDs they will be confused.

So I recommend that people NOT use ROLE=GRID unless it fully supports the GRID related markup and keyboard navigation:

GRID related markup:
http://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria/complete#grid

DHTML Style Guide for grid interactivity:
http://dev.aol.com/dhtml_style_guide#grid

Example of an interactive GRID using ARIA markup and DHTML stlye guide:
http://test.cita.illinois.edu/aria/grid/grid4.php


Jon
Jon Gunderson, Ph.D.
Coordinator Information Technology Accessibility
Disability Resources and Educational Services

Rehabilitation Education Center
Room 86
1207 S. Oak Street
Champaign, Illinois 61820

Voice: (217) 244-5870

WWW: http://www.cita.illinois.edu/
WWW: https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/jongund/www/

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