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Re: does datepicker have to be accessible

for

From: Michael.Moore@dars.state.tx.us
Date: Feb 8, 2011 7:48AM

Since enter date (mm/dd/yyyy) is not very screen reader friendly since the screen reader (JFW) will say "Yi Yi" for the year. We usually do something like "two digit month, slash two digit day, slash four digit year." Then we capture whatever the user puts in, make sure that there are enough digits and reformat as necessary in the validation script. You can place the text for the formatting as the alt text for a 1px gif located within the label.

Mike Moore


-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Joe Chidzik
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2011 5:29 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] does datepicker have to be accessible

I wouldn't have a problem with a date picker that wasn't accessible as long as the text input field could be used directly, as you've mentioned, to enter the date into manually. I would have a problem, however, if the only way of entering a date was via an inaccessible control.

The date format could be part of the input field label e.g.

Enter date (mm/dd/yyyy); this would let screenreader users know the correct format for entering a date.

For an example of an accessible date pickers, have a look at:
http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/WD-wai-aria-practices-20091215/#datepicker

Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of adam solomon
Sent: 08 February 2011 10:03
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: [WebAIM] does datepicker have to be accessible

Scenario: a textbox meant to have a date written in it. A button next to it
(calendar icon) which opens the datepicker to choose a date. One can enter a
date manually into the textbox, as well. Does the datepicker need to be
accessible, or is it enough that the user can manually enter a date into it
without making use of the datepicker? How should the format of the date to
be entered be communicated to a screen reader user in an unobtrusive manner?
Thanks in advance

--
adam solomon
linkedin <http://il.linkedin.com/pub/adam-solomon/24/449/a4>;
blogix <http://adam.blogix.co.il/>;