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Re: Do screen readers read title attirbute if there is no label tag on form elements?

for

From: Steve Faulkner
Date: Apr 19, 2011 3:33PM

Hi Angela,
browsers map title attribute content to the accessible name property
in Accessibility APIs if a label element is not associated with a
control. If the label element is associated and the title element is
present on the control, generally the title is then mapped to the
accessible description property in accessibility APIs, so AT will
generally read the accessible name value provided by browsers
regardless of the source of its content.

so

example 1

<input type="text" name="num2" title="Enter your 3 digit phone exchange" />

the accessible name for the control is "Enter your 3 digit phone
exchange" from the title

example 2

<label for="num2">phone number</label> <input type="text" name="num2"
title="Enter your 3 digit phone exchange" id="num2" />

the accessible name for the control is "phone number" from the label
the accessible description for the control is "Enter your 3 digit
phone exchange" from the title.

Note: the accessible description is not well supported in older AT




On 19 April 2011 22:15, Angela French < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> I just came upon the instruction below and wondering if part of it is true:
>
>
> The instructions:
>
> HTML Form Inputs Using the Title Attribute
> In some cases, it is visually impractical to use a form label. When fields have no visual labels the title attribute provides information about the fields. Assistive technology looks for the <label> element, but if it isn't provided, they will read the title attribute.
> <input type="text" name="num2" title="Enter your 3 digit phone exchange" />
> <input type="text" name="num3" title="Enter the last 4 digits of your phone number" />
>
>
> Is the following true?   " Assistive technology looks for the <label> element, but if it isn't provided, they will read the title attribute."
>
>
> I had never heard/read this before.
>
>
> Angela French
> Internet Specialist
> State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
> 360-704-4316
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> http://www.checkoutacollege.com<;http://www.checkoutacollege.com/>;
>
>